Jerry Ferrara shares story of Kobe Bryant losing a bet to 'Entourage' cast: "He stiffed us on the $500"
Kobe Bryant's stories have always been intriguing to listen to, and adding one more to the massive list was "Entourage" star Jerry Ferrara. The 44-year-old recollected a story about Black Mamba losing a bet and jetting off, leaving Ferrara and the cast of the HBO show wondering whether Bryant would live up to his word after blowing the bet.
Speaking to the New York Knicks duo of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on their "Roommates Show," Ferrara shared a story of how the team headed to Crypto.com Arena (then known as Staples Center) for a rehearsal. Bryant was in the arena getting his shots up and interacted with the actor and the rest of the stars.
"There is one amazing story that before we shot there. We go like 4 o'clock to the arena for a rehearsal and Kobe's out there in like sweats. I think he had a leg injury and was getting shots up by himself. He comes over and starts betting us, half-court shots left. He misses one, misses two, then $100 a shot. Now, he's just throwing them up, but not missing them by much. He shoots five, misses all five, and owes us $500. I don't know if this is the best part of the story, or he stiffed us on the $500."
In 2005, the then-three-time NBA champion suffered a right ankle sprain during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and was sidelined for nearly a month. During this time, HBO's "Entourage" was gearing up for its next season, and the show's first scene was slated to be shot at the Staples Center.
But in the end, Bryant lived up to his word and had someone send over $500 to the actor and his team. The LA Lakers legend honored his bet, and that will now add to Kobe Bryant's one from the vault.
Kobe Bryant once explained why Jerry Buss picked him over Shaquille O'Neal in 2004: "Bet on the horse that's obsessive"
After Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, Kobe Bryant explained why Lakers owner Jerry Buss picked him over O'Neal. In an interview with Ramona Shelburne in 2016, he said:
"Of course he chose me. That's the right decision to make. I would have made the same call. If you're going to bet, you got to bet on the horse that you know is obsessive about what they do, day in and day out, and is going to be hell-bent on trying to win a championship. If you're going to bet on a horse, you always bet on the one that eats, sleeps, and breathes the craft."
In the end, it proved to be the right call as Bryant and the Lakers won two more titles together in 2009 and 2010. As for O'Neal, he won one more ring after exiting the Lakers.