Retired nba champion shane battier says that kobe bryant was unlike any other player he ever had to guard. Shane courtney battier born september 9, 1978 is an american retired professional basketball player who played for various teams of the national basketball association nba. Kobe, lebron and melo have also made it to seven sneakers. Shane battier news from united press international. Shane battier jokes about the time kobe bryant torched him. Shane battier discusses why analytics helped him guard kobe.
Shane battier calls kobe bryant toughest to guard lakers. Well, the brave souls assignedto guard kobe bryant dont have that option. Jun 18, 2008 oh, i dont like dirty players, shane is good, but isnt as long as prince. Shane battier additional stats nba player profile page. In sports forums all over the internet, there is debate about the legality of face guarding in basketball. The heat went to the nba finals in all three seasons that battier played in miami. Apr 07, 2020 in his book, mamba mentality, bryant wrote, when someone like shane battier faceguarded me, it didnt really impact my game. Shane battier stats, game logs, splits, and much more.
Battier did a great job at guarding kobe, kobe didnt adjust and the. Shane battier nba player profile page from whatifsports. In all honesty, battiers career was wasted in houston. By these measures, the unsung and undervalued shane battier is a true allstar. He did play is role to perfection but the team itself would fall short because of injuries. Jul 08, 2009 shane battier is the opposite of kobe bryant. While scouts remain more impressed with high school kids who dont work up a sweat in games, battier says its brains, not brawn that gets the job done in the nba. Jun 09, 2009 the key to guarding kobe is not quickness, because he is so quick. In college, purposely obstructing an opponents vision by placing your hand near their face is a technical foul. See, thats my pet peeve, a very animated battier said after the game. Shane battier remembers life on kobe island only a game. Battier was born and raised in birmingham, michigan, and attended detroit country day school in nearby. Battier goes on to say that while kobe was the toughest to guard throughout his career, it probably wouldnt be the case now, most likely now being lebron james or kevin durant. Shane battiers biggest pet peeve miami heat index espn.
Nyt the no stats allstar shane battier thoughts and. Though shane battier may not be as athletic as tony allen, he excels in every other area. He plays tough defense without being dirty he is one. Laker fans, what is your opinion on the way shane battier contests kobes jump shots. In the book he published before his death, he wrote about michael jordan. Laker fans, what is your opinion on the way shane battier contests kobe s jump shots. Ray allen, shane battier, ron artest, bruce bowen, ruben patterson the selfproclaimed kobe stopper and raja bell, to name.
Kobe bryant and shane battier only spoke on the basketball court. Shane battiers wife heidi battier has been in the picture since the two got together in high school. This caused the cohost gary payton to laugh and reply, aint gonna happen, and the other cohost, chris webber, to add, i think kobe will score 50, and theyll. Jun 21, 20 miami heat forward shane battier had best game in long time in game 7 of nba finals. The entire playing career for shane battier is displayed below. He must have had every opportunity he ever wanted while at duke, but unfortunately, he was long since spoken for.
Hes so skilled with the ball, your only real hope is to body him like artest and battier did, and keep a hand in his face on. Battier posted 18 points on 6for8 from three as heat beat san antonio spurs to repeat as champions. Battier looked back to see the ball drop through the basket and hit the floor. There is a chapter in chris ballards book the art of a beautiful game in which he interviews former rockets and heat stopper shane battier about how he plays defense. Shane battier does to kobe bryant what he did to danny granger on wednesday. Shane courtney battier born september 9, 1978 is an american former professional basketball player who played for various teams of the national basketball association nba.
Shane battier defense on kobe bryant october 30, 2007. Jeff grossgetty images this article is more than 4 years old. Shane battiers defense on kobe bryant 2009 playoffs. Shane battiers defense on kobe bryant 2009 playoffs youtube. Check out shane battier career offensive and defensive statistics additional statsincluding ppg, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks as part of whatifsports free simmatchup basketball. You sure cannot shut down great players like kobe bryant. Clicking on a tab heading will display the specified set of statistics. The key to guarding kobe is not quickness, because he is so quick. Fast forward to april 17th battier not only hit the gamewinning 3 pointer to lift the 8th seeded grizzlies over the topseed spurs, but battiers wife heidi gave. I never spoke to kobe outside the arenaever, battier said this week.
Feb 14, 2009 even as battier was being introduced in the arena, ahmad rashad was wrapping up his pregame report on nba tv and saying, shane battier will try to stop kobe bryant. The battier take charge foundation, 2829 bird avenue, suite 5, miami, fl 333. Jan 04, 2020 shane battier s defense on kobe bryant 2009 playoffs youtu. Aug 26, 2010 though shane battier may not be as athletic as tony allen, he excels in every other area. Miami heat forward shane battier arrives at a media availability for the nba basketball finals on saturday, june 14, 2014, in san antonio. Shane battier returns to heat, to lead analytics department. Shane battier college stats college basketball at sports. May 17, 2009 you sure cannot shut down great players like kobe bryant.
The bigger problem with battiers defense against kobe was battier getting under kobe and not allowing him his space to land. Look at theimpressive effort being put forth by shane battier in the. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video. Shane battier believes analytics helped him stop kobe. Oct 03, 2016 galaxy opal kobe bryant historic spotlight games live. Kobe s defense is so overated, see he cant guard anyone, thats why he guard rondo. According to him, kobe could have easily gone for 70. Shane courtney battier born september 9, 1978 is an american professional basketball player. The data im using is from basketballreferences shot charts kobe bryant 2012 shooting splits someday i may expand this with synergys data but given their h. Shane is an outofthebox thinker and will bring a fresh expertise that can help us evolve as a franchise. Battier who obsessively studied kobe bryant prior to each of their mostly onesided battles throughout a stellar year career says he owes much of his success to the careful scrutiny. Picking winners in the starstudded east semifinals nbc.
He under no circumstances fouls human beings and he could reason turnovers extremely elementary. Both battier and the rockets front office were familiar with the story line. Hes a more experienced and cerebral defenderhe created a book on how to guard kobe bryant and updated it. Shane battier says analytics helped him defend kobe bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. When the grizzlies traded for shane battier at the trading deadline last february, shane was forced to leave wife heidi battier, who was seven months pregnant, along with their son zeke, back in houston. Shane battier defense on kobe bryant october 30, 2007 youtube. Even as battier was being introduced in the arena, ahmad rashad was wrapping up his pregame report on nba tv and saying, shane battier will try to stop kobe bryant. Ron, i didnt really see him dup, but since he made it into alldefensive team, im assuming hes good. Shane battiers finals peak battier 7 lite sole collector. Hes a more experienced and cerebral defenderhe created a book. And so guarding a guy like kobe bryant, understanding exactly who he is, what his weakness is, made me a much better defender and allowed me to stick around the nba for years.
Shane battiers newest signature shoe gets dressed up in gold for the nba finals. After game 5 loss, shane battier confirms hes retiring. Feb 16, 2017 shane is an outofthebox thinker and will bring a fresh expertise that can help us evolve as a franchise. All columns may be sorted by clicking the column name. He currently plays with the miami heat of the national basketball association. And that national championship trophy he won two months ago doesnt have upside printed on it.
Shane battier discusses trying to guard kobe bryant. Battier artest kirilenko shawn marion tayshaun prince. Ray allen, shane battier, ron artest, bruce bowen, ruben patterson the selfproclaimed kobe stopper. Shane courtney battier born september 9, 1978 in birmingham, michigan is an american professional basketball player small forward with the. With that comes a lot of media stops and pictures and press conferences and. Spring 2009 shane battier on doing little things well. Shane battier is working his way through china what nba player isnt.
Miami heat forward shane battier had best game in long time in game 7 of nba finals. Houston rockets 20062011 edit on june 28, 2006, battier was traded by the grizzlies to the houston rockets in exchange for stromile swift and the rockets number 8 selection rudy gay in the 2006 nba draft. Here are the timestamps for haberstrohs interview with battier. Shane battier says basketball gods owed him in game 7. In his book, mamba mentality, bryant wrote, when someone like shane battier faceguarded me, it didnt really impact my game.
But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot. Tom haberstroh is joined by nba great shane battier to discuss what it was like trying to guard kobe bryant. In the book he published before his death, he wrote about michael jordan and lebron james, jerry west and magic johnson, the players who helped define his two decades in the nba and, of course, himself. While analytics may be the buzz word around the nba these days, it is fair to say that despite some naysayers, teams have embraced the concept. Jan 05, 2012 shane battier does to kobe bryant what he did to danny granger on wednesday. In all honesty, battier s career was wasted in houston. Shane battiers defense on kobe bryant 2009 playoffs youtu. Battier was traded back to the memphis grizzlies in 2010 then won two nba championships with the miami heat. Look at the impressive effort being put forth by shane battier in the matchup at the heart of the contentious secondround.
The houston rocket career of shane battier position. Since the 20023 season, bryant had taken 51 3 pointers at the very end of close games from farther than 26. Shane battier recalls lakers legend kobe bryant being the. Do you consider that a good defensive tactic, or do you think its dirty and should be disallowed. Apr 26, 2019 here are the timestamps for haberstrohs interview with battier. Feb 25, 2015 and so guarding a guy like kobe bryant, understanding exactly who he is, what his weakness is, made me a much better defender and allowed me to stick around the nba for years. Im certain that kobe is ready to just destroy shane, daryl morey.
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