Kobe Bryant's Dad Got Him Shaq's Autograph When He Was a Kid

Kobe Bryant’s retirement tour is winding down, so reporters are asking Kobe all the questions they have ever wanted to ask. After Sunday’s loss to the Lakers, a variety of topics were discussed at Kobe’s locker. He’s done getting technicals because there is nothing to be mad about. Don’t worry though – he’s still an a-hole. His words, not mine.

After that, someone asked Kobe who gave him his first pair of autographed sneakers. That took Kobe down memory lane as he recalled his father, Joe Bryant, getting him autographs from Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal. As Kobe said, “How funny is that?”

Kobe then reminisced about meeting Shaq and Penny when he was 15. If that’s accurate, it happened during the ’93-’94 season. Shaq was in his second season and Penny was a rookie. Three years later Shaq and Kobe were playing together on the Lakers.