Gayle King asks WNBA star Lisa Leslie about Kobe Bryant's 'complicated legacy' and sexual assault, gets slammed
CBS 'This Morning' host Gayle King is facing a lot of backlash for asking WNBA legend Lisa Leslie about her pal Kobe Bryant's 2003 rape allegations while having her on an interview in the wake of his death.
As per a statement King gave to USA Today, she said, "I understand why people are upset seeing that clip out of context. I hope they will now watch the entire wide-ranging interview. We asked a longtime friend of Kobe Bryant’s to talk to us about his legacy and their friendship and Lisa Leslie did exactly that."
King had asked the former Los Angeles Sparks player about Bryant's legacy and said, "It’s been said that his legacy is complicated because of a sexual assault charge which was dismissed in 2003, 2004. Is it complicated for you, as a woman, as a WNBA player?" Leslie had responded saying that it was not complicated for her at all.
"Even if there are a few times that we’ve been in the club at the same time. Kobe’s not the kind of guy, never been, like, ‘Lis, go get that girl, or tell her, or send her, this.’ I have other NBA friends that are like that. Kobe, he was never like that. I have never seen him being the kind of person that would do something to violate a woman or be aggressive in that way. That’s just not the person that I know," she shared.
King pointed out that Leslie may not have seen a different side of him as his friend. "And that's possible. I just don’t believe that, and I’m not saying things didn’t happen. I just don’t believe that things [happened] with force," Leslie shared.
Bryant had been accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old in 2003 and had admitted to having sex with the woman but denied that it was not consensual. The woman had filed a civil suit against the NBA legend which ended in an out of court settlement.
Leslie added that the media should be 'more respectful' about the topic given Bryant's family, friends, and fans are still mourning his death.