Dwyane Wade to Kobe Bryant in 2003: “You Don’t Even Take Me Seriously. I’m Scared”

Kobe Bryant remains one of the NBA’s greatest ever players. The Los Angeles Lakers legend spent 20 monumental years of his career with the franchise. Kobe’s peers and colleagues in the NBA also widely respected his talismanic qualities for the Lakers. Alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championship titles.

Recently, an NBA legend in Dwyane Wade spoke about Kobe who he also revealed remained his idol. On the ‘Dan Patrick Show’, Dwyane Wade revealed his experiences of when he first played against Kobe. Wade revealed that it was only his 10th game in the NBA when he had the monumental task of playing against the Lakers and guarding his idol, Kobe Bryant.

Wade said, “A funny story about Kobe when I first got to the NBA like one of my idols, Kobe Bryant. And In my 10th game in the NBA, I get a chance to play the Lakers. I eventually get switched off on Kobe. And I’m guarding him and he’s just like he’s just whistling. He’s just making like he’s making little noises. And I’m like you don’t even take me seriously. Now I’m scared.”

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Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant never played with each other on the same NBA franchise. Wade spent most of his career at the Miami Heat where he also played alongside LeBron James. However, Kobe and Wade were teammates on the 2008 Olympic gold medal-winning US basketball men’s national team.

Kobe Bryant won five NBA championships with the Lakers. He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. The NBA selected him as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008. The two-time NBA Finals MVP also received 18 NBA All-Star call-ups.

Kobe Bryant and his legendary 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors

Kobe Bryant put up many fabled performances for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors is undoubtedly his most iconic game. Kobe shattered even his own high standards with a ferocious performance. His 81 point game remains the second-highest total in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game.

Gary Vitti, (right) trainer for the Los Angeles Lakers, talks with an exhausted Kobe Bryant, guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, after the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors in overtime 118-116 at Staples Center on March 8, 2013. (Photo by Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Lakers were trailing by 18 points in the early part of the third quarter. An agitated Kobe led the Lakers by scoring 27 points in the third quarter. The Lakers outscored the Raptors 38-14 at the end of the third quarter.

Kobe scored 28 points in the fourth quarter. The game against the Raptors on January 22, 2006, remains one of the NBA’s most famous games.

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