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Trump Revives 1998 Kobe Bryant Elevator Fight Tale in Jake Paul Interview

The president offered a vague retelling that mirrors Jeff Pearlman’s uncorroborated book account.

Overview

  • Trump told Jake Paul he once stepped in to break up a confrontation involving Kobe Bryant, calling it risky and offering few specifics.
  • His remark aligns with Pearlman’s description of a 1998 Grand Hyatt elevator incident involving Jayson Williams and, reportedly, Charles Oakley.
  • Trump did not mention Williams or an elevator in the interview, while Pearlman’s account places the episode at a hotel Trump owned at the time.
  • Oakley has told reporters he does not remember being on the elevator, though he recalls Jayson Williams telling the story over the years.
  • Williams has not responded to recent media inquiries, and the renewed anecdote spread widely online as users questioned its veracity.