Ray Allen’s beef with Kobe Bryant really didn’t last long.
Ray maybe resented Kobe a bit, since they were drafted at the same time, and followed pretty similar career trajectories until Bryant exploded to superstardom after a few years. And in 2004, when Shaquille O’Neal had been traded and Phil Jackson had abandoned the Lakers, Ray saw Kobe in a new, lonely position and couldn’t help but comment. He predicted that Kobe would become selfish, butt heads with teammates who weren’t stars, and eventually ask for a trade. Kobe bristled at the suggestion, beginning a weird but brief feud that took place basically within a single preseason.
But Ray’s words proved eerily prescient, and they haunted Kobe for the next 3 years of playoff futility. When Kobe finally brought his team back into championship contention, he’d have to best Ray’s Celtics to make it all the way. Watch the video above for the full BEEF HISTORY.