Self-Proclaimed “Kobe Stopper” Was Served a 45-Level Humble-Pie by Lakers Legend As a result of a Main Cause, Rasheed Wallace Reveals

“Anybody else in the league, he gonna shut down. But Kobe?” Even the self-proclaimed “Kobe Stopper” couldn’t deter the Black Mamba. Kobe Bryant was by no means recognized for taking any challenges evenly. And when the problem was going through him proper within the face, Kobe would crush the challenger. Former Portland Path Blazers teammates Rasheed Wallace and Bonzi Wells shared an identical story of how Ruben Patterson was unable to cease the Los Angeles Lakers legend.

On the Sheed and Tyler Podcast, Bonzi Wells spoke about how they hyped Ruben Patterson earlier than a recreation in opposition to the Lakers. Patterson referred to as himself the “Kobe Stopper” having performed his first NBA season alongside Kobe in Los Angeles. Forward of going through their Western Convention foes, Wallace and Co. have been in excessive spirits, claiming they’d the “Kobe Stopper” together with different nice items. Sadly for them, although, the Black Mamba noticed the interview and within the subsequent recreation scored 45 factors as per Sheed.

Wallace’s innocent jokes offered gas for Kobe as he revealed to Wallace a couple of years later. “I saw that sh** with Rube. Kobe stopper huh? Bet all right, man,” Kobe informed Wallace. Regardless that Patterson by no means really grew to become the “Kobe Stopper,” he nonetheless was a power to reckon with, as Wells alluded to.

He mentioned that Patterson was a one-man gang, he may cowl a number of folks directly. Even calling him a monster, Bonzi described him as 6’7, 230, or 240 in weight, and will simply bench 350 or 360 lbs. Plus, he had no physique fats and was very quick and athletic. “Anybody else in the league, he gonna shut down. But Kobe?… Rube used to play for the Lakers. So Kobe kind of had a feel for him, that he kinda knew, like, ‘I know this kid can’t guard me.’ Man, we walked him into the slaughter,” Wells revealed.

He additionally accepted that they set him up for this humbling. Kobe Bryant confronted Patterson 23 instances in his profession and ended up averaging 29.3 factors, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. “Kobe Stopper” final performed within the league in 2007. In the meantime, Kobe had an extended, fruitful 20-year profession. However what did Bryant consider the alleged “Kobe Stopper“?

Kobe Bryant on Ruben Patterson

Kobe Bryant spoke to ESPN and had an interesting take on the self-proclaimed moniker of Patterson. “Well, I thought that was just a business decision for him. I even called Ruben, I said ‘Ruben, if you needed me to come out and say ‘Ruben Patterson plays the best defense on me out of anybody else in the league’, I would’ve said that for you. I would have helped you get a new contract. Just let me know.‘”

In a while a podcast with PardonMyTake Kobe defined what he would do in opposition to his former teammate. “But now you done, you pissed me off. Now you didn’t let me know, now you went out there and mouthed off now I gotta kill you every time I play you and it’s not going to be a good situation.”

Keep tuned for extra such updates, and to observe what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say concerning the notorious Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and extra, watch this video.