The Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers squared off in a crucial playoff game on April 30, 1997. This intense match would be the beginning of a fierce rivalry between the two teams which would dominate the playoffs for the following three years. 4X NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace was then playing for the Blazers, going up against an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant, who was still adjusting to the big league. The Blazers ended up winning the game 98-90, but the rivalry had already been set off.

Then in 2004, Wallace again met Kobe and the Lakers but the stakes were much higher this time. It was the NBA Finals and Wallace was now playing for the Pistons. Yet again, luck was on Wallace’s side, as the Pistons lifted the Championship. Throughout all this, young Kobe had left a huge impression on Wallace.

Wallace would have hurt Kobe if he didn’t love him

Wallace admits that young Kobe was a “beast” full of energy and determination. From the get-go, Kobe wasn’t there to play, he meant serious business. He had already made up his mind to go after every player to become a formidable force on the court. Due to his confidence and aggressiveness, he quickly became a difficult opponent. So, speaking with the Point Forward podcast, Wallace admits, “If I didn’t know him and his family or didn’t love him, man I damn should have probably tried to hurt that dude out there or something, man.”

Wallace distinctly remembers feeling frustrated because of how Kobe was “busting our a**.” By then, it was clear to Wallace and everyone else that Kobe would become a dominant force in the game. It only took him a year to get to the All-Star Game and become the talk of the town. For most of their careers, the two shared a good relationship, but that did not stop them from locking horns on the court.

Wallace gave Kobe a ‘Welcome to the NBA’ welcome

Due to Kobe’s fierce competitiveness, many vets were not too fond of him. And Wallace was the one who made it very clear for the Black Mamba. During an interview with ESPN in 2013, Kobe shared his experience with Wallace as a rookie. “During my rookie year we were in Portland and I drove the lane, and Rasheed Wallace knocked me to the ground and stared at me,” he recalled.

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Kobe continued, “He tried to f— me up but I wasn’t going to have it. I got right back up and drove even harder the next time. I really let people know early that I wasn’t the guy you could do that to.” Kobe wasn’t one to be discouraged in any way. He wasn’t there to make friends, and he made that very clear. That mentality led him to win 5 NBA Championships, 2 NBA Finals MVP, and 4 NBA All-Star Game MVP, among a long list of achievements.

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