Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Walton had a funny explanation for why he got along so well with Kobe Bryant.

Walton, the head coach of the Sacramento Kings, played with Kobe on the Lakers from 2003-2011. Walton was a starter for a few of the lean post-Shaq/pre-Pau seasons, but otherwise a bench player.

Talking ahead of the Kings’ game against the Clippers Thursday night, Walton said he and Kobe got along well because Walton passed Kobe the ball.

Yep, that’s what Kobe wanted, especially from 2005-2007.

Walton went from being a Lakers player to later becoming the team’s head coach, though he was fired after last season and quickly hired by the Kings.

In longer, non-joking comments, Walton said on Monday that Kobe’s death resulted in one of the “harder times” of his life.

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