"You can always come over here" - When Bob Myers tried to recruit Kobe to the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors weren't just masters of drafting and developing players, they were also experts at the recruiting game. Bob Myers , then the team's general manager, was adept at spotting the right talent at the right price who could play seamlessly with Stephen Curry .

Kevin Durant might have been their biggest catch as the scoring machine powered the Warriors to two straight titles. Interestingly, Myers also had his eyes on the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant.

Kobe to the Warriors?

Per Hoops Hype , Bryant shared his relationship with Myers and how a quick catch-up led to a recruitment pitch.

"I've known Bob Myers, the general manager of the Warriors, forever," KB said. "Like, I remember the day he was going to go take his bar exam! We used to hang out together all the time."

"At my last All-Star Game, we had a chance to catch up," Kobe continued. "We were staying in the same hotel and I had a chance to tell him congratulations on everything. Then, he said, 'Hey listen, if there's any chance you want to change your mind and come back and play another year, you can always come over here [to Golden State].' But it's all tongue-in-cheek, man."

This isn't one of those what-if moments because the Los Angeles Lakers legend was on the tail-end of his career. It would've been blasphemous if Kobe suddenly joined the Dubs for one final run.

Whatever the case may be, it's an interesting encounter. It shows how some NBA players, agents, and front-office executives go a long way back. Fans are not privy to the friendships forged behind the scenes, which can be leveraged for recruitment or other things.

Related: Kobe Bryant's former bodyguard compared working for him and other NBA stars: "Kobe was a sit outside-the-gate person"

Steph's deceiving calmness

If Myers had recruited Bryant when he was still in his prime, the Black Mamba might have considered leaving the Lakers. After all, Bryant had a fondness for Curry , particularly for his deceiving calmness. Behind that smile and calm disposition is a lethal killer.

"I see a calmness about him," Kobe said . "I think that's something a lot of players don't understand. The fans, it's really hard for the fans to understand what I'm saying. Most players don't get it. But there's a serious calmness about him which is extremely deadly."

A Curry-Kobe combo would've been deadly. There's nothing sweeter than two intense competitors donning the same jersey. If Myers had just pitched the idea to Bean earlier, NBA history would've looked very different.

Related: "I've had my moment" - When Kobe Bryant declared it was Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors' era