KOBE/MALONE
In 2003 Karl Malone, then 40 years old, signed with the Lakers and struck up a friendship with a young hotshot by the name of Kobe Bryant. Unlike the tentative bond Bryant had with Dwight Howard, their relationship extended beyond the confines of the Staples Center.
They often went out together socially with wives and children in tow. So you can understand why Bryant told ESPN.com he was "upset" to learn the Mailman had been scamming on his longtime love, Vanessa, in December 2004.
There was no affair, or rumor of an affair, just a few skeevy incidents and some seriously misread social cues. Initially Malone denied any wrongdoing, but eventually he stepped that back and apologized for anything "that was out of line."
The old "I didn't do anything, but if I did, I am very sorry about that." Works every time...
KIDD/JIM JACKSON
Although there were no long-term relationships to come of their brief couplings, former Mavericks Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson were both romantically involved with singer Toni Braxton in the mid '90s.
That probably wouldn't have been such a big deal if their short-lived relationships didn't overlap in such a noteworthy way. The two former teammates had a well-known rift during their time together, and Braxton is thought to be the cause.
As relayed by ESPN's Jeff Merron, legend has it that the feud stemmed from an incident in which Braxton arrived at the Mavs' hotel in Atlanta to pick up Kidd for a night out, but left with Jackson instead.
In the years since the debacle, both players have denied the rumors, but it had been widely accepted as likely fact before the denials.
NASH/BARBOSA
When rapidly aging Lakers point guard Steve Nash split from ex-wife Alejandra Amarilla in February 2011, she had just given birth to the couple's second child.
The strange timing of their abrupt breakup led to a lot of speculation as to what could be behind the whole thing. Rumors ran rampant that Amarilla had given birth to a baby of mixed-race, which led to even more rumors about the potential paternity.
The rumors about the child seem to be unfounded, but those linking Amarilla with two of Nash's ex-teammates in Phoenix—first to Leandro Barbosa, then to Jason Richardson—have proven more difficult to shake.
And the fact that Richardson was considered persona non grata in Los Angeles after Nash signed with the Lakers in 2012? Well…it certainly didn't do anything to change that perception.
JORDAN/PIPPEN
Dennis Rodman isn't the only Bull that briefly won the affections of pop superstar Madonna in the '90s. He's just the most colorful.
Before her high-profile affair with the Bulls bad boy, Ms. Madonna was sitting front-row center in Chicago eying up his teammate Scottie Pippen.
And his teammate, Michael Jordan, was eying her up.
But those were before the days of the interwebs, when superstars could still lead super private lives. So details on this one are sparse, but people are still buzzing about these three on message boards 20 years later.
PAU/SHANNON BROWN
Lakers big man Pau Gasol did not have a career year in the 2010-11 season, but he waited until the playoffs to really lay an egg. When the Lakers were swept by the Mavericks, his lackluster play was largely to blame.
Seriously, a man that big never looked so small.
Rumors about what was getting to Gasol began to circulate quickly and speculation abound problems with his girlfriend, Silvia Lopez Castro, could be the culprit. Castro was suspected of having a fling with Gasol's then-teammate Shannon Brown.
Brown decided the best way to address the issue was via Twitter: "Ok let me put a end to this right now before it goes any further. I DID NOT SLEEP WITH @paugasol woman!!! First and last time addressing it!"
Uh. Okay. Case closed, I guess.
ARENAS/SHAQ
In November 2009 TheYBF published a series of emails exchanged between the NBA's biggest big man, Shaquille O'Neal, and Basketball Wives L.A. cast member Laura Govan.
Not only was Shaq married at the time, although he never cheated on his ex-wife Shaunie "disrespectfully," (seriously, he said that) but Govan was engaged to Wizards star Gilbert Arenas…and is the mother of his four children.
Ugh. How does a mother of four find time to tend to the needs of that many young children and deal with the antics of Arenas annnnd still set aside some "me time" to sext with Shaq? She should teach a class on time management.
TONY PARKER/BRENT BARRY
In November 2010 Spurs superstar point guard Tony Parker found himself on the receiving end of some seriously unflattering press coverage when it was revealed that his wife, actress Eva Longoria, had filed for divorce amid rumors of infidelity.
It was a scandal that became even more scandalous with the revelation that the object of Parker's affection was a woman by the name of Erin Barry, with whom Longoria alleged he exchanged hundreds of texts.
That woman happened to be the wife of Parker's teammate Brent Barry. Neither marriage survived the affair—both couples were divorced within months of the affair making headlines.
They often went out together socially with wives and children in tow. So you can understand why Bryant told ESPN.com he was "upset" to learn the Mailman had been scamming on his longtime love, Vanessa, in December 2004.
There was no affair, or rumor of an affair, just a few skeevy incidents and some seriously misread social cues. Initially Malone denied any wrongdoing, but eventually he stepped that back and apologized for anything "that was out of line."
The old "I didn't do anything, but if I did, I am very sorry about that." Works every time...
KIDD/JIM JACKSON
Although there were no long-term relationships to come of their brief couplings, former Mavericks Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson were both romantically involved with singer Toni Braxton in the mid '90s.
That probably wouldn't have been such a big deal if their short-lived relationships didn't overlap in such a noteworthy way. The two former teammates had a well-known rift during their time together, and Braxton is thought to be the cause.
As relayed by ESPN's Jeff Merron, legend has it that the feud stemmed from an incident in which Braxton arrived at the Mavs' hotel in Atlanta to pick up Kidd for a night out, but left with Jackson instead.
In the years since the debacle, both players have denied the rumors, but it had been widely accepted as likely fact before the denials.
NASH/BARBOSA
When rapidly aging Lakers point guard Steve Nash split from ex-wife Alejandra Amarilla in February 2011, she had just given birth to the couple's second child.
The strange timing of their abrupt breakup led to a lot of speculation as to what could be behind the whole thing. Rumors ran rampant that Amarilla had given birth to a baby of mixed-race, which led to even more rumors about the potential paternity.
The rumors about the child seem to be unfounded, but those linking Amarilla with two of Nash's ex-teammates in Phoenix—first to Leandro Barbosa, then to Jason Richardson—have proven more difficult to shake.
And the fact that Richardson was considered persona non grata in Los Angeles after Nash signed with the Lakers in 2012? Well…it certainly didn't do anything to change that perception.
JORDAN/PIPPEN
Dennis Rodman isn't the only Bull that briefly won the affections of pop superstar Madonna in the '90s. He's just the most colorful.
Before her high-profile affair with the Bulls bad boy, Ms. Madonna was sitting front-row center in Chicago eying up his teammate Scottie Pippen.
And his teammate, Michael Jordan, was eying her up.
But those were before the days of the interwebs, when superstars could still lead super private lives. So details on this one are sparse, but people are still buzzing about these three on message boards 20 years later.
PAU/SHANNON BROWN
Lakers big man Pau Gasol did not have a career year in the 2010-11 season, but he waited until the playoffs to really lay an egg. When the Lakers were swept by the Mavericks, his lackluster play was largely to blame.
Seriously, a man that big never looked so small.
Rumors about what was getting to Gasol began to circulate quickly and speculation abound problems with his girlfriend, Silvia Lopez Castro, could be the culprit. Castro was suspected of having a fling with Gasol's then-teammate Shannon Brown.
Brown decided the best way to address the issue was via Twitter: "Ok let me put a end to this right now before it goes any further. I DID NOT SLEEP WITH @paugasol woman!!! First and last time addressing it!"
Uh. Okay. Case closed, I guess.
ARENAS/SHAQ
In November 2009 TheYBF published a series of emails exchanged between the NBA's biggest big man, Shaquille O'Neal, and Basketball Wives L.A. cast member Laura Govan.
Not only was Shaq married at the time, although he never cheated on his ex-wife Shaunie "disrespectfully," (seriously, he said that) but Govan was engaged to Wizards star Gilbert Arenas…and is the mother of his four children.
Ugh. How does a mother of four find time to tend to the needs of that many young children and deal with the antics of Arenas annnnd still set aside some "me time" to sext with Shaq? She should teach a class on time management.
TONY PARKER/BRENT BARRY
In November 2010 Spurs superstar point guard Tony Parker found himself on the receiving end of some seriously unflattering press coverage when it was revealed that his wife, actress Eva Longoria, had filed for divorce amid rumors of infidelity.
It was a scandal that became even more scandalous with the revelation that the object of Parker's affection was a woman by the name of Erin Barry, with whom Longoria alleged he exchanged hundreds of texts.
That woman happened to be the wife of Parker's teammate Brent Barry. Neither marriage survived the affair—both couples were divorced within months of the affair making headlines.
Govan tried to deny the allegations, claiming the emails were "fake" and insisting she had never cheated on Arenas. Shaq did nothing of the sort—respectfully.
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