Stephen A Smith reveals how Lakers icon Kobe Bryant ‘scared the living s**t out of me’
One of the most outspoken broadcasters now on the radio is Stephen A. Smith. This man is as courageous as they can be since he speaks his mind out loud and without any reservations.
But, it turns out that Stephen A. once matched up with legendary Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant.
On a recent appearance as a guest on the Howard Stern show, Smith, the ESPN anchor, admitted that Kobe had made him scared.
“Now he scared me,” Smith said. “Kobe scared the living s**t out of me because here’s why: Kobe was a savant. You did not know more basketball than Kobe Bryant.”
Smith recalled how Bryant would call him if the late Lakers icon didn't agree with something Stephen A had to say about him. Smith thinks back to one particular voicemail that has stayed with him over the years.
“You know who this is motherf*ker,” Smith said, quoting Bryant. “Get your a* up, pick up the f**king phone and call me back. That bullsh*t you just said. And don’t keep me waiting for so long either.”
The harsh criticism from Smith, who for his part never gave up and also gave Kobe a piece of his mind, was obviously not appreciated by the Black Mamba.
At the end of the day, however, their friendship and mutual respect prevailed over any of their disagreements.
“He’ll go like this, ‘I have no idea why I love your a**. I really don’t. Sometimes I really, really don’t. But I love you.’ He said, ‘But you go on the air and say that s**t again, I’m calling you to curse your a*** out,” Smith recalled.