Resurfaced video shows Kobe Bryant trash talking Jeremy Lin
By Ryan General
A recently resurfaced video from 2014 showing Kobe Bryant relentlessly trash talking former Lakers teammate Jeremy Lin during practice has sparked renewed discussion about Bryant’s leadership tactics. The video, which went viral on social media this week, shows Bryant saying: “He don’t want it… This motherf*cker don’t got sh*t. You ain’t got sh*t on me. Go ahead, shoot. Shoot. Motherf*cker can’t even get ready to shoot… Practice get real uncomfortable when I’m out this motherf*cker.”
- Trash-talking “Mamba”: The video, posted by X user @legendz_nba, has been viewed over 2.4 million times and elicited mixed reactions from fans. Some expressed discomfort with Bryant’s approach, with one commenter writing, “I don’t like this version of Kobe Bryant.” Others defended it as motivational, with one user saying, “Kobe and MJ drove their teammates in practice hard … so games would be easier.” Another fan suggested it was simply “pure trash talk,” noting that Lin had previously scored 38 points against Bryant.
- Standing up to Bryant: Another contentious moment arose during a crucial game against the Clippers in the Lakers’ tumultuous 2014-15 season, in which Lin ignored Bryant’s calls for the ball and hit a game-winning three-pointer over Chris Paul. In a 2021 “All The Smoke” podcast appearance, Lin revealed that after that, he and Bryant didn’t speak for the rest of the season. “I feel like him not talking to me was a sign of respect,” Lin said. “Like he was ‘I’m pissed at you, but I respect you because you actually said something to me. Whereas so many other people won’t.’ So that’s why next season when I was in Charlotte, we talked like it never happened.”
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