Paul George Remembers When Kobe Bryant Saved The Night During Team USA Party Session

Paul George open up on when Kobe Bryant covered his tab during Team USA party.

4 Min Read

Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking on the “Podcast P” show, two-way guard Paul George looked back on the time when Kobe Bryant came to the rescue during a party gone wrong. George explains how he was nearly on the hook for thousands of dollars in drinks before Kobe Bryant heroically paid for the entire bill. 

“I’m nervous as hell when these bottles come out. We standing at the sofas and we get a tug from behind… turn around, and it’s Kobe. ‘Y’all enjoy the night’ and he just walked out and I was like, ‘Oh’ he’s with it and the girl came over and said, ‘Yeah Kobe got you guys.’”

Sadly, George failed to remember the exact price of the bottles, but it must have been pretty expensive for George to react with such panic after seeing them come out for the first time. Eventually, he did come to realize that it was just a moment of generosity from Kobe Bryant, who frequently treated his fellow athletes with all manner of gifts.

While George did not reveal the exact date that this encounter happened, we can only surmise it was around 2012, when George was still trying to make a name for himself in the NBA. That summer, he, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins were invited to play for the USA Select Team. Bryant was an OG legend at the time, but it seems he did not let his status keep him taking care of the younger generation.

While known as a fierce competitor, Kobe was also a very effective leader who earned the respect of his peers and the caution of his foes. His various stints for Team USA over the years are perhaps some of the best examples of how his character and leadership have set the standard for countless NBA superstars.


Kobe Bryant Was A Beast For Team USA

Team USA brought out a different side of Kobe. While he was often depicted as a stubborn ball-hog, Bryant was the glue that kept everybody together on Team USA.

He represented his country in five national teams, going 36-0 in games played with two gold medals and a scoring average of 13.6 points per game. He never lost while donning the red, white, and blue and remains among the greatest players ever to play for the country.

Besides his numbers and on-court production, the biggest thing Kobe added was his wise leadership in the locker room. Bryant served as the team captain in 2008 and he set the tone for team both on and off the court.

While active, he pushed everyone to be their best and challenged his teammates to work as hard as he did every single night. Famously, he used to take 40-mile bike rides in the morning just to motivate his Olympic teammates, and he humbly accepted feedback after head coach Mike Krzyzewski called him out over poor shot selection.

So with a legacy of unrivaled leadership and unrelenting competitiveness, it’s no wonder why Bryant left such a lasting impression on the players and on Paul George in particular, who still talks about his encounters with the legend to this day.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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