Matt Barnes has a problem with all the Kobe slander in the past couple of years: "None of this weird talk was happening while he was here"
Kobe Bryant's death remains one of the most tragic moments the sports world has ever seen. The entire basketball community, and quite honestly, anyone who ever picked up a basketball, was left in shock, covered in black.
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The Los Angeles Lakers legend was always known for his fiery personality, his unapologetic attitude when it came to outworking everyone else in the gym, and his obsession with greatness at all costs. That same obsession could be a double-edged sword. It rubbed some the wrong way. But at the same time, those lucky enough to share the floor with him, whether as teammates or as rivals, knew what kind of legend he became. They can attest how good, no, great, Kob' was.
And now, a few years removed from his passing, Matt Barnes is making it clear he's not feeling how some people are talking about Mamba's legacy today.
"I don't like the energy around it," Barnes said on the recent "All The Smoke" podcast episode. "I just don't like it. Because none of this weird talk was going on while he was here."
ESPN has Kobe at No. 10
And he's not wrong. While Kobe was here, nobody dared put him outside of that top tier. Because everyone knew Bryant would come back with that same fiery attitude that he had on the court. Nobody questioned how many guys you'd pick ahead of him if your life depended on winning a basketball game.
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"It's not that I don't respect it, I just don't go by it. And I think a lot of former players don't go by it," Barnes added. "You gotta listen to what your peers are talking about. It's crazy when we look at ESPN, Kobe is always on the outside of (Top) 10. But when you talk about some of the guys that went to war before, after or with him, like, 'Yeah, yeah, Kobe is two, Kobe is three, Kobe is Top five.'"
Take ESPN's rankings, for example. They've got Kobe sitting at No. 10, squeezed between Oscar Robertson (No. 9), a man who redefined the point guard position, and made triple-doubles seem like a regular thing and Shaquille O'Neal (No. 11). The same Shaq he won three straight titles in the City of Angels and took home three Finals MVPs just for good measure. And this is what's bugging Barnes.
Because while Kobe's name might be sitting at 10 on some list cooked up in a meeting room, ask the players who had to try and stop him. Ask the guys who spent sleepless nights figuring out how to slow down the Mamba. They'll tell you straight: Kobe's in that top five conversation without blinking.
The man built a resume that speaks for itself. Five rings, an 81-point night, a 60-piece in his final game and a mentality that became the standard for generations that came after him.
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Related: Michael Jordan shows off his $115 million luxurious superyacht in Croatia
Those who felt Bryant's wrath know the best
Barnes wasn't trying to disrespect analysts. This wasn't about picking a fight with the people who make the lists or do the talking on TV. What he's saying is simple — the words that matter most come from the people who saw it up close.
Barnes would know the best. After all, he's the guy who tried to make Kobe flinch on that iconic inbound pass. Mamba didn't budge. That's exactly what he did to the rest of the league as well.
Related: "He wouldn't be the same player he is today" - Pippen doubts KD would be the same elite scorer if he played in the 80s/90s
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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