Chandler Parsons made an appearance on the All the Smoke Podcast and while talking to Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, Parsons recalled a time when the late great Kobe Bryant footed a massive club bill during his rookie season in Houston.
Before heading out to the city of angels, Parsons recalled that then-head coach Kevin McHale was trying to prep the team for the experience that comes with playing at the Staples Center (now called the Crypto.com arena). McHale specifically pointed out Parsons, who would be the one tasked with guarding Bryant. McHale warned him that Bryant would not take too kindly to being guarded by a rookie.
Once the game commenced, Parsons said he remembers a point in the fourth quarter when Bryant asked him if he was staying the night in Los Angeles. Although Bryant seemed to come off as genuine, Parsons wasn't buying it.
“Fourth quarter comes around, and Kobe looks at me and goes, ‘Are you guys staying the night tonight?’ I’m lookin at McHale and making sure he’s not looking at me before I’m like, ‘What up? We’re staying.’ Then he was like, ‘I’ll set you up. I’ll get your number from Jordan Hill.’ I’m like, ‘Stop, I know what you’re doing.’ McHale is over there grilling me. He ends up going off and having 40 points – we lose,” Parsons said.
Bryant proved to be a man of his word and set up Parsons with the VIP club experience. 'The Black Mamba' even went as so far as to pay for Parsons' $22,000 bill that he was left with at the end of the night.
“After the game, we’re with all the OGs. I get a text that says ‘You’re all set up at Supper Club – Mamba.’ I’m looking around like ‘Who’s f—ing with me?’ Courtney Lee was my guy. I’m showing him the text and asking if it’s real. … I’m telling the table that I got them. I’m like ‘Kobe is my guy, let’s go!’ We have like the craziest night ever. Supper Club is the club where the tables are beds. The waitress hands me the check and I’m like ‘Oh s–t.’ I open it and it says $22,000. I’m sick. I’ll never forget this chick looks at me, hands me a pen and is like ‘Sign this for Mr. Bryant.’ I signed Kobe Bryant on a $22,000 club bill. He was awesome.”
Now you may be asking, Parsons made millions of dollars during his playing career, why couldn't he just pay for the bill? Well, this was a few years before the Memphis Grizzlies and GM John Hollinger gave him that massive contract during the 2016 offseason. During his first season playing for the Rockets, Parsons made just $850,000, so a $22,000 bill would've been quite a chunk of change to fork up.
To add more context to this story, the Rockets were able to defeat the Lakers 112-107. Kobe had 28 points, while Parsons scored 13. Considering Matt Barnes' reaction to Parsons' story, the Florida product took a major risk going out with Bryant after just beating him on his home floor.
Follow Jasper Jones on Twitter: @jonesj2342
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