Bryant: Malone made a pass at my wife

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant has accused his fellow Laker and friend Karl Malone of making a pass at his wife at a game in November.

"He was like a mentor, like a brother to me, so when something like that happens, you're upset, you're hurt," Bryant said Sunday in the Laker locker room. He said he called Malone and told him, "Stay away from my wife."

Malone's agent Dwight Manley said Malone told Byrant he had never made a pass at Bryant's wife, but he apologized to both Bryant and his wife for any inappropriate remarks he made that might have been out of line, KABC-TV in Los Angeles reported Monday.

"What he said is what he said -- I believe in my heart that it wasn't a misunderstanding," Bryant said. "My wife felt uncomfortable being around him to the point that she felt she had to call his wife and tell her."

Malone, 41, told the Lakers in October he was still recovering from arthroscopic surgery and wasn't ready to play, but he hasn't ruled out returning.

Last Tuesday, Manley said Malone didn't plan to return because of comments Bryant had made.