Anthony Davis says he loved working with Kobe Bryant on Olympic team

Jan 21, 2015 | 9:58 AM

| New Orleans

Anthony Davis says he loved working with Kobe Bryant on Olympic team — Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, and New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis talk while sitting on the bench during a game at the 2012 London Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Anthony Davis might be the NBA’s best power forward but he wasn’t much of a factor on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.

Nobody played fewer minutes than him. Nobody scored fewer points.

But he got to know Kobe Bryant and called him a “great guy” when asked about it Wednesday.

"That whole Olympic experience, he kind of took me under his wing and showed me a lot about the game and a lot about hard work," said Davis, the only college player on a team that beat Spain in the gold-medal game.

"He'll bring the competitive nature out in everybody," he added. "Any good team that has Kobe on the team is in it to win it. That was my first time [meeting him]. I loved every moment of it."

The Lakers play New Orleans on Wednesday. Davis is averaging 24.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots per game for the Pelicans.