Sometimes, we see things that aren’t there in a moment of grief.
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward recently came clean on Twitter about a story circulating on how the then- Utah Jazz swingman supposedly intentionally created a lane violation in Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant’s last game.
The move, which would have given Bryant a second free throw attempt at scoring 60 points in his final game, was evidently unintentional according to Hayward.
The Butler product had forged a strong bond with his former opponent since breaking his ankle at the start of his Celtics tenure, with the Laker luminary having reached out to support Hayward in the darkest hour of his career.
He got 60 on me and I didn't give him anything free all night. What happened on the free throw line was not intentional. Kobe would have lost respect for me if I gave him something free. That’s what made him so very special!
— Gordon Hayward (@gordonhayward) January 28, 2020
While the story and idea behind it was a warm, touching one, the Indiana native’s framing of Kobe preferring to go out fighting rather than being gifted anything rings true.
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