Kobe Bryant may self-admittedly not have many friends, but there’s no denying that he will be there for a teammate when it’s a life or death matter.
Bryant arrived at a Las Vegas hospital Tuesday night to be there for former teammate Lamar Odom, who is in critical condition after being found unconscious at a Nevada brothel earlier in the day.
A photo shared on Twitter showed Bryant and said the Los Angeles Lakers star arrived at Sunrise Hospital in a taxi:
Kobe arrived in a taxi. Mad respect to him. Took the fastest way to get to his friend. Money means nothing #lamarodom pic.twitter.com/bRdB1D8Pfa
— francisco (@Fmoreno1999) October 14, 2015
Bryant was nearby because his Lakers were facing the Sacramento Kings in a preseason game at the MGM Hotel. Bryant left the game in the third quarter with what the team said was a leg contusion. He was said to have received treatment on the injury. It sounds like Kobe also got out of there quickly so he could visit Odom given the emergency situation.
Lakers reporter Mike Trudell says Bryant left the arena without sticking around to speak with the media and that coach Byron Scott emphasized that the injury is not an issue.
Scott said Kobe is fine. He thinks he'll be able to play on Saturday (the next game). Taken out as a precaution and to get treatment.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 14, 2015
Kobe left the arena, so we'll wait until Thursday to hear from him, but Byron Scott was very clear that Bryant is just fine injury wise.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 14, 2015
The LA Daily News reports Bryant left the MGM for “personal reasons.”
There was media speculation that Bryant left to visit Odom.
Kobe not available for media postgame. Left MGM. May be headed to Sunrise Hospital to check on Lamar Odom, though not confirmed.
— Steve Carp (@stevecarprj) October 14, 2015
Reports are that Lamar Odom is in a hospital in Las Vegas – would not be surprised if Kobe was on his way there. https://t.co/1a1emIRe2d
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 14, 2015
Lakers guard Nick Young shared how hard both Kobe and Metta World Peace took the news of Odom’s hospitalization.
“I saw it on Kobe and Metta’s face. They’ve been through wars with him and know him well,” Young said via the Daily News.
Bryant and Odom were teammates on the Lakers from 2004-2011, a term that spanned the bulk of Odom’s NBA career. Odom was in tears when the team traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Bryant backed his longtime teammate, saying very clearly that he was not happy with the trade.
Odom may be fighting for his life, but the support he has hopefully will be enough to help him pull through. And don’t you ever believe Kobe when he says stuff like this — the guy is there when his friends need him.
