Lue Discusses Unbeatable 1-on-1 with Kobe…
Once upon a time, before Tyronn Lue was the mastermind coach we know today, he was running around with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in a Lakers jersey, snagging championships like they were on sale at a clearance rack. The man who famously tangled with Allen Iverson in the 2001 NBA Finals admitted on a podcast that despite defending the great Kobe Bryant 1-on-1 more times than he cares to count, Lue never managed to win once. Imagine playing against Kobe with him using just one leg—it was like trying to beat a cheetah in a 100-meter dash with one shoe tied.
Lue explained the sheer determination of Kobe, who was known to play 1-on-1 against new teammates just to make sure everyone remembered who the top dog was. It’s like a welcome committee, but instead of cookies, you get a solid basketball schooling! Lue practiced against Kobe, leading to a fruitful NBA career before finding fame on the sidelines as a coach. And then there’s Sasha Vujacic, who apparently also survived practice battles with Kobe. It’s a wonder these players didn’t end up with honorary black belts just for surviving Lakers practices!
