Unlike other professional sports leagues, the NBA offers a unique experience where fans can interact with the players from their courtside seats. Whether they're talking smack, cracking jokes, or even just exchanging pleasantries, the players and fans are often in close proximity during games.
Renowned comedian Marlon Wayans had one such experience at a Los Angeles Lakers game. The celebrity was sitting courtside and had then-Lakers center Pau Gasol in his sights. Ever the jokester, the celebrity began teasing Gasol. Kobe Bryant overheard this and immediately stepped in, not to defend the Spanish superstar but to ensure he stayed focused on the game.
Kobe couldn't help himself
Bryant was a man of intense focus. When the ball got tipped off, nearly nothing could distract him from his goal of destroying the opposing team. From fans heckling to defenders trying to get under his skin and trash-talking him, Kobe blocked all these out.
However, there were rare moments when he couldn't even resist a good opportunity for some banter. This was one of those moments. As Bean overheard what Marlon told Pau, he pulled the comedian aside to ask him to cool it.
"I was at a Laker game, and then Kobe pulled me to the side. I was cracking jokes on Pau Gasol," Wayans told Shaquille O'Neal on "The Big Podcast."
"I said he looked like an ostrich that got pushed into an oil spill," Marlon hilariously recalled, causing Shaq to burst into laughter.
Usually a stone-cold killer on the hardcourt, Kobe's famous scowl turned into a grin when he heard Marlon's roast.
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Asking Wayans to pull back
Before Pau joined the Lakers at the 2008 trade deadline, the team was at a crossroads, losing in the first round in consecutive seasons. L.A.'s fortunes changed when the veteran center arrived on February 1, 2008. With his savvy post-play and subtle leadership, he was the yin to Kobe's yang, helping the Black Mamba elevate the purple and gold back to contender status.
Bryant knew Gasol's presence and play were crucial, so he asked Marlon to back off.
"I was just cracking all these jokes on him, and Kobe just turned and said, 'Yo, chill.' He said, 'Yo man, that may be my next ring,'" Marlon recalled Kobe's words.
"And I was like, 'All right, all right, cool, cool, cool -- just for you champ, just for you.' But Kobe was laughing," Wayans shared.
Kobe was all about the game, but that didn't mean he lacked a sense of humor. Marlon's anecdote revealed he enjoyed a good joke or two, even amid intense competition.
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