Kobe Bryant wanted to gamble with Tony Gaffney, so he gave him $10k
Bryant took Tony Gaffney under his wing back in 2009. He would force Gaffney to guard him, attend practice early and carry his bags.
However, Gaffney wound up being the Lakers’ final cut. At Gaffney’s rookie initiation party in Las Vegas, where Kobe Bryant was gambling.
Tony Gaffney:
“I walked into the high-stakes room, but I didn’t have any money. I then saw Kobe, he was watching some guys throw some money around before he turns to me and says, ‘What are you doing here, rook?’
“Next thing I know, Kobe throws his black card on the table and hands me 10 stacks ($10,000). What I really wanted to do at the time was just put it in my pocket and run. Sure enough, an hour later it was all gone.”
Gaffney eventually wound up with the Celtics where Kobe Bryant jokingly called him a “traitor” before giving him a hug.
