Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner recently reminisced about a peculiar moment from his rookie year involving Kobe Bryant and the Lakers that left him amused.
During a game against the Pacers, Bryant orchestrated a remarkable comeback. When Paul George responded with a three-pointer of his own, the crowd in Indianapolis booed him because they wanted the Lakers to win.
As Turner recounted, “It’s like crunch time now, and we’re starting to get down, and Kobe leads an entire comeback by himself. He scores like 4 or 5 possessions in a row, crowd’s going crazy. ‘Ahhhhhh!’ [Paul George] comes up, hits a crazy three. ‘Boooooo!’ Our own f*cking crowd, bro… They wanted the Lakers to win so bad, bro.”
This anecdote highlights the reverence and adoration Pacers fans had for Bryant, even when playing against their own team. It’s a testament to the enduring legacy and impact of the Black Mamba in the basketball world.
