Stephen Curry endures eating spicy wings at “Hot Ones” while revealing three stories with Kobe Bryant

Stephen Curry recently went on “Hot Ones” with host Sean Evans and endured the spiciest wings while revealing many memorable stories in the NBA. The highlights of this week’s episode were three anecdotes regarding playing with his childhood idol Kobe Bryant early in his career. 

It all started with a moment from his first year in the league, as the Warriors were facing the Lakers and the cameras caught Kobe leaning over to a teammate in the bench showing respect for the rookie opponent, a gesture that Curry didn’t find out about until the contest was over.

“It was my rookie year and we were playing the Lakers at home. I come down the court and do this little pump fake situation, hit a leaner off the glass. As we’re coming down the court, the camera locks in on him for some reason and he leans to the guy next to him on his team and mouths, ‘Yo, he’s nice,'” the Golden State guard said on the show.

“That’s the dopest thing in the world. Kobe is validating my game when he’s seeing me play for real for the first time. That’s just freakin’ amazing.”

Check out the entire episode of “Hot Ones” with the basketball icon in the video below:

The second time he met up with Bryant was during a preseason game, where the Los Angeles player started pressing the youngster full court. “You turn around and he’s like this [mimicking Kobe’s signature intense facial expression]. He’s doing defensive slides, staying in front of me. I’m like, ‘What is happening right now? This is freakin’ Kobe Bryant.’

“So he stays with me for like four or five slides and then he bumps me and I kind of fall off balance. I’m actually gassed at this point. I’m tired, trying to get into shape in a preseason game and he’s just going all out on the defensive pressure and he’s way bigger and way stronger than me, bumping me and doing all that.

“So after I fall, I got no option, I’m just gonna shoot it and live with it. I shot it from probably 30 feet and I made it, and then I acted like nothing happened. It was the biggest ‘keep your cool’ moment in your life because it’s freakin’ Kobe, you’re trying to be super chill about it when I just drained one from 30 on him after he picked me up (full court),” Curry said with a smile.

Steph’s third anecdote has to do with the “Baby Faced Assassin” reference which Kobe recognized

The last memory he recalled with Bryant, came just as the Warriors guard addressed Evans’ “Baby Faced Assassin” reference that initiated the conversations involving the Lakers legend.

“The third time is what you’re referring to in terms of him breaking down the killer instinct that I hide behind the smile,” Curry said with pride.

Kobe Bryant: Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are ‘stone-cold killers. pic.twitter.com/XTOP4lx6Bb

— SplashBrosMuse (@SplashBrosMuse) July 28, 2023

“He was like the joy that I play with and the smile that I have, you get deceived by the killer instinct that I have underneath and the competitive spirit that I have,” Curry shared. “For someone to validate you like that — especially he’s not giving out compliments like that — that was truly special, for sure.”

The four-time NBA champion has never been too proud to confess he still admires many players he loved growing up, and demonstrates that the praise he’s received still has a huge impact on him.