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"So I can't say nothing to him?" - Isaiah Thomas recalls being warned not to talk trash to Kobe Bryant
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- "So I can't say nothing to him?" - Isaiah Thomas recalls being warned not to talk trash to Kobe Bryant
Trash talk is a weapon that many players throughout NBA history have wielded to great success. From the GOAT Michael Jordan to Larry Legend, Larry Bird, these players often won the war long before tip-off with a well-timed quip or two. And then, there were some who nobody wanted to rile up for fear of awakening a sleeping giant.
According to former NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas , one of those players was Kobe Bryant . The 6'6″ shooting guard could certainly more than hold his own when it came to verbal warfare, but more often than not, he preferred to let his game do all the talking. But as IT recalled, he was warned early in his career never to say anything to the Los Angeles Lakers great or risk getting dropped 50 points.
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An ominous warning
As somebody who grew up watching the game in the 1990s and early 2000s, Thomas had heard many stories about the most vicious trash-talkers of all time, like Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett , and Jordan. But as he entered the NBA as the last pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, one of the first things his Sacramento Kings teammates told him right from the jump was not to speak at all to Kobe.
"Kobe was the one, like, you were warned not to say nothing to him," Thomas revealed . "That's what was so crazy. Like, 'Don't get him going.'"
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As the saying goes, it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. On any given night, Kobe was likely to score at least 30 points. However, a pissed-off Bryant could pop off for 50 or more points, laying waste to any defensive strategy used on him. That was how lethal the Black Mamba was on the hardwood floor.
As confused as IT was regarding the advice he was given, he learned it was better to follow instructions now and ask questions later.
"It was like, 'Why not?' Like, when I was in the NBA, like, at the beginning of my career, I'm like, 'So I can't say nothing to him?' Like, I'm not used to that, you feel me?" Thomas divulged. "But I get it. I'm not gonna say nothing, 'cause I'm probably not guarding him."
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KB became IT's mentor
As Kobe sat back and watched Isaiah become one of the most prolific scorers under six feet, he eventually touched base with him during one of the latter's toughest moments of his life. In April 2017, a day before the playoffs began, Thomas' sister passed away in a car crash, which caused the All-Star guard to reflect on whether he should play in the postseason.
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Kobe, though, was there with him during those moments, helping him sift through his grief and regain his focus on hooping. One way they did this was by watching hours upon hours of game footage, analyzing its nuances and identifying weak spots he could attack.
"We were down 2-0 against the Bulls. We were the No. 1 seed, and they the No. 8 seed. We watched every possession from Game 1 to Game 2. That s—t like five hours. After every game, he would send me the exact clip of how I did it. What he said. And it just opened the whole game up," IT shared.
What began as a relationship rooted in fear became one with mutual respect. In fact, Thomas eventually became one of Bryant's most ardent ambassadors, consistently wearing his signature sneakers throughout his career.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
