Baron Davis recalls Kobe Bryant getting booed in the 2002 All-Star game at his hometown of Philadelphia: "We all knew Kobe was going to get the MVP" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Whenever a player returns to their hometown, whether for a regular-season game or during the All-Star weekend, the expectation is usually one of love and admiration. That was the case when LeBron James , the face of the Los Angeles Lakers , returned to Cleveland for the 2022 All-Star weekend as he was cheered like a hero at every opportunity.
But that wasn't the same experience Kobe Bryant experienced two decades earlier in Philadelphia during the 2002 All-Star Game.
Philadelphia was the city where he was born and where he spent time growing up. Kobe had a smile and wore his father's iconic 76ers jersey with an expectation to have a good time.
But in reality, he was seen as no less than a villain by fans in Philly, which mostly came from destroying Philadelphia in the Finals the year before.
Yet, for Baron Davis , that cold reception only set the stage for the world to remember why the Black Mamba was never to be disrespected.
During the ASG in 2002, the headlines might have been dominated by the return of legendary Michael Jordan, but it was Kobe who stole the spotlight. The Lakers legend dropped a game-high 31 points on 48 percent shooting from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, along with five assists and five rebounds to lead the West team to a 135-120 victory.
During his appearance on "Podcast P with Paul George ," Davis recalled how every player in the contest knew that Bryant was going to lift the MVP trophy after the game was said and done.
So, even though those fans might have held onto Kobe's infamous comment before Game 5 of the 2001 NBA Finals, when he said he was coming to 'rip the fans' hearts out,' Bryant left no measure in making them think twice before booing anyone.
"Man, I think Kobe just used all that s–t for motivation. We all knew Kobe was going to get the MVP. It was a lot of hate. Like, I can understand the rivalry and s–t and All-Star weekend was cool. But people still wasn't like, 'I'm not f–king with you,'" Davis recalled . "Oh, it's a hierarchy of clicks and s–t. So, if you watch it right, not only was he getting booed, but you see a lot of players, like usually in the All-Star weekend, you huddle around, (there) was a lot of hate on Kobe."
Interestingly, the 18-time All-Star didn't just dominate that weekend; he carried that same fire into the postseason. In the playoffs, he averaged 26.6 points per game, and in the NBA Finals against the New Jersey Nets , he averaged 26.8 points per game - more than any player on the opposition team.
Safe ot say that for Kobe, that weekend in Philly wasn't just about collecting an All-Star MVP trophy in a hostile environment, it was about making a statement. He took the boos, the animosity and the lingering resentment and turned them into fuel for greatness. So, while fans in Philly were struggling to see their team have any groove, Kobe led the Purple and Gold to a terrific three-peat.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
