David Axelrod, a senior CNN political commentator and host of "The Axe Files," was senior adviser to President Barack Obama and chief strategist for the 2008 and 2012 Obama presidential campaigns. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) I met Kobe Bryant just once, but he left an indelible impression.

It was August 2010, and President Obama, an avid hooper, celebrated his 49th birthday by inviting some of the greatest NBA players to join him for a pickup game of basketball in Washington before a group of wounded warriors—troops who were injured in action.

Bryant was mending a balky knee before the coming season and did not play. But that didn't stop him from engaging in some lively, good-natured trash-talking from the sidelines.

Widely known as a tenacious defender, Bryant was jokingly offended that no one was guarding the game's host, and the President was having his way. So, Kobe called two of the NBA stars over for a little, good-natured tongue-lashing.

"You and you!" he said, pointing to Chris Paul and Derek Fisher, two of the league's most notorious ball hawkers. "The two meanest little MFs in the league and you won't get within seven feet of that guy. Come on, y'all, play some ball!"

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