Kobe article- On Jordan, Melo, Kwame & Smush

ferrari77 · Oct 8, 2011

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-satur...tes&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

When asked if he wants to be remembered as the greatest player of all-time, Bryant said it’s impossible for a player to hold that title.

“It’s not important to me,” Bryant said. “It’s impossible. Even with [Michael] Jordan, some people say he’s not the best ever. Some say it’s Magic [Johnson] or Bill Russell. That’s not a goal worth shooting for. I just want to win as many as I can.”

As a follow up, he was asked specifically about surpassing Jordan’s achievements. Bryant said that he can’t compare to Jordan because of how much he’s learned from the legend over the years.

“Of course, I want to win as many as I can so, by that alone, I’m chasing him,” Bryant said. “As long as I’m playing, I want to continue to win more. But it’s never been a direct competition between him and me though because he’s helped me a lot. He hates when I say it, but I’ll say it anyway: I call him and he calls me right back every time. We talk about things, that’s the kind of relationship we have. I’ve learned so much from him so we can’t have a debate about who is better. You know what I mean? He’s directly influenced me.”

While the Lakers have plenty of options in the post now, that wasn’t always the case. Before Gasol was donning purple and gold, Bryant had to play through one of the most frustrating years of his career in 2005. He averaged a career-high 35.4 points, but he didn’t have much help around him.

“I got to say, it was tough doing it that year. I was playing with guys – God bless them – but Kwame Brown, Smush Parker. By the way, what I say here, I say directly to them. I don’t talk behind people’s backs. The things that I say to you, I’m comfortable saying this to them and I’ve said this to them. But, like, the game before we traded for Pau, we’re playing Detroit and I had like 40 points towards the end of the game. This is back when Detroit had Rasheed [Wallace], Chauncey [Billups] and those guys so we had no business being in the game. Down the stretch of the game, they put in a box-and-one so I’m surrounded by these players, Detroit players, and Kwame is under the basket all by himself. Literally, like all by himself. So I pass him the ball, he bobbled it and it goes out of bounds,” Bryant said, rolling his eyes and slamming his hat on the table.

“We go back to the timeout and I’m pissed, right?” Bryant continued. “He goes, ‘Hey, I was wide open.’ ‘Yeah, I know.’ This is how I’m talking to him during the game. I said, ‘You’re going to be open again, Kwame, because Rasheed is just totally ignoring you.’ He said, ‘Well, if I’m open don’t throw it to me.’ I was like, ‘Huh?’ He said, ‘Don’t throw it to me.’ I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘Well, I’m nervous. If I catch it and he fouls me, I won’t make the free throws.’ I said, ‘Hell no!’ I go to Phil [Jackson], I say, ‘Hey Phil, take him out of the game.’ He’s like, ‘Nah, let him figure it out.’ So, we lose the game, I go the locker room, I’m steaming. Steaming. I’m furious. Then, finally I get a call, they said, ‘You know what, we got something that’s happening with Pau.’ I was like, ‘Alright. Cool.’ The first game with Pau, we ran the pick-and-roll and I slipped him the ball. He catches it! I was like, ‘Yes!’ Then, he makes the shot! So, as I’m running back to the timeout, I’m screaming. I’m jumping on Pau’s back. It was like, ‘Oh, I have someone that can play.’ That’s what I had to deal with the whole year. And Smush, I’m not even going to get into that.”
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I had no problem with what he said but I'm sure the hating will commence pretty quickly.

RudyTBag · Oct 8, 2011

Woah that's pretty awesome. I would love to hear more about Smush, lol.

That is CRAZY that Kwame Brown really said that. Confidence is key, I feel for Kwame...

Shaud · Oct 8, 2011

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZoHAjaMYkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

_RTM_ · Oct 8, 2011

Darko Milicic is surely the cancer, but Kwame Brown is a human garbage

RV6 · Oct 8, 2011

Can't hate on that. You gotta believe that's how it went down for Kobe to put it out there, with details. I wonder if kobe asked Mj, during one of those call, why the hell did he draft Kwame?

apollo33 · Oct 8, 2011

LOL that totally happens with Kwame. The guy seriously can't catch a damn pass and misses dunks and layups all the time, i feel for whoever plays with him

clos4life · Oct 8, 2011

Can't hate on truth being spoken, simple as that.

spysta · Oct 8, 2011

Such an awesome story, i remember that game too, kwame never had confidence in his game, i doubt he even likes basketball, he probably likes to paint.

deekay209 · Oct 8, 2011

RV6 said: ↑

Can't hate on that. You gotta believe that's how it went down for Kobe to put it out there, with details. I wonder if kobe asked Mj, during one of those call, why the hell did he draft Kwame?
Click to expand...

They probably have many Kwame stories to tell each other.

lionaire · Oct 8, 2011

I can't wait till Kobe writes a book.

blackistan · Oct 8, 2011

wow he went in on kwame haha

Shaud · Oct 8, 2011

Smush Parker was talking trash about Kobe a couple years ago so I wish Kobe would have talked about him more.

Jontro · Oct 8, 2011

I want to hear about Luke Walton, too.

What did Smush say about Kobe? Aside selfish ball hog?

Zboy · Oct 8, 2011

Smush parker was a terrible, simply a terrible player.

The only thing his parents did right with him was name him appropriately.

napalm06 · Oct 8, 2011

This dude is clearly a total human-hating douchebag, like Tracy McGrady, the devil himself.

conquistador#11 · Oct 8, 2011

Though I hate kobe for his kobe antics and the refs that bend over for him, but you have to admire his competitive fire. To still be pissed about that detroit game in the regular season lol..

Dreamin · Oct 8, 2011

The fact that Kwame Brown is still getting playing time in the NBA seriously exposes the lack of depth for Quality Centers throughout the NBA. A lot of teams are playing PFs in that position, but they are still mostly 6'10-6'11 (sorry Chuck). There is a serious drought.

Top Tier - SUPERSTAR - Hall of fame Worthy - Sheer dominance on both ends.

Howard
YAO - gone too early
Oden - to be gone too early

2nd Tier - Can play solid on both ends

Bogut (injury prone)
NeNe (injury prone, prefer to play PF)

3rd Tier - Great presence under the rim and a bit of touch on the offensive end too. More than just Role Players. Solid double double careers.

Chandler
M.Gasol
Noah
Gortat

Bynum (injury prone)

4th Tier - Yong guns with potential of 2nd or 3rd tear BUT none with Top Tier potential.

Cousins
Hibbert
Jordan
McGee
Monroe
B.Lopez

5th tier - One dimensional - just Role Players

Dalembert
Perkins
Haywood

__________________________________________________________

The rest are too young or too old or Kwame Brown material. Theres clearly not enough quality Centers going around the NBA even for one in each team. I count approx 15 quality Centers going around the NBA. Obviously there are more STARs in the NBA. There's approx 25 stars- faces who the NBA is built on (excluding Centers): -

Kobe, Durant, Lebron, Wade, Melo, CP3, D-Will, Rose, Griffin, Nowitzki,

P.Gasol, J.Johnson, Ginobili, Parker, Aldridge, Stat, Bosh,

Gay, Westbrook, Rondo, Horford, Granger, Wall, J-Smoove,

I conclude it is easier to acquire an average STAR then it is to acquire an average quality Center. Simply because there is more of the former than there is the latter. Also because it is much easier to draft a hot shot PG, Wing or high flying PF than it is to draft a big guy who can hold his own under the rim.

SPF35 · Oct 8, 2011

where the heck do you get Oden as hall of fame worthy? Because ESPN has featured him so much? Yea his size and defense means he had loads of potential, but in high school, college he was never much of an offensive force. Brook Lopez is far more offensively talented than Oden has even shown potential to be

Shroopy2 · Oct 8, 2011

He doesnt say anything here. Just the "problems start and end with #24"

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7adyWRtWoFM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

t_mac1 · Oct 8, 2011

Glad star players calling out scrubs. They have no business in the NBA if they know they are scrubs. Jesus.

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Kobe article- On Jordan, Melo, Kwame & Smush

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Kobe article- On Jordan, Melo, Kwame & Smush

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