Lakers News: Mavericks Assistant Coach Talks Decades-Long Friendship With Kobe Bryant

Dallas Mavericks assistant coach God Shammgod recently chatted with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson about his relationship with 20-year Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, from their first meeting to their last encounter.

Dallas Mavericks assistant coach @therealshammgod drops by tomorrow’s episode of the Scoop B Radio Podcast!

I’m excited! He discussed Kobe Bryant like in this clip here! 🏀🏀🏀

▶️ PRESS play!!

Full Interview drops on all platforms at 12 PM ET on Tuesday! ⭕️📍🫡 pic.twitter.com/DPvNMKOhRo
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) January 17, 2023

"Met Kobe, he and his father [Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant] came up to me, when I was in 11th grade, at ABCD camp. That's when he first came back here. His father was like, 'Yeah, my son doesn't really know how to dribble, but he got everything else.' I was like, 'Okay, whatever.'"

"And then the next day, they put me and him on the same team. And this was when I was a McDonald's All-American, and it's in Jersey, so I'm like, 'I'm the big s---.'

"And we had this kid from Italy, from Spain that's gonna be on my team... It was him. He came in the gym. He walked like Jordan, talked like Jordan, chewed gum like Jordan. So of course when we first see him, nobody likes him. They're like, 'He's super arrogant, who does this dude think he is?'"

"Then he gets on my team, he takes all the shots. I'm like, 'Woah, nah we're not doing that. I'm the man.'"

"I was like, 'Well I'll get here at five o'clock in the morning and work out, before camp starts.' And I'm saying that so he can be like, 'Nah, I'm not coming that early.'"

"When I get to the gym, he's already in there, full-blown sweat. And me and him formed a 25-year relationship. In the end, before his [untimely] demise... he flew me in to work his daughter out. That's how close we [were] and that's how [much] he thought of the job I did with him."

Shammgod, a six-foot point guard, was selected with the 45th pick out of the University of Providence in 1997. He played for two NBA seasons with the Washington Wizards, before transitioning to other U.S. leagues and overseas opportunities through 2009.

Check out his full conversation with Robinson here.