Bryant battling 'distraction' of court case ( 2003-12-27 09:29) (Agencies)
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant said in a
televised interview he sometimes becomes distracted or scared as he fights a
felony sexual assault charge.
"You're just ... living in a nightmare and just can't really wake up out of
it," Bryant said in the interview, broadcast on the ABC network during halftime
of the Lakers game against the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
Houston won, 99-87.
Bryant, 25, is charged with attacking a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado
resort in June. He contends they had consensual sex.
Asked if he has trouble keeping his mind on basketball during games, Bryant
said: "Sometimes it wanders and I have to try to bring myself back. It's human
nature, I guess."
He said he is sometimes "a little bit" scared.
"If you can't control, you just kind of have to let it go. And at times that
can be extremely difficult but, you know, you do it," he said.
Despite the distractions, Bryant scored the winning basket as time ran out in
a December 19 game against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles after missing the
first quarter to attend a court hearing in Eagle.
Bryant is scheduled to return to Eagle for another hearing on January 23.
He faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation if
convicted.
