Kobe Bryant refused help after tearing his Achilles as a shot at Paul Pierce

Kobe Bryant tore his left Achilles tendon in a game against the Golden State Warriors towards the end of the 2012-13 NBA season. Bryant refused help after suffering the injury and even made two free throws.

According to Bryant's longtime trainer Gary Vitti, Bryant didn't want to get carried to the locker room as a shot at Paul Pierce. Vitti revealed on The Byron Scott Podcast in November 2021 the things Bryant asked him after suffering the injury.

"He says to me, 'I reached back there and try to pull it back down,'" Vitti said. "I've had a bunch of athletes since the beginning of my career rupture their Achilles, no one's ever said that to me before. I don't even know what he was thinking."

Vitti added:

"He's walking almost the length of the court, at least 2/3 of the court, on a rupture Achilles. Then walking back to shoot the free throws, then walked all the way back to the training room. I've talked to him, it was pretty much as a shot at Paul Pierce."

For those who can't remember, Paul Pierce suffered an injury in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals. Pierce had to be carried to the locker room in a wheelchair but came back later to torch Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers. The Boston Celtics ended up winning the championship that year.

Bryant used it as motivation to lead the Lakers to two straight championships in 2009 and 2010. They defeated the Celtics in seven games in 2010 to avenge their loss in 2008. But for Bryant, it wasn't enough since he had to prove that he was much tougher than Pierce two years later.

Pierce had many different stories about what really happened in Game 1. While there were reports of an injury, some fans believe that he defecated in his shorts at the time. Pierce even admitted it in 2019 before taking it back two years later.

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Kobe Bryant used Paul Pierce as motivation after 2008 NBA Finals loss

Kobe Bryant celebrates after beating the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals.

Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers were unable to overcome the Boston Celtics in 2008. Bryant used this loss as motivation that summer when he was a part of the Redeem Team.

Sue Bird recalled in an ESPN interview with Chiney Ogwumike how Bryant cut out an image of Pierce celebrating their championship. "Black Mamba" then put it in his pocket and used it as motivation.

"He saw this newspaper and there was a picture of Paul Pierce celebrating," Bird said. "And he didn't say a word. He didn't say anything, but we saw him take the paper. He started cutting out the Paul Pierce picture. He folded it up and put it in his pocket and was like, 'Motivation.'"

Paul Pierce was an effective motivation for Kobe Bryant, who led Team USA to the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics. Bryant and the Lakers also won the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals. He even avenged their loss in 2008 by beating the Celtics two years later.