Bryant was playing against the Magic that night, and in the third quarter Orlando’s Matt Barnes attempted to make Kobe flinch on an inbounds pass. He faked throwing the ball right in his face, and Bryant didn’t move — like, at all.
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I’ve watched this GIF so many times, and I can’t believe how Bryant doesn’t move. He just keeps his cool while the ball is practically touching his nose.
I mean, just look at the calmness in his eyes while this happened.
Most people only know about this moment from the game, but this was just a small part of the battle between Barnes and Bryant. As the Associated Press recap of that night explains, they were both battling all game long.
As for the inbounds play, as the GIF gained popularity, so did the interest in the story behind it. Both players offered their sides in the years that followed.
… Barnes and Derek Fisher would get double fouls in the game’s final minute, with the pair brushing each other after Orlando’s feisty forward threw a blind-sided screen.
Here’s what Barnes had to say in 2010 to Sports Illustrated:
And here’s Bryant, via the LA Daily News in 2015:
The Magic ended up winning that game, 96-94. Bryant had a game-high 34 points, and Barnes finished with 10.
