Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Kobe Bryant has won it all. Moreover, he is also considered one of the smartest players. His in game tactics and mind games made him who he was and led him to 5 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Furthermore, legendary coach Ettore Messina talked about an interesting story about Kobe. According to the Italian coach, Bryant talked to him in Italian and he put on a lot of pressure on his teammates, unlike Spurs legend Tim Duncan.

The interesting tactic used by Kobe Bryant

Who doesn’t love Kobe Bryant? The Los Angeles Lakers legend has had one of the most legendary careers in the NBA. Apart from 5 NBA titles, he has many individual accolades that include 2 times final MVP and 2 times scoring champ.

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During his long career in the NBA, Kobe has had memorable battles. Among them, his battles with Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs were a treat for the fans always. Talking about the two players and their leadership styles, legendary Italian coach Ettore Messina had a lot to say.

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He said, “Kobe spoke to me in Italian because he liked it when he wanted to talk about things that no one could understand. Unlike Tim, Kobe could put a lot of pressure: on teammates, himself, coaches, everything… And he always made it very clear: you had to be at a very high level when you were with him, even with psychological pressure.”

Duncan and Bryant are two of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen. While they may have their differences, they have their similarities too. Both of them won 5 NBA titles with the franchise they started out with.

Tim Duncan vs Bryant: Head to Head

The two have faced off against each other a whopping 82 times! Moreover, 3o of those games have come in the playoffs. Tim Duncan holds the upper hand over Kobe with 43 wins compared to The Mamba’s 39 wins.

In these games, Kobe Bryant averages 25.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists. On the other hand, Duncan averages 21.0 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. (Source: landofbasketball.com)

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What is your favorite memory of Kobe Bryant? Let us know in the comments below.