Guarding Kobe Bryant, the legendary 18-time All-Star and Los Angeles Lakers icon, was a daunting task that left even the NBA’s fiercest defenders rattled. Marcus Smart, a former three-time All-Defensive Team guard for the Boston Celtics and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, recently shared a vivid memory of his first time facing the Black Mamba. Now a Laker himself after a buyout with the Washington Wizards, Smart opened up on the Lakers’ official YouTube channel about the awe-inspiring challenge of defending the 2008 MVP.
As a young lottery pick—selected No. 6 out of Oklahoma State in 2014—Smart found himself thrust into the spotlight during his rookie or second season, tasked with guarding one of basketball’s all-time greats. “Honestly, I was shaking,” Smart confessed, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “All I’m thinking is my mom is watching me guard Kobe. My brother’s watching me guard Kobe right now. I hope somebody got a picture of this.”
By the time Smart faced him, Bryant was in the twilight of his storied career, no longer the All-NBA juggernaut of his prime. Yet, the 6-foot-6 swingman remained a cunning and relentless scorer, even if his efficiency had waned. Over his final two seasons with the Lakers, Bryant played just 101 of 164 possible games, averaging 19.2 points on .364/.287/.820 shooting splits, alongside 4.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Despite the physical toll of a 20-year career, Bryant’s craftiness and competitive fire—his famed Mamba Mentality—made him a nightmare to defend.
“In my mind, I’m like, listen, just live in this moment,” Smart recalled. “To be on the court with one of the all-time greats is an honor, let alone to be guarding him.” For Smart, facing Bryant wasn’t just a defensive assignment; it was a masterclass in patience, precision, and killer instinct. “To embody the Mamba Mentality: patience, stealth, and a stone-cold killer,” he said. “And now to be a Laker with that mentality, it just amplifies it.”
Smart’s evolution into an elite perimeter defender in Boston showcased his ability to neutralize guards and wings alike with tenacious, full-court pressure. His relentless style took a toll on his athleticism, and the past two seasons have seen him struggle to replicate his Celtics prime. Now with the Lakers, Smart won’t be asked to carry the same defensive load. In a reduced role, he has a chance to channel the lessons learned from guarding Bryant, tapping into that same Mamba Mentality to rediscover his defensive prowess.
For Smart, those early matchups against Kobe weren’t just games—they were moments that defined his career. The Celtics stalwart turned Lakers newcomer carries with him the weight of those battles, a testament to Bryant’s enduring legacy as an unstoppable force on the court.