Corey Maggette doesn't believe that Kobe Bryant was serious about leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004 to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Maggette, who was close with Bryant, believes the Lakers legend was using the Clippers as a “scare tactic.”

“Honestly, I thought it was really a scare tactic for the Lakers to solidify himself there,” Maggette told The Athletic. “But who knows. It could have (been true). But I always thought, when I heard it, that it was more of, again, the scare tactic for the Lakers.”

Bryant, of course, never left the Lakers for the Clippers. He spent his entire Hall of Fame career with the Lakers, winning five titles along the way.

In 1,346 career games for the Lakers, Bryant cemented himself as an all-time great. Coming straight to the NBA from high school is no easy move, but Bryant finished his illustrious NBA career with averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard was an 18-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, 15-time All-NBA team member, two-time Finals MVP and five-time champion.

The Lakers retired Bryant’s No. 8 and 24 jerseys last year. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as part of an incredible class when inductees are announced later this year.

Everyone needs to keep Vanessa Bryant and Kobe’s surviving daughters in their prayers right now. It’s impossible to understand what the Bryant family is going through.

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