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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
After arriving in the NBA in 2008 at just 19 years of age, Nicolas Batum immediately got into the swing of things, facing Kobe Bryant in his very first game… Kobe Bryant. But if his story is anything to go by, it took a lot more than that for him to feel even a little fear.
In the space of eight years, he will have crossed his path sixteen times, and can boast some notable performances against him. Nicolas Batum was no slouch when he faced Kobe Bryant in the NBA. For example, he compiled 26 points and 6 rebounds in Portland’s victory over the Lakers on October 31, 2012, a game that was a regular starter for Batum.
Nico Batum unflappable in his NBA debut against Kobe
Four years before the Blazers won this match-up, they had already faced the Lakers on Opening Day. Their fate was very different, however, as they lost heavily in Los Angeles (76-96). This nonetheless enabled Batum to make his NBA debut… without the slightest apprehension. He recounts in The Young Man and the Three:
Nicolas Batum: I remember that my first official NBA game – not counting the preseason – was here in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Kobe had just won his MVP title the previous season, so to be honest, the context wasn’t the most obvious. And Monty Williams, who was part of the Portland coaching staff, had asked me, “How do you feel? Are you scared?”
A legitimate question, since many rookies might have been intimidated by such decorum for their first appearance in the league. Nico, however, had seen it all before:
Nicolas Batum: I replied, “I’ve just spent two years in the EuroLeague, playing in Turkey, Greece and Serbia. So trust me, it’s nothing! I’m good.”
It seems that Kobe’s aura wasn’t quite as terrifying as the hostile environments in which the French winger had previously played in Europe. Despite this, the Black Mamba quickly impressed him with his inimitable talent:
Nicolas Batum: To tell the truth, from my first action as a rookie, I found myself defending on Kobe.
We were down 20 so Nate McMillan, my coach, opened his bench and waved the white flag. That put me right up against Kobe. He was one of the hardest players to defend for me. He was insane. No matter what the defense threw at him, he knew exactly what to do in advance. His footwork was crazy, he was solid… He was one of the best.
