Chris Paul once asked Kobe for sneakers for charity ... then kept them for himself

Opposing players asking Kobe Bryant for his game-worn sneakers is nothing new. The practice has been going on for years, though much more frequently this season, Kobe's last in the NBA.

Turns out some players have been so desperate to grab a pair of Kobe's kicks that they haven't always been honest when making their request. At an intimate get-together over All-Star weekend, Chris Paul recounted the time he asked Kobe for a pair of his shoes back in 2007 — and admitted that even though he said they'd go to charity, he still has them to this day.

"When he broke the record against us in New Orleans it took a lot of pride in me, but I asked him for them shoes after the game," Paul says. "'Hey, man, would you sign those shoes for me so I could auction them off in my foundation?'"

Then, right on schedule, Paul delivered the punchline.

"Them shoes still in the crib."