Feud update: Bryant says Malone made a pass at his wife
LOS ANGELES -- The feud between Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone has turned personal, with Bryant accusing Malone of making a pass at his wife at a game.
"He was like a mentor, like a brother to me, so when something like that happens, you're upset, you're hurt," Bryant said Sunday night before the Los Angeles Lakers played the Orlando Magic.
Malone has been recuperating from knee surgery, and last Tuesday his agent said he didn't plan to return to the Lakers because of comments Bryant made in a radio interview.
Bryant spoke about the Lakers having to look over their shoulders, wondering whether Malone was going to play again.
Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said then that Malone was furious at Bryant, and also said private, personal attacks were involved, but would not elaborate.
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| Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, claims that Karl Malone made passes at her. (Getty Images) |
He said he had phoned Malone, who has a home near Bryant's in Newport Beach, after Vanessa Bryant told her husband on Nov. 23 that Malone had made inappropriate comments to her that night at the game at Staples Center.
Bryant said he called Malone and told him, "Stay away from my wife. What's wrong with you? How could you?"
Malone was unavailable for comment Sunday.
According to Manley, however, Malone said he had never made a pass at Bryant's wife, that he initially was surprised at the accusation, and that he apologized to both Bryant and his wife for any remarks she may have considered inappropriate.
"Karl's response to Kobe's comments today is that he's a basketball player and not a soap opera actor and he doesn't intend to be involved in a personal soap opera," Manley said of his client.
Bryant said he obviously was surprised by Malone's remarks to his wife.
"The comments that he said, I don't know any man in this room that wouldn't be upset about that," Bryant said in the Lakers' locker room. "The past month, myself, my wife, (Malone's wife) Kaye, we've had fun together.
