Kobe Bryant sucker punched a former teammate in the face -- over $100 -- back in 2002 ... and it almost caused a nuclear war between the players ... this according to the punchee, Samaki Walker.
Walker -- who played on the Lakers from 2001 to 2003 -- appeared on Brown and Scoop on CBS Radio's Play.It and detailed the entire incident... saying Bryant struck him on the team bus in an effort to collect a gambling debt.
Walker says Kobe had won a half-court shot game the team often played -- where everyone throws a $100 in the pot -- and the person who hits the shot collects.