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USC Trojans coach Eric Mussleman had a chat on Thursday night with Vanessa Bryant, widow of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, at the USC vs. UCLA women's basketball game.
While the No. 6 Trojans delivered an epic defeat of the No. 1 Bruins on the court, the people-watching was clearly next level as Muss found time to visit hoops royalty.
Muss, Bryant visit at women's hoops game
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Musselman, in his first year as the coach at USC, apparently had showed up at the top 10 women's hoops battle to support the Trojans. So too had Vanessa Bryant, who has also spent many years around basketball.
As part of her role in upkeeping her husband's memory, Vanessa is an accomplished philanthropist in and around southern California.
Vanessa Bryant
Bryant, who met Kobe while was working as a back-up dancer on a rap video, married her husband in 2001. The Bryants had four children together. Kobe and the couples' daughter, Gianna "Gigi," perished in a January 2020 plane crash.
Vanessa hasn't remarried and spends much of her time on charitable ventures which the Bryants established to help poor, young athletes. Vanessa filed suit against Los Angeles County after post-plane crash photos of her husband and daughter were circulated by responders.
The damages of $28.85 million were donated by to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
Eric Musselman
Mussleman is in his first season at USC but has been around all levels of basketball for decades. The son of former Minnesota Timberwoles coach Bill Musselman, Eric has coached seemingly everywhere. A coach in the old CBA and an NBA assistant, Muss moved into college coaching in 2012.
He took Nevada to the Sweet 16 in 2018 and then moved to Arkansas in 2019. Musselman was 111-59 with the Razorbacks and took the team to the Elite Eights in 2021 and 2022. But after a 16-17 season in 2023-24, Musselman took the USC job to replace departed Trojans coach Andy Enfield.
USC is 14-10 on the 2024-25 season, led by junior guard Desmond Claude, who averages 16.2 points per game. The Trojans have lost four of their last seven games, and, barring a surprising late rally, are likely to miss the NCAA Tournament field in 2025.
Musselman coached against Kobe Bryant as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2002-03 and 2003-04. He also faced Bryant as coach of the Sacramento Kings in 2006-07. Musselman's career NBA mark was 108-138.
What do you think of Coach Muss bumping into Vanessa Bryant? Share your take on the meeting below in our comments section:
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