Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Karl Malone Wants To Fight Kobe?

Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant played exactly one season together as teammates for the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the 2003-2004 season, when Malone and Gary Payton joined the team in a last-ditch effort to win an NBA championship.

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Of course, that team lost in the finals to the Detroit Pistons, and then Malone decided to call it a career. What many people may not remember about that season, however, is that Kobe Bryant at one point accused Malone of hitting on his wife. Via ESPN:

Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday that Malone was asked by Vanessa Bryant, "Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?" in reference to Malone wearing a cowboy hat and boots.

"She said it twice," Manley said, "and Karl answered, 'I'm hunting for little Mexican girls.' "

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According to Deadspin, Malone says that the two have not had much interaction in the decade since they were teammates. "If Kobe don't like me today, that's Kobe Bryant's fault," he said.

He also added, "I come in peace, but I do prepare for war if I have to."

Malone made the comments during an interview with Marc Lamont Hill, and he also made it sound like he is willing to fight Kobe if necessary, based on the following excerpt:

Malone: You gotta understand, Marc, I'm a hunter, so I'm already right there anyways. ... I love Westerns. I'm old school Western. Back in the day when you had a beef, you didn't get guns and knives, you just "hey Marc, I got a problem." We just go in the back with no cameras, no nothing, let's just knuckle up and get it over with.

Hill: Did you ever make that offer to Kobe?

Malone: No, but it's standing.

Malone also had more to say later, adding, "I'm 6'9", 272, to be exact. I'm not hard to find. I don't want no trouble, but if something gotta go down, I'm not playing fair. We gotta get down, then we gotta get down, I'm just telling you."