Gilbert Arenas shares when Kobe Bryant was the face of the NBA and their go-to-guy

Paul Pierce has long been known for being unafraid to make bold or controversial statements, often placing himself at the center of most media headlines. His most recent remark achieved that by claiming that Kobe Bryant was never the face of the NBA.

Evidently, this admission was surprising to many; however, Gilbert Arenas took it upon himself to educate the Boston Celtics legend and fans about the brief period when the Black Mamba was the undisputed superstar in the NBA. Whether through his accomplishments on the international stage or in the NBA circuit, there was no one as appealing as Kobe, who perhaps solidified his GOAT candidacy with unprecedented success during those three years.

Arenas on when Bryant was the face of the NBA

At a time when it seemed like the rest of the world had conveniently closed the competitive gap with Team USA, Kobe was added to the “Redeem Team” in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After Bryant set the tone, inspired the younger players to raise their intensity, and led from the front, he was universally hailed for making Team USA great again.

If that wasn't impressive enough, Kobe returned to the NBA and led his Los Angeles Lakers to back-to-back championships as the Finals MVP, ending all speculation that he was capable of winning silverware only when he was paired alongside Shaquille O’Neal.

Although LeBron James had entered the league by that time and was sharing the spotlight with other players, Gil argued that from 2008 to 2010, there was no greater force in the basketball world that was as heroic as Kobe, and thus, the NBA did everything to push the Lakers' superstar as its global face and as a potential GOAT candidate.

“It was 2008. That’s when it was. After the Olympics, and he won a gold (medal) for America, they started pushing the Kobe brand again. So that 2008-2010 year is when Kobe officially NBA’s guy… when the NBA pushes you, that’s when you’re the face. Them three years was 100 percent for sure. Like, there was no question,” Arenas said on his live stream.“LeBron kind of had it early. They was pushing him, D-Wade, Nash. And then after the Olympics, it was Kobe for those three years. Then it went back to LeBron.”

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That period cemented Kobe’s GOAT candidature

There has never been any question that Kobe would ultimately be remembered as a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest shooting guards of all time, even following his early three-peat. However, without leading the Lakers to back-to-back titles later in his career, the widespread appreciation for his relentless Mamba Mentality might not have reached the level it enjoys today. Those championships played a crucial role in solidifying the public perception of Bean’s competitive identity.

And Gil, who witnessed the rise of Kobe from being a superstar to a GOAT candidate firsthand, knew that there was no greater force than Bryant in the NBA during that brief span, whether Pierce might want to accept it or not.

Related: Gilbert Arenas fired back at Kobe Bryant's criticism after his 60-point career night: "When you're an assassin, you don't have a conscience"

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.