Luka Dončić still hasn’t revealed what Kobe Bryant said to him in Slovenian
Superstar player Luka Dončić has been praised by many NBA legends since entering the league. So far, he has more than lived up to the hype of what scouts have seen in him. Meanwhile Luka he spent plenty of moments with many Hall of Famers, some of whom he will cherish forever.
In 2019, there was a special personality on the sidelines during the game between the Lakers and the Mavs at the Staples Center. In the second quarter, Luka was surprised to hear someone speaking to him in Slovenian while he was preparing to pass the ball from the sideline. When he turned to look, he realized it was none other than Kobe Bryant himself.
What did Kobe Bryant say to Luka Dončić?
Kobe’s competitive nature and intelligence have never been a secret since he entered the league, back in 1996. He has always been one to find numerous, sometimes bizarre, ways to gain a competitive edge over his opponent.
3 YEARS AGO TODAY 💜💛
LUKA about the howling fan at the Lakers/Mavs game: “He spoke Slovenian. So I said to myself, ‘Who speaks my language?’ I saw Kobe and was really surprised.” pic.twitter.com/5d0MdE67gc
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 29, 2022
When Kobe retired from the NBA, he took on the role of a fan of his former team. So when he saw Luka on the sidelines in front of him during the game, he couldn’t help but talk nonsense to him to get in his head. The best part? This time he did it in Luka’s first language, Slovenian.
“He spoke Slovenian. So I said to myself: ‘Who speaks my language?’. And then I saw Kobe and I was really surprised.”, Luka later revealed. Kobe has never been shy about talking to his opponents, but the fact that he did so in their native language speaks volumes for his competitive instincts. Even as a fan, Kobe tried to do whatever he could to help his team win.
So what did Kobe actually say to Luka? Was it playful banter or a serious speech that got on your nerves?
“I can’t say that”, Dončić answered a question about this in an interview. Although he indicated that the Mamba uttered unprintable words against the Mavs star. But from the way he and Kobe shook hands after the game and got back together after the game, it was most likely just playful cursing. Luka later described that he will never forget that interaction with the five-time NBA champion.