Kobe Bryant News: Cavs Coach, Ex-Laker Lue Recalls Moment He Almost Got Into A Fight With 'Black Mamba' In Practice
Current Cleveland Cavaliers head coach and former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Tyronn Lue recalled a notable moment he shared with Kobe Bryant.
Lue and Bryant played together from 1998 to 2001, during two of the Lakers' championship runs. In a report by David McMenamin for ESPN, Lue recalled one moment in practice, wherein he, alongside second stringers Devean George, Brian Shaw, Mark Madsen and Slava Medvedenko, were up against the team's then starters composed of Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Shaquille O'Neal.
As Lue remembered, it was a game point when Bryant drove to the baseline, while he (Lue) was situated at the elbow. As "The Black Mamba" drove down, Lue followed down the lane and pinned Bryant's dunk attempt against the glass.
When both men came back down, Devean George hurried to sink in the game-winning lay-up. Brian Shaw went on to fan the flames by yelling out "Ahhh, he blocked you!" towards Bryant.
This apparently irked Bryant, who first challenged Lue to a fight, then to a one-on-one pick up game after practice.
Lue adds that he declined Bryant's dare to play one-on-one, but the latter continued to issue the same challenge every single day during practice. He also noted how Bryant would challenge every new acquisition to the roster to a one-on-one game.
"Just his competitive nature, man, it was just unbelievable," Lue said.
Now that both men are in different paths, with Lue as a coach and Bryant still playing but on his final season, the former says they have managed to remain in touch and keep a solid friendship through the years.
"Whenever I see him, whenever I call him or need to talk to him, he's always there," Lue said. "He always picks up and I know [Wednesday] he'll come over probably give me a hug before the game and talk to me say congratulations."