>> Jimmy: HOW YOU DOIN'?
>> I'M GOOD.
>> Jimmy: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> YOU TOO, MAN.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU HEAR THAT A
LOT, RUNNING AROUND IN TRAFFIC
AND WHATNOT?
>> I DO.
>> Jimmy: COULD BE A LOT WORSE.
>> COULD AND LOT WORSE.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> Jimmy: EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?
>> EVERYTHING'S FINE.
>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE ANOTHER
DAUGHTER.
SHE'S TWO MONTHS OLD?
>> SHE'S TWO MONTHS OLD.
>> Jimmy: YOUICA CALL HER KOKO?
>> THAT'S TRUE.
KOKO.
>> Jimmy: HER MIDDLE NAME IS
KOBE.
THAT WASN'T YOUR IDEA, RIGHT?
>> SHE CAME TO ME, THINKING I'M
THINKING OF NAME HER KOBE.
OKAY.
THEN TIME GOES ON, AND SHE'S
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M
GOING TO CHANGE HER MIDDLE TIME.
I'M LIKE, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA,
WHOA.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE TOO HOT
ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT NOW, DUDE.
YOU CAN'T GIVE ME A GIFT AND
THEN TAKE A BACK, LIKE, YOU
KNOW?
>> Jimmy: THAT'S RIGHT.
FOUR DAUGHTERS NOW.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT
YOU HAVE DAUGHTERS.
I FEEL LIKE IF YOU HAD A SON IN
SPORTS IT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH FOR
THAT KID.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: I DO.
>> YEAH, YEAH, MAYBE, BUT YOU
KNOW, I LOVE HAVING GIRLS.
THEY'RE AWESOME, MAN.
HAVING A BOY, MY WIFE WANTS A
BOY MORE SO THAN I DO.
>> Jimmy: OH, INTERESTING.
>> I LOVE MY GIRLS.
YOU KNOW, SHE KEEPS SAYING STOP
SPEAKING IT INTO EXISTENCE.
>> Jimmy: UH-HUH.
>> I LOVE MY GIRLS.
STOP STAYIN' THAT.
YOU WANT A BOY!
>> Jimmy: WHAT IS KOBE BRYANT
LIKE IN THE DELIVERY ROOM?
DO YOU BRING THE MAMBA MENTALITY
TO THAT SCENARIO?
>> MAN, WHAT?
IF I EVER TRIED TO SAY SOMETHING
TO MY WIFE WHEN SHE WAS GIVING
BIRTH, MAN, SHE'D MAMMA
MENTALITY MY ASS UPSIDE MY HID.
>> Jimmy: YOUR OLDEST DAUGHTER
IS LIKE 16 AND DRIVING.
>> SHE IS.
SHE'S LIKE A SEASONED VET.
>> Jimmy: HOW?
>> SHE'S VERY CALM, SHE DOESN'T
WANT TO LISTEN TO ANY MUSIC.
SHE'S A VERY SAFE AND CAUTIOUS
DRIVER.
>> Jimmy: IS THAT JUST WHEN
YOU'RE IN THE CAR?
>> NO, ALWAYS, SHE'S VERY CALM,
COOL AND COLLECTED.
I'M VERY PROUD OF HER.
>> Jimmy: THE NEXT ONE'S GOING
TO BE A MANIAC BEHIND THE WHEEL.
>> I ALWAYS SAY, YOU LOOK AT THE
ELDEST DAUGHTER.
SHE'S ALWAYS THE CALM,
RESPONSIBLE, THOUGHTFUL ONE, YOU
KNOW?
AND THEN THE SECOND SISTER'S
LIKE A TORNADO, YOU KNOW, LIKE
ELSA AND ANNA.
YOU KNOW, YEAH, SHE CAN FREEZE
THE CITY AND ALL THAT, BUT SHE'S
RESPONSIBLE ABOUT IT, THEN
THERE'S ANNA WHO JUST JUMPS OFF
A CLIFF AND THAT STUFF.
THAT'S CERTAINLY OUR HOUSE.
BUT THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER ONES.
>> Jimmy: YOUR SECOND OLDEST IS
GIANNA.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: SO YOU ALMOST GAVE HER
THE NAME ANNA.
HUNDRE
YOU HAD A PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST
THE SUNS, TIED THE GAME, WENT
INTO OVERTIME AND SCORED LIKE
SIX SECONDS LEFT.
THEN YOU RACED TO THE DELIVERY
ROOM AND LATE OTHER THAT
EVENING, LIKE EARLY IN THE
MORNING YOUR DAUGHTER WAS BORN.
>> THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
>> Jimmy: OKAY.
>> IT WAS EITHER THAT NIGHT OR
THE DAY AFTER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY.
>> Jimmy: DID YOU KNOW YOUR WIFE
WAS IN LABOR WHILE YOU WERE
PLAYING THE GAME?
>> NO, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN DURING
THE GAME.
IT HAPPENED AFTER.
>> Jimmy: SO THERE'S NO THOUGHT
LIKE MAYBE I'LL MISS THIS ONE
AND HEAD HOME?
>> INSTEAD OF SENDING THE GAME
TO OVERTIME?
>> Jimmy: MAYBE OVERTIME'S NOT A
GOOD IDEA IN THE LONG RUN?
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
>> NO, FORTUNATELY, THAT WASN'T
THE SITUATION.
>> Jimmy: YOU WOULD HAVE PLAYED
TEN OVERTIMES IF IT CAME DOWN TO
IT, WOULD YOU NOT?
>> NO.
>> Jimmy: YOU WOULD NOT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> NOPE!
>> Jimmy: YOU'RE NO DUMMY.
>> HEY, MENTALITY UPSIDE MY
HEAD.
>> Jimmy: YOU DID AN INTERVIEW,
AND YOU WERE TALKING, KIND OF
GOOFIN' AROUND, BUT YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT SHAQ, AND WERE YOU
SAYING, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT
SHAQ WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT
QUITE AS DRIVEN AS, NO ONE'S AS
DRIVEN AS YOU ARE, BUT YOU
INSINUATED IF SHAQ KEPT HIMSELF
IN BETTER SHAPE YOU WOULD HAVE
EVEN MORE RINGS THAN YOU HAVE
ALREADY.
>> RIGHT.
>> Jimmy: AND SHAQ TOOK, DID HE
TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT?
>> YEAH, I THINK HE DID A LITTLE
BIT.
BUT HERE'S THE THING, YOU KNOW,
LIKE IT WAS REALLY A COMPLIMENT.
PEOPLE MISSED THE WHOLE FIRST
HALF OF THAT IN WHICH I SAID HE
WAS THE MOST DOMINANT PLAYER
I'VE EVER SEEN, AND I FELT LIKE
HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST
OF ALL TIME.
J
>> Jimmy: MM-HM.
>> PEOPLE KIND OF MISSED THAT
PART AND CAUGHT ONTO THE LAZY
PART.
WE WEREN'T GOING TO WIN 12 RINGS
OR PLAY OUR ENTIRE CAREERS
TOGETHER.
BUT IT'S ALL GOOD, MAN.
>> Jimmy: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
THAT?
DO YOU GO OH, BOY, I BETTER CALL
HIM?
OR DOES HE CALL YOU?
HOW DOES IT WORK?
>> NO, I REACH OUT TO HIM.
>> Jimmy: YOU REACH OUT TO HIM.
>> HE'S MORE SENSITIVE THAN I
AM.
>> Jimmy: DID YOU TEXT HIM?
>> I DID, I DID.
>> Jimmy: WHAT DO YOU SAY IN THE
TEXT, HEY, HA, HA, HA?
>> HEY, YOU KNOW.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I SAID LISTEN, NO HARD FEELIN'S?
I LOVE YOU.
>> Jimmy: NO HARD FEELIN'S.
YOU'RE THE ONE WHO INSULTED HIM.
>> DID I, THOUGH?
>> Jimmy: I DON'T KNOW.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD
HAVE TEXTED "YOU UP?"
>> I'M GOING TO WORK OUT, YOU
WANT TO JOIN ME?
I DID SAY I'LL BE TUNING IN TO
THE SON PLAYING AT UCLA THIS
YEAR.
YOU BETTER SHOOT THE BALL 30
TIMES.
>> Jimmy: HE POSTED PHOTOGRAPHS
OF HIMSELF DUNKING ON 12 GUYS.
DOES THIS LOOK LAZY?
>> DOMINANT.
>> Jimmy: THINGS ARE GOOD.
THINGS ARE OKAY BETWEEN YOU
AGAIN.
>> YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU HANG OUT
TOGETHER?
>> I DON'T HAVE TIME.
NEITHER DOES HE.
>> Jimmy: TACO TUESDAY, HAVE YOU
BEEN TO TACO TUESDAY?
>> I HAVE NOT.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN L.A. FOR
LIKE 20 YEARS AND MARRIED TO A
LATINA.
SO.
>> Jimmy: YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TACO
TUESDAY.
LeBRON LOSES HIS MIND OVER EVERY
WEEK.
>> EVERYBODY HAS THEIR THING,
BRO.
>> Jimmy: I'M FINE WITH TACO
TUESDAY.
>> THAT'S GOING TO GET HIM
GOING, IT GETS HIM GOING.
IT'S AWESOME.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU TAKE ANY ROLE
IN ENCOURAGING GUYS LIKE OH,
LeBRON, YOU KNOW, LAKERS' FREE
AGENTS TO COME TO LOS ANGELES,
OTHER THAN MAYBE A TWEET OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> NO, NO.
I STAY AWAY FROM IT.
I'M REAL CLOSE WITH ROB,
OBVIOUSLY.
WE'LL TALK OFTEN JUST AS A
SOUNDING BOARD FOR HIM.
>> Jimmy: WOULD YOU BE ALLOWED
TO DO THAT, OR WOULD ROB GET
FINED IF YOU WERE TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> NO, COI COULD DO IT.
>> Jimmy: YOU COULD ACTUALLY
REACH OUT TO --
>> I COULD, BUT I WON'T.
>> Jimmy: YOU WON'T.
WHY WON'T YOU?
>> I STAY AWAY FROM THAT STUFF,
MAN.
LIKE ROB IS HE'S MORE THAN
CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE JOB AND
ALL THE PRESSURE THAT COMES
ALONG WITH THAT.
I'M QUICK TO TELL HIM, LISTEN,
MAN, YOU'RE MY GUY, BUT YOU
DIDN'T GET OUT ON THE COURT AND
SCORE 40 POINTS FOR ME EITHER.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO DO YOUR JOB
FOR YOU.
>> Jimmy: DID HE SAY I WOULD
HAVE IF I COULD DO THAT?
>> NO, MAN.
LIKE WE HAVE A GREAT
RELATIONSHIP.
SO WE'LL TALK AND STUFF AND JUST
AS FRIENDS, BUT NOTHING, NOTHING
SERIOUS.
>> Jimmy: WERE YOU SURPRISED
THAT KAWHI LEONARD CHOSE THE
CLIPPERS OVER THE LAKERS?
>> SURE.
>> Jimmy: YOU WERE.
>> SURE.
>> Jimmy: YOU THOUGHT HE WAS
GOING TO GO TO THE LAKERS.
>> SURE.
>> Jimmy: WHO WILL GO FURTHER IN
THE PLAYOFFS, THE LEAAKERS OR T
CLIPPERS THIS SEASON?
>> IT DEPENDS, AND I SAY THAT
NOT TO BE KIND OF CHEEKY ABOUT
IT, BUT INJURIES HAS PLAYED SUCH
A HUGE PART.
>> Jimmy: LET'S SAY BOTH TEAMS
ARE BEAUTIFULLY HEALTHY FROM
HERE ON OUT.
>> A LOT OF IFs.
>> Jimmy: A LOT OF IFs.
COUSINS GOT HURT.
>> IS HOUSTON HEALTHY AS WELL.
GOLDEN STATE HEALTHY AS WELL?
WE'RE DOING EVERYBODY'S HEALTHY
KIND OF THING?
>> Jimmy: THAT L.A. RIVALRY.
>> WHAT IF THEY'RE PLAYING AN
INJURED HOUSTON ROCKETS TEAM AND
JAMES CAN'T PLAY?
OR WHAT IF THEY'RE PLAYING AN
INJURED GOLDEN STATE TEAM.
>> Jimmy: CAN'T YOU JUST PLAY
ALONG WITH MY GAME?
>> NO, NO, I CANNOT.
I CANNOT.
THERE'S TOO MANY VARIABLES, MY
MAN.
I'VE GOT TO THINK THROUGH THIS
THING.
>> Jimmy: THINKING IS OVERRATED.
WEARY GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
WHEN WE COME BACK, KOBE HAS A
BOOK.
AND NOT ONLY IS IT GOOD, IT
FEELS GOOD, TOO.
IT'S CALLED "LEGACY AND THE
QUEEN".
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH KOBE
BRYANT.
>> Jimmy: LOOK WHO'S HERE.
KOBE BRYANT IS HERE WITH US.
KOBE'S GOT A BOOK.
IS THIS A YOUNG ADULT BOOK WOULD
YOU SAY?
>> MIDDLE GRADE.
>> Jimmy: MIDDLE GRADE BOOK.
IT IS CALLED "LEGACY AND THE
QUEEN."
AND IT'S NICE AND KIND OF FURRY.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: WHY IS IT FURRY.
>> IT KIND OF SIMULATES A TENNIS
BALL A LITTLE BIT.
>> Jimmy: IT IS ABOUT TENNIS.
YOU'VE BECOME VERY ABOUT TENNIS
LATELY.
>> I DON'T PLAY WELL.
I ENJOY PLAYING.
>> Jimmy: IT LOOKED PRETTY GOOD
TO ME, BUT WHAT DO I KNOW?
YOU DON'T CONSIDER YOURSELF A
GOOD TENNIS PLAYER.
>> NO, I ENJOY PLAYING, I'M
GETTING BETTER.
>> Jimmy: YOU CAN ENJOY PLAYING
SOMETHING, THAT'S INTERESTING.
>> IT'S THE PROCESS OF GETTING
BETTER AT SOMETHING.
>> Jimmy: WHAT ABOUT LOSING?
DO YOU PLAY COMPETITIVELY WITH
PEOPLE?
>> ME AND ROB USED TO PLAY ALL
THE TIME.
AND HE GOT BUSY WITH THE GM
THING.
>> Jimmy: AND WHO USED TO WIN
THOSE THINGS?
>> HE WOULD WIN.
>> Jimmy: YOU WILL EVENTUALLY
BEAT HIM AND CRUSH HIM AND BE ON
THE SENIOR TOUR OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
>> IT'S INEVITABLE.
>> Jimmy: I NOTICED SOMETHING
INTERESTING ABOUT THIS BOOK.
CAN WE LOWER THE LIGHTS FOR A
SECOND?
BECAUSE THERE ARE SECRET, ARE
THESE SATANIC MESSAGES?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
>> WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE
TO THE STORY.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE
KIND OF EASTER EGGS THAT YOU
FIND IN THE BOOK.
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS
TO HAVE HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT.
A LOT OF TIMES WE DO BOOKS FOR
CHILDREN, BUT THEY'RE NOT VERY
WELL DONE.
>> Jimmy: WHAT DOES THE
PUBLISHER SAY WHEN YOU SAY I
WANT THERE TO BE INVISIBLE
LANGUAGE INSIDE AND THE COVER OF
THE BOOK TO FEEL LIKE A TENNIS
BALL?
>> WELL, THEY DON'T SAY
ANYTHING, PAUSBECAUSE I'M THE
PUBLISHER.
>> Jimmy: OH, I SEE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
GENERALLY PUBLISHING HOUSING
WON'T MAKE A BOOK THAT HIGH
QUALITY, IT'S EX-FEBPENSIVE TO .
BUT YOU PICK THIS BOOK UP.
IT'S BEEN CARED FOR.
IT FEELS LIKE WE MATTER.
HERE THE'S BOOK WE PUT A LOT OF
WORK INTO.
>> Jimmy: WHAT'S THE PREMISE OF
THE BOOK?
>> SHE'S GOT TO PLAY TENNIS TO
SAVE HER FAMILY.
>> Jimmy: IT'S A TRUE STORY.
>> A LOT OF IT DEALS WITH
EMOTION.
AND WHAT I WANTED TO TEACH KIDS
IS HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH ANXIETY
AND PRESSURE.
AND NOTHING DOES THAT MORE SO
THAN TENNIS, BECAUSE IT'S AN
ISOLATED EVENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO
DEAL WITH THINGS YOURSELF.
AND YOU'RE FACING AN OPPONENT
ACROSS THE NET THAT'S
CHALLENGING YOU, SO IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT TO GET THOSE MESSAGES
ACROSS AND CREATE CHARACTER WITH
OUR DAUGHTERS.
WE DON'T SEE TOO MANY CHARACTERS
IN MLITERATURE THAT ARE MIXED.
>> Jimmy: IN TENNIS, THERE'S
THIS ISOLATION, EVEN THOUGH IT
IS A ONE ON ONE SPORT.
UNLIKE BASKETBALL, YOU'RE
GUARDING THE GUY, YOU'RE RIGHT
THERE WITH THE GUY, YOU HAVE
THIS COMMUNICATION.
YOU HAVE THIS DISTANCE BETWEEN
YOU WHICH CAN BE VERY LONELY IN
A WAY.
>> IT IS, AND YOU'RE DEALING
WITH YOUR INNER CHALLENGES.
JUST YOU.
THERE'S NO TEAMMATES TO GIVE YOU
SUPPORT POR ENCOURAGEMENT.
IT'S JUST YOU.
YOU SEE A LOT OF TENNIS PLAYERS
TALKING TO THEMSELVES OR
SMACKING THEIR LEG IN
FRUSTRATION.
>> Jimmy: WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE
PLAYER?
>> IT'S HARD TO GO PAST THE BIG
THREE.
FEDERER AND JOKE AND NADAL.
I MET CHRIS EVERETT, THAT WAS
AWESOME.
CHRIS EVERETT'S A BAD-ASS.
>> Jimmy: YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO
REALLY HAVE SEEN CHRIS EVERETT
IN ACTION.
>> AM I, THOUGH?
I'LL TAKE IT.
>> Jimmy: I THINK SO.
>> I'LL TAKE T IT, AND OBVIOUSL
SERENA'S THE BEST OF ALL TIME.
SHE'S THE GREATEST.
AND I JUST, AS TENNIS PLAYER,
BUT AS A GENERAL ATHLETE.
I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH COCO
PLAY AND NAOMI.
I'M A BIG NAOMI FAN AND LOVE
EVERYTHING SHE'S DOING.
>> Jimmy: YOU'RE REALLY GETTING
INTO TENNIS.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: I WONDER, IF YOU COULD
PICK UP ANOTHER SPORT TO PLAY
PROFESSIONALLY, WOULD THAT BE
THE SPORT?
>> YEAH, PROBABLY, THEN I DON'T
HAVE TO WATCH MY WORDS WHEN I'M
TALKING ABOUT FORMER TEAMMATES
AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I
AIN'T GOT NONE.
>> Jimmy: YOU'D HAVE NOBODY TO
BLAME BUT YOURSELF.
BUT YOU'D PROBABLY TEAR UP A FEW
COACHES ALONG THE WAY.
>> BEAT THE HELL OUT OF A FEW
RACKETS MAYBE.
>> Jimmy: IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
THIS IS KOBE'S BOOK.
IT'S CALLED "LEGACY AND THE
QUEEN."
BUY IT FOR YOUR KIDS AND SEASON
TWO OF YOUR PODCAST "THE PUNIES"
IS AVAILABLE FOR LISTENING.
KOBE BRYANT, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MILES
BROWN.