The details behind Kobe Bryant's biggest individual rivalries

Revisiting Kobe's Rivalries

Kobe vs. MJ. Kobe vs. Reggie. Kobe vs. Iverson. Kobe vs. LeBron. 

We dove into the details of his personal on-the-court rivalry with 40 of the biggest stars he played against. What follows is a chronological look into two decades of competition - revisiting iconic moments and hearing from Bryant's peers from every step along the journey.

MORE: What if Kobe came out of retirement to play with LeBron James?

We've also included a link to Basketball-Reference.com's comprehensive head-to-head history for each of the 40 matchups which includes stats as well as every game played.

Enjoy.

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1. Charles Barkley

First meeting: Nov. 12, 1996

Last meeting: April 26, 1999

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 5 16.9 4.7 1.1
Charles Barkley 2 22.3 13.6 3.3

The introduction: Though Barkley may have been well past his prime by the time he stepped on the floor against Kobe Bryant, you certainly wouldn't know it given what transpired in their first meeting. In a double overtime thriller, in which the 18-year-old Bryant played just five minutes, he had perhaps the best seat in the house to watch Sir Charles play all 58 minutes en route to finishing with 33 points and 16 rebounds.

All-time Kobe vs. Barkley

2. Clyde Drexler

First meeting: Nov. 12, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 15, 1998

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 3 16.5 3.3 0.3
Clyde Drexler 1 13.0 6.5 5.8

Ultimate respect: One of the five best players that Kobe ever faced? That's exactly what Clyde Drexler was according to Bryant himself. In a conference call during his final season, Bryant was asked to name the five best players he ever went up against. The list? Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Drexler. High praise for Clyde the Glyde, who was in his 14th season when Bryant got his first crack at him in the NBA.

All-time Kobe vs. Drexler

3. Hakeem Olajuwon

First meeting: Nov. 12, 1996

Last meeting: Dec. 21, 2000

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 6 20.5 4.5 2.5
Hakeem Olajuwon 5 15.4 8.0 1.8

Class in session: Hakeem Olajuwon's post moves belong in the Smithsonian. It's why Hall of Fame caliber stars past and present have worked one-on-one with Olajuwon, studying and learning the Dream's impeccable footwork. His best student? You know already.

"I’ve worked with a lot of players, but the one who really capitalized on it the most is Kobe Bryant,” Olajuwon told Sporting News in 2016. “When I watch him play, he'll go down in the post comfortably, naturally, and he'll execute it perfectly.”

All-time Kobe vs. Dream

4. Steve Nash

First meeting: Nov. 17, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 19, 2012

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 29 24.7 6.6 5.0
Steve Nash 18 16.0 2.5 8.9

The Poster: When Steve Nash won his second straight MVP award in 2005-06, it came during a season in which Kobe Bryant averaged a ridiculous 35.4 points per game. Just prior to the official announcement which came in early May, the Suns and Lakers met in the first round. Perhaps sensing that Nash would take home the hardware, Bryant took out some frustration in Game 2, delivering perhaps the most vicious in-game dunk of his career ... and 1. 

All-time Kobe vs. Nash

5. Karl Malone

First meeting: Nov. 20, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 19, 2003

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 13 22.4 4.3 4.2
Karl Malone 12 24.6 8.1 3.4

Nice to meet you, Luke: Karl Malone has stated in interviews that one of his biggest regrets is only playing one year alongside Bryant, regret perhaps seeded in the fact that both took pleasure it making life tough on the unproven. Among their first interactions as teammates included a team meet and greet between the veterans and rookies, one of which just so happened to be current Lakers coach Luke Walton. It's a story recalled by Walton that includes a betting war, private flights and some payback fueled by Luke's father, Hall of Famer Bill Walton. 

All-time Kobe vs. Mailman

6. Allen Iverson

First meeting: Nov. 26, 1996

Last meeting: Jan. 1, 2010

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 16 24.0 5.1 5.3
Allen Iverson 13 25.3 3.5 7.1

I love him and I respect him: Iverson and Bryant will always be linked as members of the vaunted 1996 draft class, scoring champions, top jersey sellers and, of course, Finals opponents. Iverson appreciated Bryant so much that he singled him out during his 31-minute Basketball Hall of Fame Speech. “A true competitor... He’s a great man. I love him and I respect him. He brought everything out of me on the basketball court, and I appreciate him for that.”

All-time Kobe vs. Iverson

7. Grant Hill

First meeting: Nov. 29, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 2, 2013

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 26 26.7 6.2 5.5
Grant Hill 8 15.1 6.4 3.6

The Next Jordan: Before the moniker was passed along to Bryant, it was Grant Hill who spent some time as "The Next Jordan." On Jan. 18, 1997, Bryant witnessed first-hand some of Hill's Jordan-esque traits. With the Lakers holding onto a 3-point lead with 2.2 seconds left in regulation, Hill caught an inbounds pass and drained a 30-footer to force overtime. The Pistons went on to win in double OT, thanks to 34 points, 15 rebounds and 14 assists from Hill.

All-time Kobe vs. Hill

8. Stephon Marbury

First meeting: Dec. 8, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 13, 2007

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 19 24.3 5.3 4.3
Stephon Marbury 7 23.2 3.0 8.3

A matchup nightmare: Included in Bryant's list of toughest defensive assignments in his career was Marbury. Watching the two-time All-Star drop 40-plus points on his Lakers three times in four years might have had something to do with it. One of those performances was a 50-point, 12-assist masterpiece back when Marbury was a member of the New Jersey Nets.

Kobe was the one defending Marbury on a lot of those possessions, too.

All-time Kobe vs. Marbury

9. Michael Jordan

First meeting: Dec. 17, 1996

Last meeting: March 28, 2003

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 5 22.8 4.4 3.9
Michael Jordan 3 24.5 4.3 3.6

Passing the torch: One of the greatest performances of Kobe's career came against his idol. On March 28, 2003, Kobe scored 55 points on 15-for-29 shooting from the field against Michael Jordan's Washington Wizards, 42 coming in the first half. Kobe said years later that his performance was a celebration of Jordan. "The best way I could show my respect was to compete hard against him," he said.

All-time Kobe vs. MJ

10. Scottie Pippen

First meeting: Dec. 17, 1996

Last meeting: Nov. 21, 2003

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 13 23.7 5.9 3.5
Scottie Pippen 8 12.5 5.5 4.8

Mutual respect: "If I'm a young player coming into the league today, I would really focus on the defensive end of the floor and look at Scottie Pippen." That's Bryant heaping praise in a recent episode of Detail. Of course, the respect between Bryant and Pippen is a two-way street with the long-time Bull placing Bryant right up there alongside a certain teammate.

All-time Kobe vs. Pippen

11. Ray Allen

First meeting: Dec. 18, 1996

Last meeting: Feb. 10, 2013

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 23 24.3 4.5 4.6
Ray Allen 14 19.2 4.5 4.5

A complicated rivalry: 1996 draft? Check. Hall of Fame shooting guards? Check. Recruited to play Jesus Shuttlesworth? Check. Never played for the team that drafted them? Check. There's tons of shared history between Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant who also engaged in a rivalry that would have taken on a life of it's own in the age of social media. Want the inside scoop? Check out this.

All-time Kobe vs. Shuttlesworth

12. Gary Payton

First meeting: Jan. 26, 1997

Last meeting: Jan 15, 2007

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 15 20.9 4.9 3.5
Gary Payton 13 21.1 4.5 7.6

Getting defensive: Maybe we should credit Payton for Kobe's development into a nine-time member of the All-Defensive First Team. During the 2000 All-Star Game, Kobe approached "The Glove" and asked him how he can improve defensively. The only guard to win Defensive Player in the last 30 years, Payton is widely recognized as one of the greatest defenders of all-time.

All-time Kobe vs. Payton

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13. Chris Webber

First meeting: Feb. 2, 1997

Last meeting: Feb. 8, 2007

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 12 26.2 7.0 5.0
Chris Webber 12 21.3 10.2 4.5

Snakebitten: As the leader of a Kings team eliminated three straight years by Bryant, Chris Webber saw Bryant at his very best. Ahead of Bryant's final All-Star came back in 2016, Webber showed nothing but love for Bryant in speaing with USA Today's Sam Amick. "I saw the competitiveness. I saw him get better every year. I saw him work on things differently every year... It was an honor to battle against him. One of the best ever. One of the greatest competitors ever."

All-time Kobe vs. C-Webb

14. Reggie Miller

First meeting: March 2, 1997

Last meeting: March 18, 2005

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 10 22.2 4.8 3.7
Reggie Miller 5 19.1 2.9 2.3

Game 4 of 2000 NBA Finals: Reggie Miller was right there for the moment Kobe Bryant truly arrived on the biggest stage. After missing Game 3 with a badly sprained ankle, a hobbled Bryant played 47 of a possible 53 minutes in Game 4, taking over in OT after Shaquille O'Neal fouled out and upstaging Miller who scored 35. Crossing over Miller, draining long jumpers and motioning to the Lakers bench to relax... a 21-year old Kobe offering a glimpse of what would become all too familiar.

All-time Kobe vs. Reggie

MORE: What is your favourite Kobe Bryant season?

15. Anfernee Hardaway

First meeting: March 23, 1997

Last meeting: Feb. 28, 2005

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 8 24.5 5.5 5.8
Afternee Hardaway 5 14.4 4.3 4.6

The Shaq Connection: The first time Kobe and Penny squared off was on March 23, 1997 in what was supposed to be Shaquille O'Neal's first game back in Orlando. Though O'Neal made the trip, a knee injury ultimately kept him on the sidelines. What we got instead was the only pre-injury meeting between Hardaway and Bryant as each of their remaining head-to-head matchups came after the rash of health issues that changed the course of Penny's career. Here is that first meeting, complete with the Hannah Storm 'NBA on NBC' introduction package and Marv Albert on the call. 

All-time Kobe vs. Penny

16. Jason Kidd

First meeting: March 11, 1997

Last meeting: Dec. 25, 2012

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 28 22.6 4.8 5.0
Jason Kidd 13 11.4 5.7 8.8

52 in OT thriller: 54 meetings over 15 years including the regular season and playoffs. That's a ton of Kobe vs. Kidd with the best of the bunch coming on March 2, 2008 in a game Bryant dropped 52-11-4 in an overtime win with 30 of his points coming in the 4th quarter and OT. The Mavericks forced overtime on a Dirk Nowitzki three-pointer with 2 seconds left - on a pass from Kidd - and nearly won it at the buzzer in regulation on a Kidd heave following a Lamar Odom turnover.

Bonus trivia: In their very first meeting, Kidd started alongside Kevin Johnson in a supercharged backcourt. Kidd's backup in that game also played in the final game between Kidd and Bryant 15 years later, this time starting alongside Bryant. The common link? Steve Nash.

All-time Kobe vs. Kidd

17. Tim Duncan

First meeting: Dec. 5, 1997

Last meeting: Feb. 19, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 21 23.8 5.5 4.5
Tim Duncan 31 18.5 11.4 3.2

Owning an era: 1A and 1B, in any order. The two defining players of an era who won big and in reeled off a stretch in which one of them reached the NBA Finals 11 out of 12 years. 52 regular-season meetings with 30 more in the playoffs, Bryant played Duncan more times than any other opponent. We could spin tires all day debating who had the better career and truth be told, there isn't a right or wrong answer. Five titles and one team over two decades... it's only fitting that the two legends who defined a generation will eventually go into the Hall of Fame together.

All-time Kobe vs. Duncan

18. Tracy McGrady

First meeting: March 31, 1998

Last meeting: Feb. 14, 2012

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 14 26.9 5.4 5.3
Tracy McGrady 7 17.9 4.8 4.8

One of the all-time greats: McGrady topped Kobe's list of the toughest guys he ever played against, besting the likes of Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Gilbert Arenas and Kevin Durant. The feelings were reciprocated, with McGrady telling ESPN that Kobe was the player he'd ever played against. 

McGrady always looked forward to his matchups with the Lakers legend because, he says, Kobe got the best out of him.

All-time Kobe vs. McGrady

19. Dirk Nowitzki

First meeting: Feb. 17, 1999

Last meeting: Nov. 13, 2015

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 32 25.5 6.8 5.0
Dirk Nowitzki 17 22.8 10.0 2.5

A memorable night: Everyone remembers when Kobe scored 81 points against the Raptors in 2005-06, but he had an equally impressive performance against Dirk and the Mavericks a few weeks prior. In three quarters, Kobe scored 62 points on 18-for-31 shooting from the field and 22-for-25 shooting from the free throw line.

Nowitzki had a quiet night himself but got some revenge in the 2011 NBA Playoffs by sweeping the Lakers in the second round en route to the franchise's first championship.

All-time Kobe vs. Nowitzki

20. Vince Carter

First meeting: Dec. 19, 1999

Last meeting: March 22, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 20 23.6 5.3 5.6
Vince Carter 11 16.0 3.4 2.3

A rivalry born early: Kobe and Carter go back further than you might think. According to the Los Angeles Daily News , Kobe's high school coach challenged him to lead Lower Merion to a state championship in the same way Carter led his high school to one. Kobe said he wanted to play "extra hard" against Carter when came into the NBA because of his coach's constant teasing.

All-time Kobe vs. Carter

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21. Paul Pierce

First meeting: Feb. 25, 2000

Last meeting: March 6, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 14 25.4 5.0 4.6
Paul Pierce 12 22.5 5.2 3.8

Ultimate respect: In a column for The Players' Tribune, Pierce said Kobe's killer mentality was second only to Michael Jordan. And Pierce would know. In addition to their 26 regular season matchups, the two met in the NBA Finals twice. Pierce was named MVP of the Finals when the Celtics won in 2008 and Kobe was named MVP when the Lakers won in 2010.

All-time Kobe vs. Pierce

22. Gilbert Arenas

First meeting: March 14, 2002

Last meeting: March 14, 2011

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 9 29.8 6.2 6.4
Gilbert Arenas 7 24.2 4.8 4.9

An overtime to remember: Stephon Marbury isn't the only player to have had the best game of his career against Kobe. On Dec. 17, 2006, Arenas scored 60 points against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Kobe finished the same game with 45 points, but Arenas carried the Wizards to victory with 16 points in the overtime period alone. That stood as a record until Stephen Curry scored 17 points in overtime against the Trail Blazers in the 2016 NBA Playoffs.

All-time Kobe vs. Agent Zero

23. Manu Ginobili

First meeting: Oct. 29, 2002

Last meeting: Jan. 22, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 11 24.5 5.9 4.4
Manu Ginobili 25 14.9 4.3 3.9

"That's a bad boy": Back in a 2009 episode of 'Kobe: Doin' Work", he didn't waste any time praising Ginobili."Now that's a bad boy right there. I have so much respect for his game. And he's an incredible competitor. I enjoy playing against him. Fantastic 2 guard." Ginobili is perhaps the only 2 guard of this era who could rival Bryant's bag of tricks, so much so that Raja Bell hinted in this Zach Lowe piece that Manu - not Kobe - may have been the hardest player he's ever had to guard.

All-time Kobe vs. Manu

24. Yao Ming

First meeting: Nov. 17, 2002

Last meeting: Oct. 26, 2010

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 16 31.1 6.4 6.2
Yao Ming 7 21.5 10.0 1.9

Put him on a poster: You can't talk about Kobe's best dunks without mentioning the time he jammed on Yao. There weren't many players who dunked on the Rockets center in his Hall of Fame career, and for good reason — at 7-foot-6, Yao was one of the most imposing rim protectors the league has ever seen.

All-time Kobe vs. Yao

25. Chris Bosh

First meeting: Nov. 12, 2003

Last meeting: Jan. 13, 2015

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 9 29.8 6.3 5.8
Chris Bosh 9 16.6 9.8 2.4

81: Chris Bosh played 43 minutes in Kobe's 81-point game, making him among the most qualified to ever speak to what it was like to go up against the Mamba firing on all cylinders. "The chants start going. We look up at the soreboard and it looks like the scoreboard was multiplying for just one. All due respect for Kobe, it was embarrasing for us."

All-time Kobe vs. Bosh

26. Dwyane Wade

First meeting: Nov. 16, 2003

Last meeting: March 30, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 9 26.1 4.1 4.7
Dwyane Wade 11 24.3 4.6 6.5

Two of the best: It shouldn't come as a surprise that Wade and Kobe, two of the most dominant shooting guards the league has ever seen, basically played each other to a standstill whenever they shared the court. Kobe was someone Wade looked up to and wanted to play like, as he detailed in a video for Uninterrupted the day after Kobe had his jersey retired.

All-time Kobe vs. Wade

27. Carmelo Anthony

First meeting: Dec. 19, 2003

Last meeting: March 13, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 16 26.7 4.9 5.2
Carmelo Anthony 13 23.5 6.3 3.3

WCF Buckets: It's fun to imagine Carmelo Anthony's Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Had it not been for Bryant, that's exactly what could have gone down in 2009 when they faced off in the Western Conference Finals. None of their matchups can hold a candle to Game 1 of that series in which Anthony dropped 39 only to be one upped by Bryant's 40 spot, 18 of which came in the 4th quarter. The Lakers won by 2, took the series in 6 and Anthony has since never made it closer.

All-time Kobe vs. Melo

28. LeBron James

First meeting: Jan. 12, 2004

Last meeting: March 10, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 6 24.6 5.0 5.2
LeBron James 16 28.2 7.4 7.3

A teaser: Unfortunately, LeBron and Kobe never met on the biggest stage — the two basically alternated Finals appearances between 2004 and 2015. The closest call came in 2009 when the Lakers won the west only for the 66-win Cavaliers to be upset in the Conference Finals by Orlando. That year marked Bryant's return to the mountain top, winning the first of his two post-Shaq titles. With all due respect to Dwight Howard's Magic, it's quite the tease to think of Bryant going for that first post-Shaq title against a still ring-less James.

All-time Kobe vs. LeBron

29. Dwight Howard

First meeting: Nov. 12, 2004

Last meeting: April 10, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 8 25.8 5.8 6.1
Dwight Howard 12 16.6 12.3 1.3

Finals MVP: If there's one thing Howard and Reggie Miller have in common, it's that Kobe robbed them of an opportunity to be NBA champions. The 2009 Finals were more competitive than it might now look on paper, but Kobe carried the Lakers past the Magic to win the franchise's 15th title with averages of 32.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.

All-time Kobe vs. Howard

30. Shaquille O'Neal

First meeting: Dec. 25, 2004

Last meeting: Jan. 30, 2011

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 4 35.0 5.8 4.3
Shaquille O'Neal 7 16.7 9.2 1.7

Teammates turned rivals: Who can forget the first time Kobe and Shaq played against each other as opponents? After winning three titles together in Los Angeles, Shaq returned to the Staples Center in a Heat uniform on Christmas Day in 2004. All eyes were on the two former teammates prior to tip off and a heated game ended with Shaq throwing some shade at Kobe.

All-time Kobe vs. Shaq

MORE: Whaf if Shaq and Kobe made it work? 

31. Chris Paul

First meeting: Feb. 4, 2006

Last meeting: April 6, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 16 28.0 5.1 4.6
Chris Paul 16 20.5 3.8 11.4

Shooting God vs. Point God: What Kobe brought in scoring, Paul brought in passing. Whereas Kobe scored 40-plus points four times against Paul, Paul dished out 15-plus assists eight times against Kobe. One of those turned into a career-night: 21 assists (and only two turnovers) against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Nov. 6, 2007.

All-time Kobe vs. Paul

32. Brandon Roy

First meeting: Feb. 21, 2007

Last meeting: April 8, 2011

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 5 29.6 5.7 4.0
Brandon Roy 8 15.2 3.1 5.2

On fire: Kobe scored 60-plus points six times in his career, and Roy was on the receiving end of one of them. On March 16, 2007, Kobe scored a season-high 65 points on 23-for-39 shooting from the field, 8-for-12 from the perimeter and 11-for-12 from the free throw line. The Lakers prevailed in overtime after Kobe tied the game up in the closing seconds of regulation with a tough 3-pointer.

All-time Kobe vs. Roy

33. Kevin Durant

First meeting: Nov. 27, 2007

Last meeting: April 11, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 14 25.4 4.6 5.3
Kevin Durant 11 27.3 6.1 3.6

What goes around comes back around: It didn't take Durant long to learn what makes Kobe an all-time great. In their second career matchup, Kobe scored 48 points against Durant's Supersonics in Seattle. Durant didn't have much team success against Kobe early on, but he ended up getting the last laugh when his Thunder beat Kobe's Lakers 4-1 in the second round of the 2012 playoffs.

All-time Kobe vs. Durant

34. Derrick Rose

First meeting: Nov. 18, 2008

Last meeting: Feb. 21, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 5 23.9 4.6 5.1
Derrick Rose 4 23.6 4.2 6.4

Our Jordan: Add Rose to the list of current NBA players who grew up watching Kobe. The youngest MVP in NBA history told Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago in 2016 that Kobe was this generation's Michael Jordan. It probably made the game-winner he hit against the Lakers on Christmas Day in 2011 a little bit sweeter.

All-time Kobe vs. Rose

35. Russell Westbrook

First meeting: Feb 10, 2009

Last meeting: April 11, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 10 23.5 4.8 5.4
Russell Westbrook 12 22.5 6.1 8.2

Like looking in a mirror: Some of the biggest names in today's NBA see shades of Kobe when they watch Westbrook. Even Kobe sees it. According to Lakers Nation, Kobe said Westbrook is the player who reminds him the most of himself. "When I turn on the TV and I watch players play, the player that plays with the same kind of emotion and grit and competitive intensity is Russell."

All-time Kobe vs. Westbrook

36. James Harden

First meeting: Nov. 3, 2009

Last meeting: April 10, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 8 24.5 5.6 5.2
James Harden 11 19.3 3.3 4.5

From one MVP to another: When Kobe was asked in 2015 which current player he'd want to build around if he was starting a team, he said Harden. It might've been a smart business decision for him to choose the six-time All-Star, but Kobe showed his appreciation for Harden's game last season by saying he deserved to be MVP of the league.

All-time Kobe vs. Harden

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37. Stephen Curry

First meeting: Nov. 28, 2009

Last meeting: March 6, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 9 26.9 5.6 4.2
Stephen Curry 6 22.9 4.9 7.3

Talented families: Kobe was around long enough to play against Dell Curry and Stephen Curry. And not only did Kobe play 15 games against Steph, Kobe's last two seasons with the Lakers coincided with Steph winning back-to-back MVPs.

This won't be the last time Kobe is mentioned in the same sentence as Dell and Steph, either — Kobe and Joe Bryant will soon be the only father-son duo in NBA histor to have scored more career points than the Currys, as Steph carries his surname up the list.

All-time Kobe vs. Steph

38. DeMar DeRozan

First meeting: Jan. 24, 2010

Last meeting: Dec. 7, 2015

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 5 23.6 6.1 5.6
DeMar DeRozan 5 16.3 3.5 3.1

A student of the game: A native of Compton, California, DeRozan is well acquainted with Kobe's game. "I watched Kobe do everything," DeRozan told ESPN's Brian Windhorst in 2016. "His shot. His footwork. How he works in the post. Everything growing up was Kobe. I tried to emulate the tough shots he took, his pump fake. There's nothing you can show me that Kobe has done on a court that I don't know about or have tried. I practice almost all of them."

All-time Kobe vs. DeRozan

39. Kyrie Irving

First meeting: Jan. 13, 2012

Last meeting: March 10, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 2 28.2 4.8 5.5
Kyrie Irving 4 24.5 2.5 6.8

Learning from the best: Not only was Kobe the first person Irving FaceTimed after the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving reached out to the him when he was told that he might be traded to the Suns. While Irving made it clear that the decision to leave the Cavaliers was solely his, he told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that he has an " unbelievable mentorship and friendship " with Kobe.

All-time Kobe vs. Irving

40. Kawhi Leonard

First meeting: April 20, 2012

Last meeting: Feb. 6, 2016

Player Wins PPG RPG APG
Kobe Bryant 0 17.7 3.4 4.9
Kawhi Leonard 7 13.1 6.3 1.7

A league of his own: The difference between Kawhi and everyone else on this list? He never lost a game to Kobe. Sure, the two played each other less than almost everyone above — Kawhi barely played in two of their matchups, too — but that doesn't change the fact that the Raptors All-Star went 7-0 against Kobe in his career.

It's just too bad we never got to see the two-time Defensive Player of the Year play against Kobe in his prime.

All-time Kobe vs. Kawhi

There is it... a history of Kobe Bryant against 40 of the biggest All-Stars he played against. Truth be told, stopping at only 40 proved to be nothing short of an exercise in restraint as it doesn't fully capture the sheer amount of star power that Bryant faced over the course of his storied career. From the old guard (Chris Mullin) to the new (Devin Booker), the laundry list of intriguing opponents practically never ends.

Which was the most memorable of those duels? We'll leave that up to you.

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