Kobe Bryant spoke further about the ongoing story of his wife Vanessa Bryant and Karl Malone.  Malone allegedly made improper advances to Mrs. Bryant when she called him on his cellphone to offer to take care of Karl Jr., who appeared bored at the game.

"He was like a mentor to me, an older brother to me," Bryant said before the Lakers' 105-98 victory Sunday against the Orlando Magic. "When something like that happens, you're upset, you're hurt. There's all those emotions tied up in one at the same time.

"We've had fun, myself, my wife, [Malone's wife] Kaye, him, we've had fun together. We've been at their house together, joking around, giving each other a hard time, just clowning and being sarcastic with one another, whatever. Baby-sitting the kids and all that.

"Stay away from my wife," Bryant recalled Sunday as saying to Malone. "What's wrong with you? How could you?

"He said, 'I'm sorry if I said anything, if I was out of line, I'll apologize.' What he said is what he said. This thing went on for a while. My wife isn't going to sit there and exaggerate something or blow something out of proportion that doesn't need to be blown out of proportion. She felt uncomfortable being around the dude to the point where she felt like she had to call his wife and tell his wife, 'Your husband's acting out of control right now.'"