"I'm hunting for little Mexican girls" - Kobe Bryant's reaction to Karl Malone making a pass at his wife in 2004

The Los Angeles Lakers were looking to bounce back after failing to accomplish a four-peat in 2003. Despite already having the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the roster, the Lakers added more superstars to the mix. Karl Malone and Gary Payton signed with the team, making L.A. a favorite to win it all in 2004.

Unfortunately, injuries got in the way, with O'Neal, Bryant, and Malone all missing a big chunk of games. However, the Lakers were still able to make the Finals but lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

Kobe-Malone feud

Everyone knew things were not well with Kobe and Shaq. However, there were also other rifts within the team.

Bryant also had a beef with Malone after the legendary forward allegedly tried to make a pass at his wife. Vanessa saw "The Mailman" wearing cowboy boots and a hat and asked him what he was hunting for. Malone responded, "I'm hunting for little Mexican girls." She told Kobe about that exchange, and the Lakers guard got upset.

"He was like a mentor, like a brother to me, so when something like that happens, you're upset, you're hurt," he said via UPI .

Kobe's reaction

Bryant ended up calling Karl and telling him to stay away from his wife. Malone denied making a pass at Vanessa but apologized to the couple for any inappropriate remarks he made.

"What he said is what he said -- I believe in my heart that it wasn't a misunderstanding," Bryant added.

Even though the two were able to work through that issue, the incident undoubtedly tainted their relationship. However, things got out of control after the team's disappointing run in 2004. As a result, Phil Jackson was fired, and Shaq was to the Miami Heat.

And Malone? After initially saying he was unsure about returning, the two-time MVP decided to hang up his boots. Kobe, meanwhile, stayed in L.A. and built his own legacy without O'Neal, winning two NBA championships five years after their split.

Related: "We worked for about five hours straight" - Kobe Bryant revealed what it was like to work out with Hakeem Olajuwon