Kobe Bryant's brand is all about determination. He created what he calls the Mamba Mentality, described as an ability "to constantly try to be the best version of yourself ... It's a constant quest to try to better today than you were yesterday." So it's not surprising that after watching "The Dark Knight" in 2008, Bryant was inspired by Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker.

But it is surprising to see Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka claim that Bryant had dinner with Ledger after watching the movie. Because Ledger died six months before the film premiered.

Via ESPN's Baxter Holmes:

"There was one time when Kobe, who I worked with for 18 years, was going back to play in Madison Square Garden, and he had just seen 'The Dark Knight,'" Pelinka said. "Obviously, you guys saw that movie, and he's like, 'Hey, hook me up with dinner with Heath Ledger, because he got so locked into that role. I want to know how he mentally went there.' So, he had dinner with Heath, and he talked about how he locks in for a role. "And Kobe used some of that in his game against the Knicks." "The Dark Knight" was released in July 2008, six months after Ledger died. A source with direct knowledge said no such arrangement was made and no dinner ever took place.

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Holmes shared this story, which was originally told in 2018, as an example of how other Lakers staffers don't trust Pelinka when he tells a tale.

"Pelinka's penchant for 'storytelling,' multiple Lakers staffers told ESPN, is viewed as disingenuous — at best," Holmes writes.

Anyone who knows anything about "The Dark Knight" should know Ledger died before the film premiered. Also, when exactly did Bryant watch this movie?

The film was released July 18, 2008, and Bryant didn't play the Knicks in Madison Square Garden until Feb. 2, 2009. At that point, Ledger had been dead for more than a year. Nothing about Pelinka's story holds up.

So why lie about it? As Holmes points out, this is just who Pelinka is. Most of his story is pointing out how Pelinka's odd behavior has led to problems for the Lakers.