Dwyane Wade took responsibility. Assumptions and accusations flew high when the NBA All-Star event failed to garner the expected views. As per Ryan Glasspiegel, nearly 4.7 million people tuned in to watch the event. This is the second least-viewed event. There have been several suggestions on social media by fans and basketball experts regarding the three-pointers or the format. However, The Flash seems to believe that an old incident involving him and Kobe Bryant might have sparked it all. Is it possible? 

While Wade must have only meant it as a joke, now that the spotlight has been put on the incident, it’s hard to look at it otherwise. During the Underground Lounge podcast, the Heat legend recalled the infamous 2012 NBA All-Star event when he mistakenly fouled Bryant and the latter sustained a nose injury.

He joked that this must have stopped other players from showing better defense. “I think that was the end of the competitiveness right there. I think I f—– the All Star game up everybody. It was when I hit Kobe. Everybody like ‘No, we not playing no more defense.’ My bad, my bad y’all,” Wade said. Players are often less competitive in All-Star games as they don’t wish to get hurt in exhibition games.

Well, this was the case back then as well. While the players were competitive enough, they were also careful not to get hurt. That’s why Bryant’s teammates were not pleased with what the Flash did, even if it was unintentional. 

“I think it was out of place, out of line, for the moment and the game that it was, but I don’t think he intended to break his nose. He just fouled him kind of hard there and got his nose. But again, I don’t think it was the place to foul like that,” Gasol said. They felt it was unnecessary. And how did Bryant react to it?

Kobe Bryant’s epic response to Dwyane Wade

Wade has repeatedly explained that the entire situation was an accident. He even decided to call Bryant to apologize for what happened. However, the Lakers legend’s response surprised him. Bryant was on a different level. 

He didn’t take the foul personally. Moreover, he knew it was only a mistake on Wade’s part. However, rather than getting offended, he took it as a challenge to spark his competitiveness. “Me and Kob’ got into a little tussle in the All-Star Game, and I ended up hitting him the wrong way and breaking his nose. So after the All-Star break, we got the Lakers about three games after the break. I call him, not maliciously. I didn’t maliciously do it. I called him and said, ‘Yo Kob,’ and he was like, ‘Bro, I love it.’ I’m like, He’s like, ‘I love it. I’ll see you in a couple of days.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh snap.’ And he gave it to me, too, boy,” Wade explained during his conversation with Kevin Garnett.

And that was evident in the next game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers after the NBA All-Star event. Bryant dropped 33 points and ensured Wade was limited to 16 points. So, while Wade perhaps wasn’t serious about his claims, the incident is certainly a memorable one and explains why players might have wanted to be less competitive.