"That had nothing to do with you" — When Kobe Bryant downplayed Draymond Green's defense after missing a shot

When Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was a rookie, he had one crazy idea against the Los Angeles Lakers : talk trash against the legendary Kobe Bryant.

And it was not just any other moment in the game, he did it during crunch time when the game was all tied. In an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Green narrated his courageous attempt and how the Black Mamba clapped back.

I just missed

"I get in the game for a defensive stop to take us into overtime," Green said . "So Kobe flashed to the ball. It's me and Kobe mano-a-mano. And I lock up, sitting down. You know what shot Kobe is going to do. Shimmy, fadeaway to the left shoulder… but he missed."

"I said 'Yeah, baby, we're going to overtime.' And he said , 'Come on young fella that had nothing to do with you, I just missed.'"

This is a classic Kobe reaction, and it's also why he's one of the greats. He wasn't disrespectful to Green's defense because it might have been pretty good. But Kobe has practiced that shot a million times, and every time he rises up, he is confident it will go in.

Chasing something so much bigger

Though their first encounter wasn't all about good vibes, Kobe soon understood that he and Draymond were cut from the same cloth. After the Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead in the 2016 NBA Finals, they were heavily criticized by fans all over the world.

Once upon a time, their 73-9 regular season was celebrated. But after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it became a reminder of a fruitless season.

Around this time, Bryant said wise words to Green , who was struggling with the heartbreaking loss. The Warriors forward revealed what the Lakers guard told him.

"You're chasing something so much bigger, so much great than the average person can understand, " Green said of Bryant's advice. " The reality is 99 percent of the world is OK with mediocrity. How do you even expect them to be able to understand you?"

True enough, Green didn't give up. After the heartbreaking NBA Finals defeat, the Warriors returned to square one and continued playing their brand of basketball. Green and the Dubs won three more titles, cementing their status as one of the few dynasties in NBA history.

Related: Draymond Green reveals two main reasons why Kobe Bryant isn’t included in the GOAT debate