Then Nick Van Exel, Bryant's teammate at the time, revealed some details about the play. "'I'm about to cross this sucker up and slam on him,' Kobe said. 'But then he jumps out of nowhere and nails me in the face.' I think everyone knows by now that I don't like playing against Bryant," Van Exel said. "He's too quick for me. But even though I'm not his favorite player, I still love the guy. He's all about family and charity work and being a role model. I hope one day to be as great as he is." Bryant also had some comments about Van Exel after he retired: "Nick was one of my best friends on the team. We've stayed in touch over the years. He's done an amazing job raising his kids by himself after we lost track of each other. When I saw him play last year at the adidas tournament, I knew he'd been working hard on his game. It was awesome to see him back on the court doing what he loves most - playing ball - and winning games!" Here's where things get a little fuzzy regarding exactly what position Van Exel played while with the Lakers. Some sources say he was a small forward, others a power forward. But whatever he was, he definitely wasn't bigger than Bryant.