It took only one minute for Kobe Bryant to show his love for traveling, his competitive nature and his emerging playful persona.
Bryant’s recent commercial with soccer star Lionel Messi for Turkish Airlines shows the Lakers’ star comfortable taking selfies, comfortable when a lion licks his face and comfortable making goofy expressions as the two embark on a world-wide safari to prove who’s the most well traveled.
“We just be ourselves,” Bryant said Tuesday at a Turkish Airline appearance Tuesday in a Manhattan Beach hotel. “We don’t think about everybody that’s standing behind the camera and everybody yelling, ‘Action and Cut’ and ‘Do this and do that.’ Just be yourself and have a good time. That’s the most important part. Having fun.”
It also took only one minute for Bryant to knock down whether his post-playing career could entail switching from playing under the lights on the hardwood to performing under the lights on stage.
“Not a chance. Commercials are fine,” said Bryant, whose two-year $48.5 million extension ends after the 2015-16 season. “That’s cool. But I get antsy. There’s a lot of waiting around and downtime. I like moving and doing things. I don’t have the patience to do that. Commercials are fine. Movies and TV shows, no way.”
In other words, don’t pin your hopes that Bryant appears in a sequel to “Space Jam” or “He Got Game.” Bryant will be too busy traveling.
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