Former Los Angeles Lakers center Roy Hibbert shared a great deal of untold stories and perspectives to Tate Frazier in a recent appearance on the Ringer’s podcast.
Hibbert, in reliving what it was like to play with Kobe Bryant during his last ever NBA game in April, explained what it was like being on the court during such a magical and unforgettable night.
Roy Hibbert: “I was really happy for [Kobe] that last game. We knew going in what it was [going to be like] and he missed his first couple, but then he got into his rhythm and we were just feeding it to him the whole time. It was tough hearing people in the stands behind us yelling, “Kobe can’t do everything! Pick up the slack!” And we are all looking back like, “Mother****** you know we’re trying to pass this man the ball every time so he can go out on a high note. Why you giving us a hard time? We’re doing this on purpose. We wanna see the man go out on a high note.”
Tate Frazier: “Great game plan by Byron Scott that night. He coached his ass off.”
Roy Hibbert: “B. Scott’s my man. Kobe came out in the first half and then subbed himself back in and then he wanted to play the whole second half. But, yeah, it was definitely a game that I’ll never forget, and I said this after the game in the locker room: I was happy to be able to breathe the same air as Kobe that night.
“The love that he got was crazy, and we were obviously celebrating in the locker room. We won a game, and then [it was] Kobe’s last game, and then I remember I had to get something signed from Kobe—he was just signing things like crazy. So I got a couple [of] shoes, a jersey—a couple jerseys—to save for myself.”
In the podcast, Hibbert shared a hilarious story in which Kobe Bryant almost missed the team flight, mentioning how Kobe said, “Y’all should be happy I’m here” when boarding the plane.
Hibbert also touched on his makings of a team designed to beat the Warriors, his favorite cartoons, video games, and other off-the-court subjects such as Kobe’s routines.
