Branden Oliver had a goal — he wanted to beat Kobe Bryant in a game of one-on-one.
After Oliver tore his Achilles’ tendon in the 2016 preseason, he set out to beat Bryant in a way where it wouldn’t matter that he was 10 or so inches shorter, where he wouldn’t have to out-shoot, out-dunk or out-defend Bryant.
Bryant, like Oliver, felt that tendon snap up the back of his foot like a roller shade. And like Oliver planned, Bryant exceeded expectations in his recovery.
“I wanted to be healthy before Kobe got back,” he said.