“It was such a Kobe moment” - Dwyane Wade recalls the conversation he had with Kobe Bryant after the Black Mamba's iconic buzzer-beating game-winner against Miami Heat in 2009
December 4th, 2009, is an iconic date for any Kobe Bryant fan. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Miami Heat in an East versus West fixture and it was a tight game. The late Kobe Bryant came up clutch as he did on a regular basis. With 3.2 seconds left on the clock, the Lakers trailed by two and Metta World Peace was the in-bounder.
Kobe Bryant, who was being marked by Dwyane Wade, got open to receive the ball, took three dribbles and pulled up off one foot while floating to his left. The shot banked in at the buzzer and the Lakers won the game.
On the anniversary of the iconic shot, Dwyane Wade recalled the play calling it a lucky shot. He said:
“One legged, fading away, on the top of the key. It was such a Kobe moment; I actually couldn’t be that mad. I looked down and said its Kobe man!”
Kobe Bryant finished the game with 33 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Dwyane Wade had a strong outing as well, recording 26 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. In the post-game interview, the late Kobe Bryant was honest, exclaiming how the shot he just made was one of his luckiest. He said:
“It was the luckiest shot I’ve ever taken, by far. It felt good, [but] I just couldn’t believe this ball might go in on this shot.”
Dwyane Wade wasn’t surprised by Kobe’s game-winner over him on this day in 2009. #NBA75 https://t.co/5y2CW1BmLE
Recently, some footage resurfaced of the two guards having a conversation post-game. And it went like this:
Kobe: D Wade, what’s up boy?
D Wade: I am not talking to you right now
D Wade: Its either laugh or cry, I don’t know which one to do. I am gonna laugh
D Wade: You’re the only person, if it were anybody else, I would have torn the locker room up.
Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade were the best shooting guards of their era
Both Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade had a solid impact on the league. They’ve won multiple championships and been the most elite shooting guards of their eras. Whenever the two guards matched-up, they put on a show for the fans, it was a defensive duel on almost every possession.
This play was filthy! Kobe Bryant x Dwayne Wade https://t.co/T2FgD1nbFe
Their competitive spirit brought them close to each other. Dwyane Wade and the late Kobe Bryant built a strong relationship during their time in the league as well as teammates with the US National team. Together, they won the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, playing the final against the Spanish national team. A common trait of the two of them was that they would do anything to win and have rightfully won multiple titles.
Dwyane Wade holds Kobe Bryant in high regard, often calling him the greatest player of their era. The pair have matched-up against each other 20 times, Dwyane Wade winning 11 of those fixtures. However, Kobe Bryant’s 26.1 points per game outdid Dwyane Wade’s average of 24.3 points per game.
The late Kobe Bryant was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2020 and Dwyane Wade will surely join him in the coming years, after retiring in 2019.
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