Games with Names - Kobe Bryant Stories

Episode Date: April 19, 2026

Untold Kobe Bryant are shared by former NBA Players and executives including Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Jeanie Buss, and Robert HorrySupport the show: http://www.gameswithnames.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed, I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, I got you? I'm Ago Wode. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration.

It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot in luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax.

You doctored this particular test twice in so much, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alesspian. Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young.

This is Love Trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 10, 10, shots five, city hall building. How could this have happened in City Hall? Somebody tell me that. A shocking public murder.

This is one of the most dramatic events that really ever happened in New York City politics. I scream, get down, get down, those are shots. A tragedy that's now forgotten and a mystery that may or may not have been political, that may have been about sex. Listen to Roershack, murder at City Hall, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to Games with Names. I'm Julian Edelman, and we got a brand new compilation highlight reel starting now. Now, Robert Murray talks about Kobe's We got any Kobe stories before we go to our next segment? I think for me, you know, when you talk about hard workers, you know, you hear the stories and you hear what he's doing, but I, and you appreciate everything.

But the thing he had that nobody ever talking about, he had a thirst for knowledge. That's what I always say. Yeah. He has, I mean, and you can talk about football, basketball, the piano, you know, movies, music. Language. He had a thirst for everything. You know, I remember when we were on the plane coming from somewhere. we were playing spades, and he's sitting there like this, just looking and just looking,

because he wanted to learn how to play spades. I'm like, dude, I said, you're black. You're supposed to know how to play space, dude. He's like, see, this is what happened when you don't go to college. You don't have downtime when you had to play space. He's also in Italy and shit. Yeah, exactly. And so, and it was just weird that, you know, I taught him how to play spades.

And I'm going to back this thing up, and the first moment I ever met Kobe, I just got traded to the Lakers. and we just finished a shoot-around. And this shoot-around, this dude, going like 100 miles power. I'm like, dude, this is shoot-around, calm down. I got to get better. I said, you're not going to get better when we're walking and you're running. So after practice, he comes over.

I thought he's going to, you know, just wanted to get to know me. He was like, so how was Dream? He wanted to know how Dream was, how Dream was, how Dream footwork were, what kind of work he put in, and then he wanted to know about Vernon's defense because, you know, Vernon was one of the ones that was known Guard, Michael Jordan, the best. He just wanted to know, he's just picking my brain about everybody I played with because he's like, your champion, tell me how it was.

I'm like sitting there. And we literally set out the practice for like 45 minutes, you know, just talking about my two championships with the rockets and how it was and how we won and all that kind of stuff. He was just amazed at, you know, learning dreams footwork. That is, I mean, that is such a perfect way. I didn't know him, but he came and spoke to our team. and we used to have guys all the time come in speak in the off season come speak to the team and that's exactly what I think about when I think of Kobe Bryant.

Knowledge thirsty. Yes. And how diversified his interests were. Yes. And the killer instinct that he had. Those are the three things because he was asking, you know, we broke up into some groups and, you know, a couple of us sat with them and talked. and he was asking us just as many questions

as we were asking him. You know what I mean? He loved winning. Yes. He just wanted to win. He wanted to do anything it took just from the two hours that I got to spend around him.

Yeah. And I think his intensity was too intense for a lot of people, especially in the basketball world. Because if you go back, there's a lot of people that didn't like him because they didn't understand him. He's like he had that philosophy

that most people from the 90s had. Like, I don't want to be your friend. I'm not trying to go. hang out with you, I'm trying to kick your butt. And that's the one thing that I appreciate about what Yannis said. Now, he says, I'm not trying to be anybody's friend. You can come play with me and then I'll be your friend. But other than that, I don't want to be your friend because if I got to punch you in the

mouth or I've got to punch you to the mouth. And that's the attitude you've got to have. And I don't know how it is with you guys. Like, I couldn't do with you guys. At the end of the game, you go out and you shake hands with everybody. I can't do that shit unless I play with him in college. I ain't doing that. It's definitely changed.

And Brady went on record a couple of things. days ago saying that, you know, how it's changed like that. We, I remember I hated the New York Jets when I first got there. I remember Bart Scott getting into my fucking offensive coordinator, Billy O'Brien's face and saying, fuck you white boy. Like literally this close. I'm sitting there Billio's motherfucker him. I was like, these people, we really hate this team. That was my introduction to like hating someone. And just a lot of mess. Next, Gilbert Arenas on his phone call with Kobe after dropping 60 points in LA. So you go out and you outscore Kobe 60 points or 16 in overtime.

He only has four. Legendary game. You find out you have 60. There's some talk that was there. Did you guys have a phone call after this? Did he call you or something? Or am I just getting terrible info? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. So what ends up happening is so when we go in the locker room, you know, I'm all excited, right? You know, I scored 60 points on Kobe. In LA. Coach says, yeah, and we won a game. He's like, and we won the game. I was like, man, fuck that game.

I just scored 60 points on Kobe. Do you really think I care about the game winning the game? No, I just scored 60 on Kobe. So everybody's laughing and stuff. And we're getting on the bus in some of the, some of what he said came out like, oh, he had no conscious. He doesn't have a conscious. so I changed my name to I don't have a conscience.

And then Quran gets on the phone. And we're just jaw going back and forth. Oh, we're just going back and forth. And I remember Brennan Haywoods say, tell him you the mongoose. You tell that man, I'm the black mongoose. Because I guess that's the rival, the mongoose and the mamba, the black mongoose.

No one knows this, but a mongoose will fuck a mongoose. up, dude. They also have good bikes. Have you watched YouTube a video of a mongoose versus the snake? The mongoose wins, dude. Yeah, but what's so funny, it's like, that is like the equal. Like, so it's like a 50-50 battle

between the two. So when I yelled at it out, he's like, all right, we'll see. I'll be there. When I come there, have that same energy. Have that same energy when I come there. But I, yeah, I will. Would you have rather, would you have rather have dropped 80 with an L? Against the Lakers and Kobe?

Maybe. 80. 80. Yeah. I mean, it's Kobe Bryant. I mean, I probably, you know, that's like scoring four touchdowns, five touchdowns on like Reesis. Yeah. It really is.

You know, bragging rights forever. I'll take the 80 points. Listen, I'll take the 80 points in the loss. Next up, Aaron Davis explains Kobe's Mamba mentality. You got any Kobe stories where we always, have basketball dudes that always give us a Kobe story. Man, tons. Give us a good one that no one's heard.

I do got a funny story. So we play, I was at UCLA, I heard my knee. We're practicing. Now, I can't practice. So UCLA team is practicing. It's the lockout year. About 8.30, Kobe walks in with his trainer. And so, you know, everybody on the team, like,

oh, shit, you know. like it's Kobe. So like I was like oh he probably got the gym for after our practice to like work out and he came early. So he was like, you know, sort of practice walked through very respectful. Went on the side and was just like shooting. I was like, damn dude. Kobe over there. So I just like start making my way over to the side.

And then I'm like, coach, can I, you know, let me rebound for him. I ain't nobody there to refound. So he's shooting. I'm rebounds. for him. You know, he just ain't even really doing nothing. He's just like, you know, he's just talking. And I passed him the ball and I just do the fake clothes out.

And, you know, about a fourth time throwing the ball. And it's like, bro, we are in a full-on, one-on-one game. Hey, bro, we're in a one-on-one game. I was like, man, I got to get this one-on-one fay. When I look up, the whole UCLA team stop and they watching me and Kobe play one-on-one. play one-on-one and I was like man you know he beat me hurt though you're hurt yeah I'm hurt that's the only and we used to argue all the time we see any every time we see each other I'd be like bro you know you can't beat me one-on-one he's like bro I already beat you like bro I already beat you

I was like come on dog like you know I was hurt you know I was I don't I beat you I was like all right and so we were supposed to the year I got hurt and my career ended we had dinner New York before like during the Linsanity I was like hey bro Jeremy Lange going to bust y'all eyes I'm telling you we're sitting at dinner he was like come on y'all chill I was like all right bro I'm telling you like he on the road do not do not let this dude bust your ass because I'm telling you he everybody is coming in here getting their head cracked come on BD I said all right dude and so we made a bet that after the season we're going to rematch the one-on-one game and if he beat I came to the Lakers, you know what I mean?

And then I was like, well, if I beat you, you know, what do I get? He was like, man, I come speak at your basketball camp. Now, now. Hey, bro. And then when I thought about it, I was like, well, you know, shit, it is Kobe. Like, my whole career is projecting on him beating me. And, like, if I beat him, he's going to go speak at my basketball camp. That'd be a hell of a basketball.

Yeah, come. You call, Doc. I mean, when I first met him. Kobe. What happened? I knew he was different. So we go over Kobe's house, tour the house, hanging out, you know what I mean? Like, oh, this is my room. Room

big as this. And like, on this side of the wall, it's just like tapes. Like, DVDs, tapes. I'm like, damn, bro. What's all this? I'm like, yeah, you ever want to hang out? He was like, nah. I was like, yeah, you know, like, go out, like, you know,

like whatever you need, you know. You go to movies, get out. He was like, nah. I was like, what do you be doing? He was like, man, sitting here watching tape. I said, man, you okay? Some wrong with you? Bro, he's 18, 19 years old.

What the hell? I'm like, yo, what the hell is wrong with you? What tapes? Game film? Game film. Of who? Who knows? Bro, it's just, it's like a library and shit.

I'm like, how did he get all this? He's my age. Yeah. Well, he is sitting there. He was like, man, this was what I do. And I was like, okay, bro, you like, hell of different, huh? He was like, yeah. I was like, okay, all right.

Well, I'm gonna go hang out. You got good snacks. I'm gonna check out the snack. But, you know, anytime, bro. Anytime you want to hang, I'm good. He was like, hey, I'm gonna be doing this. And at that point, I knew, like, I think it was like a second year with the Lakers. Yeah, it was a second year with the Lakers.

And I was just like, man, this dude is gonna be like he's that guy. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like he's that guy. Mama mentality. Now, Jules recalls the time Kobe Bryant came to speak to the Patriots. The Celtics' history were 66 and 16, first in the east. I mean, they were on fire, coached by Doc Rivers.

Talk to us one. He came and talked to our team. Love Doc. Doc's a legend. We'd always have like legendary people or head coaches or business leaders or they would come and speak to the whole team in like the offseason. Doc gave an unbelievable present. to us talked about winning and what he believes in and uh actually speaking of this cobi came and

spoke to us too really which was honestly one of the most he was one of the most interesting humans i've ever heard in that climate you know what i mean what what do you say to you guys he just you could tell through the way he prepared the way he like he read a lot of books he always he was very he knew like a bunch of languages flew in six lines languages, I think. I don't know fluent. New six languages. He was so interesting.

And like his attention to detail and his question asking, like, he'd ask us questions so then he could take it to where he was going next in whatever. He wasn't playing anymore. But I mean, you could just tell that guy was a fierce fucking winner. You know, like just eye of the tiger. He'll fucking rip your heart out and, like, would do it over and over and over and over again just to show you. you're not better than him.

Like, that's the kind of, and you felt that when he spoke. Yeah. You know, it was, that was one of the, that was one of the coolest things, one of the coolest people that came and talked to us.

Next, Jeannie Bus opens up about Kobe's impact on the Lakers. What does Kobe mean to the Lakers organization? Because he, he came and played 20 years for one team, that made him very special because he could have easily been trained. and chased rings or whatever. But he went through one rebuilding period.

After winning three, you know, we traded Shaq to Miami, kind of hit bottom for a couple seasons. But then Pao Gassal came and he won two more. So I think that that really endears a player to fans because they stick with it. They stick with their team. And, you know, he loved the Lakers. and the Laker fans loved him.

And, you know, I talk about how glad that we had the opportunity, because we retired both his numbers. He wore eight and 24. And if you just took his career as number eight and his career while wearing 24, both of those players would have gone in the Hall of Fame. So we decided to retire both his numbers. And we had an opportunity

to celebrate him while he was still alive. And I know that Kobe knew how much we loved him and appreciated him. What's your favorite memory of him? Your story? What's the one thing, like your happy place? You know, he was somebody that, you know, after my father passed away, he saw that I struggled and you know he was always trying to cheer me on and you know I was you know I was you know with Phil Jackson for 15 years and when Phil took the job to go to the New York

Knicks the NBA literally made us sign a you know an agreement that he and I would not talk about basketball. No cahoots. Yeah, there's can't be in cahoots over there. Right. And, you know, but when two brothers are running two different teams or, you know, it's something about the male, female relationship, which I don't know how fair that is, but anyway, that kind of became, that kind of eroded my relationship because he was in New York. I was in L.A. but when Phil laughed he said you know I want you to know I can't help you anymore like you can't call me and bounce ideas off of me but you always have Kobe and Kobe will always have your back you know you can trust Kobe and you know Kobe was that friend for me and you can't

replace that sorry for bringing it up no that's okay i love to talk about cobi always i can see how much you care about them through how you answer your questions and how big of an impact his career had uh with the lakers it's it's it's it's very touching it's crazy everyone remembers that day you know if you're a sport fan or any kind of fan anyone everyone remembers that day well in in lucas press conference once he was traded here he said this the only thing that would make this better is if Kobe and G.G. were here. Yeah. So even he. He understands. Yeah. L.A. was heartbroken over the loss of Kobe and this. And you know, there was one play that AD won a game I think against

in the Denver series where he hit a shot at the bus. and he screamed Kobe's name. Yeah. And everybody heard it because there was no fans, but everybody could hear it on the microphone, picked it up. And it was, that's how we all felt. This was for Kobe.

You know, the Lakers, you guys have so many great players. And I, I, you don't want to miss any of them. We got to do like a word association. We got to do a word association. First word that comes up to your mind when we bring up a player. Jack. Goofy. Goofy.

He loved to like play pranks, do, you know, he just, it's like a big kid. Kareem. Brilliant mind. Brilliant. Magic. His smile could light up, you know, Los Angeles. Like he, he in Los Angeles are soulmates. LeBron.

Tough. Bill. Zen. Your dad He loved this team The Lakers He's just synonymous Yeah

Thanks for listening Remember to tune in every Tuesday for a brand new episode And every Sunday For another games with names highlight When a group of women Discover they've all dated The same prolific con artist

They take matters into their own hands I vowed I will be his last target He is not going to get away with this He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe.

On the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging or, head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down,

it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat, just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Yeah. Listen to thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern.

Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Gregalespian and Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is love trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faced. consequences.

Listen to a love trapped podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The shots by, city hall building. How could this have happened in City Hall? Somebody tell me that. A shocking public murder. This is one of the most dramatic events that really ever happened in New York City politics. I scream. Get down.

Get down. Those are shots. A tragedy that's now forgotten. End of mystery. That may or may not have been political. that may have been about sex. Listen to Roershack, murder at City Hall, on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.