Mitch Kupchak talks to draftee Larry Nance Jr. about accusatory Kobe tweet
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said the team has spoken to one of its first-round draft picks about a tweet the player sent out in 2012 that referred to a sexual assault case involving star guard Kobe Bryant.
The tweet was published May 1, 2012, on the account belonging to Larry Nance Jr., a forward from the University of Wyoming whom the Lakers selected 27th overall in Thursday's NBA draft.
Nance's tweet, which was deleted within minutes of his selection by the Lakers, read: "Gee I sure hope Kobe can keep his hands to himself in Denver this time." It also included the hashtag "#rapist."
Bryant was involved in a 2003 sexual assault case in Colorado. A woman accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room, but all charges were dropped after she refused to testify. A civil suit was later settled, and Bryant publicly apologized, although he admitted no guilt in the matter.
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/13152276/los-angeles-lakers-gm-mitch-kupchak-addresses-larry-nance-jr-tweet-2012-kobe-bryant