BIG3’s Jeff Kwatinetz on Kobe: Amar’e, Big Baby declined too before signing

BIG3’s co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz left the door open on a Kobe Bryant signing at Barclays’ press conference, citing Amar’e & Big Baby declining initially too.

Last Friday at BIG3’s post-Championship press conference, FanSided caught up with league co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz to ask about the Kobe Bryant rumors. If they were some type of modern reverse-marketing viral campaign, and he might still join. Sure, Kobe’s organization has stated he won’t be joining the BIG3 and he’s told TMZ since he’s never ‘playing pro-basketball again’. Plus wife Vanessa Bryant previously said the comeback rumor started by Shaq was false in a reply to a fan on Instagram… But BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz told FanSided that Amar’e Stoudemire and “Big Baby” Glen Davis declined the league originally too. As Jim Carrey once said as Lloyd, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”

In BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz’ words, “We only want Kobe to play, if he really wants to play. The guy played twenty years you know, so he might not feel it. We wouldn’t want him to play, if he was just doing it. We want him to do it because he wants to.”

It seems unlikely Kobe will be back at this point because since leaving basketball (on a 60 point retirement game), he’s won an Oscar, an Emmy, and his $6 million dollar investment in the BodyArmor brand is now worth $200 million. Sure, seems like no matter what field Kobe goes, success soon follows. However, maybe somewhere down the line Kobe might become nostalgic, reminisce and consider joining the league, especially if they can sign on Manu Ginóbili and Tim Duncan. BIG3’s co-founder Ice Cube has told TMZ, “I think he’s done” and that he hasn’t spoken to Kobe but he would certainly welcome him!

Watch FanSided ask BIG3’s Jeff Kwatinetz about the possibility of Kobe Bryant signing. Is there any chance? A transcript of the conversation is also available below.

FanSided.com [Nir Regev]: Any chance of Kobe [Bryant] saying no being some reverse marketing campaign?

Every year, I say this all the time, people say no then say yes… Then every year, people say yes then say no.

I’d love to see Kobe play again.

I heard from our good sources he’s doing it but he told us he wasn’t. Amar’e[Stoudemire] told me he wasn’t too, then [Big] Baby told me he wasn’t.

So there’s still hope! There’s still a chance.

We only want Kobe to play, if he really wants to play. The guy played twenty years you know, so he might not feel it. We wouldn’t want him to play, if he was just doing it. We want him to do it because he wants to.

Thank you!

BIG3 crowned their 2018 Champion, Power, this past Friday in a matchup against 3’s Company at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.