Kobe Bryant is often hailed for what he was able to do on offense. And as one of basketball’s all-time best scorers, it makes sense that his scoring would stand out in the minds of the people.
But Bryant was much more than a scorer. His intensity also translated to defense as well, and scoring against him was no easy task.
Somehow, during the 2006-07 season, Gilbert Arenas was able to drop 60 on Kobe, a highly rare and impressive feat.
In a video for VLAD TV, Arenas described what that moment was like for him.
“Going into the game, there’s a video of me talking like, I’m watching him, and I’m like ‘man that man’s a bad man.’ You see how hard he goes? Like, man. So it was already like built in cause I’ve always had great games against Kobe. He just brings that out of you. So once I got to cooking, I already knew he was gonna guard me. From there it’s just who can sustain it the longest. We had a nice little lead on them and then Kobe do what Kobe does and he starts willing them back. But at that point, I’m on fire so it’s basically who is gonna stop who. I didn’t have to guard him so I wasn’t losing no energy.”
Obviously, dropping 60 points against Kobe is amazing and Bryant was probably kicking himself after the game was over.
Funnily enough, it was also the night that Arenas first earned the nickname “Black Mongoose.”
“I remember after the game we walk to the locker room. Bring the huddle in and I walk in late and I’m like ‘yooo I just f*cking scored 60 bro.’ 60 on Kobe Bryant…. so I was already goosed.
So when we got to the tarmac, Caron is on the phone with Kobe and I’m yelling ‘put his a** on the phone. He’s talking and I’m just sitting there talking trash and then Brendan was like ‘tell him you the black mongoose.’ I said ‘what the f*ck is a black mongoose?’ He was like, ‘that’s who the black mamba’s battle with.’ So I say ‘Caron, tell him he just got killed by the Black Mongoose.’ “
Arenas will have those bragging rights, and that amazing story, for the rest of his life. Even though Kobe isn’t around anymore, it’s stories like that that help keep him alive.
Arenas, an 11-year veteran, retired in 2013 as a 3x All-Star, 3x All-NBA player, and 20.7 points per game scorer.
