MINNESOTA — The two men exchanged pleasantries and enjoyed catching up. But it did not take long for Kobe Bryant to interrupt the conversation between former Lakers forward Pau Gasol and Minnesota guard Ricky Rubio, longtime friends stemmed from playing on the Spanish national team

“Talking about London?” Bryant asked in the hallway of a regular-season game before the 2012 Olympic Games.

Rubio then quickly informed Bryant that the U.S. Men’s Olympic would lose to Spain in the 2012 Finals, four years after the U.S’s gold-medal finish over Spain in Beijing.

“But he got me hurt so I couldn’t play,” Rubio said, smiling.

Rubio tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg in the waning seconds of the Lakers’ victory over Minnesota on March 10, 2012. The season-ending injury happened just as Rubio rotated to provide help defense on Bryant. So is Rubio really blaming his misfortunes on the Lakers’ star?

“No. It was something that happened,” Rubio said. “He didn’t even hit me. It wasn’t his fault. But it’s something that was always fun.”

Things were hardly fun for Spain in Team USA’s 118-107 gold-medal win in the 2008 Olympics.

Bryant scored 13 fourth-quarter points. He converted on a four-point play with 3:10 remaining. As he had done many times in his NBA career, Bryant spoiled Spain’s aspirations.

“I realized what Kobe meant, a guy who took over games,” Rubio said. “That game made me realize what kind of player he is.”

Hence, Rubio expects Bryant wil end his basketball career by playing in the Olympics again this summer in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

“He wants to win everything. You have another chance to win a gold medal, I’m not surprised he wants to go for it,” Rubio said. “It’s something he’ll be ready for.”

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