Former Lakers trainer Gary Vitti stated on Byron Scott's show that Kobe once told him that he tried waterboarding (tying someone up, covering their face with a towel, and pouring water up to make you feel like you are drowning) because Kobe said he wanted to know how cruel it was.

Vitti said: "Kobe was with a few SEAL team members, and he took the initiative to try waterboarding. For him, it was like a psychological test. He knew that he would not drown. The question is, can you withstand this kind of torture."