Kobe Bryant Bet Gerald Wallace He Could Hit a Free-Throw With His Eyes Closed


You saw Kobe Bryant and Gerald Wallace talking lots of junk at the end of last night’s Lakers/Nets game. Bryant hinted at a possible wager between the two in postgame comments, which Wallace confirmed. However, the Nets’ forward found Kobe’s bet too rich for his blood. Per the NY Daily News: “With the game on the line Tuesday night and Kobe Bryant at the charity stripe, Wallace began jawing with the Laker great. What was Wallace talking about? ‘I was trying to get him to close his eyes to shoot.’ Now remember, Michael Jordan is famous for hitting a free throw with his eyes closed, and we all know how much Bryant wants to be like Mike. So maybe there was a chance Bryant would play along. Turns out he would’ve – for a steep price. ‘I had to make a big bet,’ Wallace said. ‘So I told him just shoot the free throws.’ There’s no telling what this ‘big bet’ involved, whether it was thousands of dollars, millions, maybe even a car. But Wallace was obviously willing to pay up if it scared him off. Instead, Bryant converted his full-sight free throws and the Lakers snapped the Nets five-game winning streak, 95-90. Wallace, who was playing his second game following a six-game absence because of an ankle sprain, was the Nets’ hero defensively, securing five steals and three blocks.”