When Stephen Curry Hit A Tough Three Pointer Over Kobe Bryant And Then The Black Mamba Showed Him Respect

Stephen Curry once hit a challenging three-pointer over Kobe Bryant, causing the then-Lakers star to smile and pat Curry on the back

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Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

A lot of active players in the NBA got the opportunity to share the court with Kobe Bryant in their careers. Bryant retired in 2016, so players up until the 2015 Draft have been on the court with Bryant, and that is incredible longevity on Kobe’s part. He saw the league evolve into its modern form while still playing.

The leader of the modern form was Stephen Curry, making history with every 3-pointer he made. People were still getting used to Curry’s audacious long-range shotmaking in 2014 when he used one of his signature deep threes in front of Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba was so impressed that he had to smile at Curry and acknowledge the tough shot that he made. 

Kobe was a veteran in his second-last season in the league at this point. He was past the point of competing for titles every season while the Warriors were on their way up. Steph’s Warriors would win their first championship at the end of this same season. Kobe realized early that Curry was going to be a problem.


How The Game Has Evolved Since Kobe’s Prime

Kobe came into the league at a young age, so he had to learn the ropes with the rough ’90s era basketball that was played in the late-90s. However, Kobe was also one of the guards that could take advantage of the league’s new rules that are more identifiable to today’s rules on contact with on-ball dribblers.

The mid-range league that Kobe had entered in the ’90s became a 3-point league by the early-2010s. Championship-winning teams had more than just one shooting specialist, and top players were quickly adapting their games to be better from beyond the arc.

Kobe’s final season was the first season we saw a shoot-first team absolutely wreck the league, as Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors went 73-9 that season and Curry became the first unanimous MVP in league history.

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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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