Feb 09, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) on the court against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

New Lakers Signing Recalls Moment He First Defended Kobe Bryant in NBA

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 4:00 PM ET

"It still feels like a dream."

The Los Angeles Lakers have made quite a few moves this offseason, but newly acquired defensive specialist Marcus Smart appears to be among the most excited to don the purple and gold.

Smart recently opened up on his NBA journey, key moments in his career, and who he is off the court and spoke on the first time he was handed the tall task of guarding one of the game's most respected legends in Kobe Bryant.

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"Honestly, I was shaking. I'm a rookie or second year, one of those years," Smart said. "All I'm thinking is my mom is watching me guarding Kobe. My brother's watching me guard Kobe right now. Like, I hope somebody got a picture of this. In my mind, I'm like, listen, just live in this moment because to be on the court with one of the all-time greats is an honor, let alone to be guarding him.

"So, to embody the Mamba Mentality: patience, stealth, and a stone-cold killer; and now to be a Laker with that mentality, it just amplifies it," Smart added.

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Smart played the first nine years of his NBA career with the rival Boston Celtics after two strong years at Oklahoma State University. He quickly established himself as a defensive anchor, leading the Big 12 in steals both seasons.

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During his time in Boston, Smart earned three All-Defensive Team honors and the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

After his tenure with the Celtics, Smart went on to average 14.5 points and 2.1 steals per game across 20 contests with the Memphis Grizzlies, both being on pace to earn his career-highs, but a rupture of the proximal interphalangeal joint central slip in his finger would cause him to miss plenty of time that year.

Smart would play just 34 games last season between the Grizzlies and Washington Wizards after arriving in the Nation's Capital by way of a trade. The 31-year-old appears to still have a lot left in the tank and appears to be excited to get back to his Defensive Player of the Year-like ways.

The new-look Lakers emphasized perimeter defense this offseason after glaring holes in the defense were exposed last season, and Smart has the potential to be a perfect fit in L.A.