So guess who pays attention to women’s basketball?

Apparently, Kobe Bryant and the US men’s basketball team.

Speaking with reporters in Las Vegas today, Bryant said he jumped up when he saw the highlights of the Sparks-Detroit Shock brawl on ESPN last night.

The brawl began when Detroit’s Plenette Pierson got tangled up with the Sparks’ Candace Parker. Parker fell to the ground, Pierson aggressively tried to stand over her, Parker pulled Pierson down and all heck broke loose at the Palace.

“Candace is going to be a target. She’s an incredible player,” Bryant said. “I think it’s good for her that she didn’t back down and I think it’s good for her teammates to step in there.”