Well the defensive player guarding Kobe better be positioned next to Kobe! Really, all the positioning is dictated by the offense. Defense ends up just inside

Well the defensive player guarding Kobe better be positioned next to Kobe! Really, all the positioning is dictated by the offense. Defense ends up just inside the 3-point line because the offensive player sets up just outside the 3-point line, not the other way around. Kobe (and pretty much all basketball players) are continuously planning how they will get open and where they will shoot from. Part of that plan is the knowledge that an almost-but-not-quite-3-pointer is a really dumb shot. So they'll usually catch the ball at the 3-point line and either shoot or dribble substantially closer to the basket.