You know Kobe Bryant has softened with time when Dwyane Wade interrupts his postgame press conference and lives to tell the tale.
Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ surprise 102-100 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, Wade, clearly reeling from an inexplicable loss (okay, not really), inserted himself into Kobe’s presser (h/t HoopsHype):
Dwyane Wade decided to interrupt Kobe Bryant's presser following tonights game. 😂😂😂 #GoLakershttps://t.co/xQcGh5Djre
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 31, 2016
Wade, it seems, starts rambling about some business to which he and Kobe must attend—a covert Skype meeting between he, Kobe and the rest of the NBA’s superstar brotherhood, during which they will all plot a superteam formation for the social media ages, perhaps?
Kobe proceeds to crack jokes, specifically poking fun at Wade’s age, and relishing in the lore of yesteryear, when the battles between he and Miami’s shooting guard meant more than they do now.
That’s what Kobe does these days. Joke. Reminisce. Carry himself in a likable manner. It’s beyond weird and definitely a symptom of him coming to terms with his own basketball mortality. In past years, after all, had someone interrupted Kobe’s presser, he’d have put them in an irreversible headlock and forced them to watch him bite off the head of a snake or Shaquille O’Neal voodoo doll or something.
Alas, Old Kobe is Friendly Kobe. Feel free to crash his postgame pressers whenever you want, wherever you are, in whatever swanky hat you’re wearing.