A few years ago, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade broke Kobe Bryant's nose at All-Star weekend. The Lakers star got revenge on Wade a few days later. That fueled conversation that there was some sort of dislike between the two but in reality, the two have always shared a mutual respect as competitors.
It was most evident this season when, before Bryant had announced his impending retirement, Wade brought his sons to meet Bryant when Kobe came to Miami for what we now know will be his final time in uniform.
The story behind it, though, was a little more interesting. TNT's Rachel Nichols shared the story from Wade's perspective of how that meeting came together and it involves Wade and Kobe hanging out... in bath tubs.
Way too long for 140 characters, but here's the Kobe story Dwyane Wade told me: This was last month, the night before the Heat hosted the Lakers here in Miami. Wade decided to stop by the arena and get in a soak in the cold tub. He goes through the Heat's locker room area, back over to the training room, and who is already just sitting there in the tub…Kobe Bryant. Wade told me in the 13 years he’s played for the Heat, he’s never ever seen Pat Riley let an opposing player into the inner sanctum like that, using the team’s facilities, and that frankly, he was shocked. Of course, that's the respect that Kobe has earned, and the two old friends had a great, long talk. At the end of it, Kobe asked Dwyane if his sons were coming to the game the next night. Dwyane said no, as it was a school night, and Kobe said, 'you know what, bring them, I think it’s going to be my last time here.' Dwyane brought the boys, they got a lifetime memory after the game taking pictures with Kobe, and the Wade family got a little sneak-preview of Kobe's retirement announcement before anyone else.
Source: TwitLonger — When you talk too much for Twitter.
Couple of thoughts:
1. It is insanely cool that Kobe Bryant can just show up at any arena and say "I'd like to get in your tub" and the building will just open for him. Except Boston. I'm betting if he showed up in Boston wanting to get in a tub, Danny Ainge, no matter the year, would tell him to get lost. Some things have to be maintained.
2. "Kobe Bryant told me he was going to retire in a cold tub" is a pretty great story.
3. It's a really nice touch for Bryant to think of taking care of Wade's sons in that instance. He was trying very hard to keep his decision quiet at that point. For him to let that out, even with the "I think" attached, is a pretty great move. It shows you how players respect one another, look out for each other.
Anyway, it's a nice story, one of many that Kobe's retirement tour seems to be unveiling each day.
