Back In The Day NBA

How Kobe Bryant Once Terrorized JJ Redick During A Team USA Practice

Shandel Richardson

The Arizona Republic-USA TODAY N

There are dozens of stories about the competitive nature of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

But Carmelo Anthony may have one that tops the lists. Anthony recently told it during an episode of his 7PM In Brooklyn podcast. It involved when Anthony and Bryant were playing for Team USA in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

Redick was among the players who competed for a roster spot but he did not make it. Anthony said Bryant went after Redick defensively during tryouts like it was Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

It stemmed from Team USA coach MikeKrzyzewski talking up Redick before the practice. Redick played for Coach K at Duke

"I remember Kobe couldn't stand JJ Reddick," Anthony said. "The moral of the story, Kobe took it personal against JJ Redick in practice because he got tired of Coach K talking about JJ Redick. Kobe took it very, very personal."

Bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2020, made it a nightmare for Redick the entire practice. It just showed how competitive he was during his 20 seasons that led to five championships and one of the greatest careers in league history.

Anthony couldn't help but be impressed.


"He was running through the screens," Anthony said. "He was denying JJ the ball. He would foul the (expletive) out of JJ. I'm like, `Damn, why you treating the young boy like that?' ... This (expletive) didn't let JJ Redick score in practice."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com



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Shandel Richardson

SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com