Smush Parker regrets not mending his relationship with Kobe Bryant

January 30, 2020

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One of Kobe Bryant’s longtime adversaries is speaking out in the wake of Bryant’s passing.

In an interview this week with TMZ, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Smush Parker said that he regrets not making amends with Bryant.

“I was hoping for an opportunity to really sit down or our paths to cross so we could physically and verbally have a dialogue,” said Parker, per Justin Tasch of the New York Post. “There was a lot of underhanded shots that were fired from both directions. It’s unfortunate that I’m not gonna be able to get that opportunity now.

“If I could verbally speak to him, I would verbally apologize to him,” Parker went on. “To be able to look a man in his eyes and take into account his own faults for an issue, is the greatest thing a man could do for another man, to look a man in his face and say, ‘You know what? I was wrong and I’m sorry.’”

Parker, now 38 years old, was teammates with Bryant on the Lakers for two seasons from 2005 to 2007. The two clashed both during and after that time with shots indeed being fired from both sides in the subsequent years.

Another one of Bryant’s ex-teammates has also spoken up about his regrets recently, which is to be expected after such a sudden and devastating loss.

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Other victims of the helicopter crash:
– John Altobelli, junior college baseball coach, also died in helicopter crash
– Christina Mauser, girls’ basketball coach, among the helicopter crash victims
– Sarah Chester, daughter Payton were also killed in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash
– Ara Zobayan was the pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash

Tributes to Kobe:
– Vanessa Bryant posts first Instagram message since death of Kobe, Gianna
– NBA players changing jersey numbers in honor of Kobe Bryant
– Bill Belichick shares touching anecdote in tribute to Kobe Bryant
– UConn honors Gianna Bryant with own jersey, spot on the bench
– Kobe Bryant could have street named after him near Staples Center
– Video: Shaq gets emotional talking about Kobe Bryant on TNT
– LeBron James had inspirational message for Lakers during meeting about Kobe
– Dallas Mavericks retire Kobe Bryant’s No. 24 jersey
– Video: Raptors, Spurs start game with amazing tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Shaq posts heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Michael Jordan releases statement on death of ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant
– Video: Doc Rivers breaks down crying talking about Kobe Bryant
– Phil Jackson calls Kobe Bryant ‘a chosen one’ in statement on his death
– NBA commissioner Adam Silver issues statement on death of Kobe Bryant
– Video: Dwyane Wade posts emotional message reacting to Kobe Bryant’s death
– Kendrick Perkins extends olive branch to Kevin Durant after Kobe Bryant’s death
– Gilbert Arenas vows to begin coaching career like Kobe Bryant urged him to
– Video: Emotional Mike Breen sums up NBA world’s emotions about Kobe Bryant’s death
– Trae Young’s huge game was full of Kobe Bryant-related statistical coincidences