Kobe Bryant spoke out Sunday about his deteriorated relationship with Karl Malone, referring to Malone as an "older brother" and expressing deep-seated disappointment regarding Malone's alleged actions at a Laker game last month.
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Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, related more alleged contents Sunday of a cellphone conversation during the Nov. 23 game.
Malone was courtside at Staples Center for that game, invited on behalf of the Lakers, and Vanessa Bryant was across the court, a few rows behind the Laker bench.
Vanessa Bryant was on her cellphone with Kaye Malone, who did not attend the game and was at home in Newport Beach. Vanessa Bryant told Kaye Malone that Karl Malone's son, Karl Jr., looked bored during the game. Kaye Malone said to give Karl Malone a call on his cellphone and invite Karl Jr. to sit with the Bryant family.
Karl Malone responded improperly when Vanessa Bryant called him, Pelinka said.
According to Pelinka, Malone said at that point, " 'No, why don't you come sit by me and give me a big hug that would be on the front cover of every magazine in the country?' Vanessa said, 'What?' "
According to Pelinka, Malone also said he was "hunting for a young Mexican girl" in response to a question from Vanessa Bryant as to why he was wearing a cowboy hat. Vanessa Bryant is a Latina.
Kobe Bryant said he had strong words for Malone during a cellphone conversation from his car after the game.
"Stay away from my wife," Bryant recalled Sunday as saying to Malone. "What's wrong with you? How could you?
"He said, 'I'm sorry if I said anything, if I was out of line, I'll apologize.' What he said is what he said. This thing went on for a while. My wife isn't going to sit there and exaggerate something or blow something out of proportion that doesn't need to be blown out of proportion. She felt uncomfortable being around the dude to the point where she felt like she had to call his wife and tell his wife, 'Your husband's acting out of control right now.' "
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