Photo Credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Kobe, Malone & Shaq’s Bidding War For ‘Owning’ Rookie Luke Walton To Make His ‘Life A Living Hell’ Because Of His Father 

When Luke Walton was the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, he was asked about his relationship with Kobe Bryant.

The two were teamamtes for nine years and won two championships together. Walton recalled the first time he met Kobe Bryant and told the story of how Bryant, Karl Malone and Shaquille O’Neal had a bidding war for the right to ‘own’ him in order to make his “life a living hell” because of his father.

Bill Walton, Luke’s father, already was a TV-broadcaster when Luke entered the league. The Lakers had lost the Western Conference semifinals, even though they were the favorite to win the title, and Bill Walton voiced some harsh criticism about the star team. But it was Luke Walton who had to pay for it.

“Back then, rookies had to go to training camp earlier. So, Kobe and all the vets we had on that team showed up about four days later, and looked at me and told me my life was going to be a living hell, because of what my dad had said about each and every one of them. I was really excited to meet Kobe and the other vets, and that quickly changed.”

“From Kobe to Karl Malone to Shaq, they sat me down at a table and told me life was going to be hell for me. That was my first experience.”

“There was a bidding war that happened on their flight over and Karl ended up paying the most. I guess he outbid Kobe for the rights to own me. But they kind of did it as a group.”