Actor Anthony Anderson Was Instrumental In Kobe Bryant Appearing On TV Show `Hang Time'

Zachary Draves | Aug 2, 2024

May 8, 1997; Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant before the start of game 3 of the NBA Western Conference semi-finals against the Utah Jazz. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA Today-USA TODAY NETWORK / USA Today-USA TODAY NETWORK

In the mid 1990's, the Saturday morning NBC sitcom Hang Time was about a group of high school basketball players who went to the fictional Deering High School in the town of Deering, Indiana.

It starred former NBA all star Reggie Theus as coach Bill Fuller in the first three seasons. He was later replaced by NFL legend Dick Butkus, who was coach Mike Katowinski. The show introduced the world to Anthony Anderson, who played Theodore "Teddy" Brodis, Jr.

Hang Time featured appearances from many basketball legends, including Gary Payton, Lisa Leslie, Cedric Ceballos and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Yet perhaps its most memorable guest star was a young Kobe Bryant.

In the episode "The Hustlers", Bryant emerges at the request of coach Fuller to teach a group of basketball hustlers a lesson as only he could.

It turns out Anderson was instrumental in getting Bryant on the show. In an interview with FanSided, Anderson encountered Bryant on the studio lot when he filmed an episode of LL Cool J's sitcom In The House with Lakers teammate Derek Fisher.

"I just happened to be in the writers' room one day, and they said, 'Man, we would love to have Kobe on, this was his rookie season," Anderson said. "I was like, 'Oh, word?'. I had befriended Kobe's sister and met the family, and I was like, 'Well, Kobe's on the backlot right now with Derek Fisher'. They were doing something on 'In The House' with LL Cool J and Debbie Allen."

Bryant told Anderson to "call his mom" to get everything arranged. After appearing on the show, Bryant gave Anderson a special gift.

"I got his game shoes that he wore on our show," Anderson said. "He gave me the shoes and signed them for me,"

Zachary Draves is a contributor to Back In the Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at zdraves1013@gmail.com and on Instagram @zdraves0633.

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