His playing days may be over, but we knew it wasn't going to be long before Kobe Bryant started fielding post-retirement offers from media companies looking to capitalize on his popularity (we've got a five-figure deal waiting if he wants it!).
The entity that took the most public crack at snagging the Black Mamba was TNT. They were reportedly interested in having Kobe reunite with Shaquille O'Neal as part of the Inside the NBA cast alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and whoever else they routinely sub in at their incredibly long desk.
However, it doesn't sound like it's going to happen. TMZ Sports caught up with Kobe on Wednesday night amidst a throng of handlers and aggressive selfie seekers, and he said, "No," when he was asked if he had any interest in joining the show. Then he hopped into the back of a nice SUV and took off without providing any further explanation.
Maybe in the future, Kobe will get bored like most retired athletes and re-join the sport that made him famous by taking a seat on the set of Inside the NBA. But for now, you're SOL if you were planning on him agreeing to a deal with TNT.
Check out the clip above to see Kobe get mobbed by fans and talk briefly about how he's really planning on teaching Shaq's son Shareef how to play hoops.
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