When Kobe Bryant tricked Metta Sandiford-Artest into getting ejected by sneakily elbowing him - "You know how Kobe is"

Former NBA player Metta Sandiford-Artest shared a hilarious story about Kobe Bryant. With the two being rivals before becoming teammates, Artest recalled a time when Bryant tricked Artest into getting ejected by provoking him.

Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Ron Artest, is a name most NBA fans have heard of. Whether it's from the infamy he gained from the "Malice at the Palace" incident or his stellar career with the LA Lakers, Artest garnered a lot of attention during his career.

The forward made a name for himself as a defensive stopper. As a relatively bigger and stronger player, Artest drew the task of guarding some of the best players in the league at the time. That meant he often went up against Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

The task of guarding Bryant was not for the faint hearted, though. Even for the best defenders in the league, Bryant was a tough cover due to his ability to get away with fouls. However, this aspect of his game also helped him to gain the upper hand on Artest during one of their bouts.

While speaking with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the "All The Smoke" podcast, Artest recalled a time when he was baited into elbowing Bryant. He said:

"So check it, you know how Kobe is like. I went to the ref, and I was like, "Yo, did you not just see him do that.' Then he said, 'No, I didn't see him!'"

Artest was referring to Bryant catching him in the neck with an elbow while battling for the rebound. Although Bryant got away without a call, Artest was upset, and his ire earned him two technicals and an ejection.

With the refs opting to side with Bryant, Metta approached Bryant and recalled what he told him:

"I go to Kobe, I'm like, "Yo, don't you ever do that again, my guy!' Kobe don't care. Kobe focused on the game, right? Kobe's a killer. He's different."

Bryant was well-known for his obsession with perfecting the game. Finding ways to bend the rules to his favor was part of his near manic drive to succeed. Artest was just a victim of circumstances in that regard.

Bryant and Artest's duels were exciting for fans. Artest's passionate mentality matched Bryant's in many ways. That would eventually facilitate his arrival in LA to play alongside the late legend.

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Kobe Bryant and Metta Sandiford-Artest became teammates

The elbow incident took place during Metta Sandiford-Artest's time with the Houston Rockets in the 2008-09 season. The LA Lakers went on to win the title with Kobe Bryant winning his first Finals MVP in the same season.

The following season, Artest would join Bryant on the journey to becoming champion. Artest's arrival in LA was odd. He mentioned on the podcast that he intended to head back to Indiana, but he had no teams that were interested in him other than the Lakers.

Artest's similar mentality and approach to the game as Bryant's made his transition to the Purple and Gold easy. With a championship in hand that season, Artest also became a fan-favorite.