Speaking to sports broadcaster Jim Hill, Nicholson said: “My reaction is the same as almost all of L.A. — suddenly where everything was solid there’s a big hole. I was so used to seeing and talking to Kobe ... it just kills you — it’s just a terrible event.
“I remember him as so talented and how great a player he was.
“I teased him the first time we met. I offered him a basketball and asked him did he want me to autograph it for him. He looked at me like I was crazy.”
Asked about Bryant’s sense of humor, Nicholson responded: “He got all the jokes, that’s for sure.
He said of watching Bryant: “I sat right behind his jump shot on the left-hand side I could see him going up and I could tell in the first instance if it was in.
“We’ll think him all the time and we’ll miss him — he was just one of those touched people.”
