Kobe Bryant Put A Young James Harden In His Place After Some Trash-Talk: “I Got 5 More Rings Than You”

Kobe Bryant humbled a young James Harden by reminding the then-OKC star about his ring count after some unseemly trash talk.

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Credit: Fadeaway World

Kobe Bryant is easily one of the most legendary figures to grace a basketball court. While that makes you an idol in most people’s eyes, it makes you a target on the court for people looking to make their name. 

Bryant was playing against the young Oklahoma City Thunder during their time with James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook on the roster. After Harden started trash-talking Kobe, the Lakers’ legend addressed both him and Durant while reminding them who he actually was.

“Gas him up! Aye man, you talking sh*t now. I’m a professional sh*t talker, he can’t talk sh*t to me. Huh? Good, I got five more rings than you.”

The one thing most NBA player stories agree on is that trash-talking Kobe never led to good results. The fact that Harden is still searching for his first championship over a decade later shows that putting in the work on the court is much harder than just talking.


Will James Harden Finally Overcome The Hump?

Kobe Bryant is one of the absolute greatest players to step onto a court, so comparing him directly with James Harden isn’t fair. That doesn’t change the fact that Harden is one of the best of his generation and is on the tier of all-time greats, just not on Kobe’s level.

Harden has won a league MVP and has some incredible regular season accolades, but Kobe has him beat in most respects. Harden’s greatest scoring season saw him average 36.1 points in 2018-19 while Kobe’s saw him average 35.4 points in 2005-06, a much slower era of basketball. Even though they have the same number of MVPs, Kobe added three Finals MVPs and five championships on top of his resume.

Harden is in a winning situation with the Philadelphia 76ers, but his decision this free agency may cement his legacy. If the 2018 MVP signs for the Rockets, it will be obvious that he is choosing the comfortable road instead of sticking with the Sixers and trying to win a championship with the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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