Former NBA Player Explains 'Overrated' Comments Regarding Kobe Bryant

Former Los Angeles Lakers player Smuth Parker only wanted to tell the truth but it ended creating a firestorm with one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Parker was a two-year teammate of Lakers star Kobe Bryant. After leaving the Lakers, Parker was asked about his time playing his time alongside Bryant.

"I answered it honestly," Parker once said in an interview with Pablo Torre. "I said it was an overrated experience."

Playing With Kobe Was Overrated For Smush _ @...

Posted by The Hoop Institute on Monday, March 3, 2025

Bryant eventually responded to a comment Parker said "snowballed" out of context. Parker was only talking about his personal experience with Bryant. It stemmed from their disconnect despite being teammates and playing in the starting lineup.

Parker said he had no relationship with Bryant even though their lockers were next to each other. While the comments weren't personal, Parker said he was just being honest with answering the question. Bryant, a Hall of Famer, was killed in a helicopter accident in January of 2020.

"I was speaking from my experience, it was overrated," Parker said. "The man never spoke to me. I wasn't the 12th man on the bench. I wasn't the call-up from the G League who was just trying to fill a roster spot. I started with this man. I was co-worker. Like we shared a cubicle, side by side. How do you do that for two seasons and never hold a conversation?"