While Gilbert Arenas may not be regarded as the most elite guard of his era, he was undoubtedly the most fearless scorer in the association during his prime years. He was a unique talent, as he was a scoring guard during a time of pass-first guards
As he was known not only for his skills but also for his loud mouth, it was no surprise that he had the audacity to trash-talk the most feared player of his generation - Kobe Bryant . This happened after Arizona product dropped a 60-point performance against the LA Lakers on the road. However, that was exactly when he was taught why legends like the 18-time All-Star should never be bad-mouthed on or off the court.
Gil stunned Kobe and his Lakers
On December 17, '06, the Washington Wizards, riding on a two-game winning streak, traveled to California to face the Purple and Gold. From the opening minutes, Agent Zero wrote his name all over the contest, dropping 60 points on 53.1% shooting from the field to lead his team to a hard-fought 147-141 victory in OT.
If overshadowing Kobe's valiant 45-point performance wasn't enough, AGent Zero followed his impressive performance by instigating the Lakers' SG after the game, an incident recalled by his teammate - Brendan Haywood.
"Once he scored 60, Gil got a little mouthy," Haywood said . "Caron Butler was talking to Kobe, and Gil starts talking trash to Kobe. He tells Kobe, 'If you the Black Mamba, then my new nickname is the Black Mongoose.' Kobe said, 'Keep that same energy when (I) come to D.C."
Mongooses are known for their knack for fighting off venomous snakes, and Bryant (aptly nicknamed the Black Mamba) clearly understood the underlying implication of Gilbert's comments. Consequently, when the two teams met again on February 3, 2007, in Washington, KB24 ensured to make the 3-time All-Star eat his words.
Related: Gilbert Arenas recalls when Kwame Brown wanted to fight Michael Jordan in a bar: "The name Oakley reversed that s**t"
Bryant taught a tough lesson to Arenas
Arenas scored 37 points in that particular contest, though he shot only 31% from the field and a mere 20% from three-point range. Despite taking 15 attempts from beyond the arc, Arenas was evidently striving to keep up with Kobe.
Lakers legend led the game with 39 points on 53.8% shooting, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line. Haywood observed this and reminded his teammate that the 2008 MVP's dominant performance was likely a response to Arenas' previous remarks.
"I thought Kobe forgot. Two months later... He did not shake anybody's hand; he walked up to Gil, slapped him on his butt, and said, 'Remember you asked for this and make sure you guard me the way I'm gonna guard you,'" Haywood added. "He gave us 45, the meanest points I've ever seen."
Although the four-time All-Star Game MVP ultimately proved to be the dominant force, this incident highlighted Arenas' ability to challenge all-time players like Bryant in his prime years.
Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”
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