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Kobe Bryant was leaning toward North Carolina, not Duke

SPORTS SPECTACULAR & KVBFF PRESENT: KOBE UP CLOSE Hosted By Jimmy Kimmel

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 15: Host Jimmy Kimmel (L) and NBA player Kobe Bryant speak onstage during SPORTS SPECTACULAR & KVBFF PRESENT: KOBE UP CLOSE Hosted By Jimmy Kimmel at Club Nokia on August 15, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for SPORTS SPECTACULAR)

(Credit too long, see caption)

Kobe Bryant never played college ball. He was able to go straight from Lower Merion High School (Pa.) to the NBA, and after 15 All-Star Game appearances, a league’s Most Valuable Player award, five NBA championships and hundreds of millions he’s made over his time in the pros, the decision to skip over his collegiate career seems to have paid off.

But what if Kobe had gone to college?

It’s long been thought that he would have been a Blue Devil at Duke University, though, this past Thursday night at “Kobe Up Close Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel” -- an event put on by the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Foundation -- the future Hall of Famer told the Nokia Theatre audience that he was more likely heading to the University of North Carolina, had he gone to college.

From Eric Pinus of the Los Angeles Times (and ProBasketballTalk)

Why North Carolina? Vince Carter, a Tar Heel, was one of the top guards in the country at the time. “I want to play against him, every single day,” Bryant said.

So there you have it. Kobe Bryant was leaning towards being a Tar Heel, like Michael Jordan, in order to go up against Vince Carter -- who averaged 13.0 points per game in what would have been Bryant’s freshman season -- and not Duke. If it’s any consolation to the Cameron Crazies, Bryant did said he loved Mike Krzyzewski, and in the end did play for Coach K during the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Either way, this will be just the latest in a long line of things Duke and UNC fans can debate about.

Follow @terrence_payne