I think the Lakers will be a much better team with Odom as the leader rather than Bryant. But hey, there's no way that's going to happen. Players like Odom, but they fear Bryant since he is the de facto general manager of that team. Odom Takes a Run at Becoming Team Leader By JONATHAN ABRAMS, Times Staff Writer If Lamar Odom has aspirations of becoming a team leader in his second season with the Lakers, he took a step in the right direction toward the end of Saturday's practice. In a session where the team performed conditioning drills after missed free throws, Coach Phil Jackson told the team to leave and return tomorrow after many players failed to finish their runs under the required time. Instead, Odom rallied the team to return and practice free throws, with the exception of Kobe Bryant, who walked off the court after kicking a water bottle. "I've always been vocal with my teammates," Odom said. "We couldn't hit our free throws and then we had to run. We didn't do what was asked of us." The Lakers have either practiced or played an exhibition game in 12 consecutive days, which includes their return flight from training camp in Hawaii. Ending practice after the free-throw drill wasn't a result of frustration, Jackson said. "They worked hard, they just couldn't hit free throws, so they had to run," he added. Jackson said he hadn't talked to Odom about becoming a team leader and insisted the transition had to occur naturally. "That's how it evolves," he said. "It's not something I can program. It needs to be a consensus of the group that he's a team leader."
Odom has never been a leader on the court or off it. But I guess Odom is someone that Bynum and Kwame can look up to as long as he scores them a few dimebags here and there.
It will be very hard to be a leader without the support of the best player. The best player does not have to be a leader but he needs to support the leader or else players will be forced to take sides (not that I wouldn't enjoy a little more turmoil in LA).
I mean is this really a question? It's obvious that Kobe's the leader, and if Odom pushes in on his 'turf', I can already foresee Odom being shipped out a la Shaq.
The main key to their success is Kobe and Odom developing chemistry with each other on and off the court. They will make a playoff run if that happens. If not, it will be a very long season in Lakerland. IMO, Bynum and Kwame have gotten too much media attention when Odom is the real key to their season. If he's too deferential again on the offense end to Kobe, they need to trade him. Their 2nd biggest issue is PG play. Big problem!
HAHA! I don't think either of them will want to take credit for leading this team to a probable sub .500 record and finish behind the LA Clippers. Both of them will have nice individual seasons, but the rest of their teammates are terrible, they need some CD and JVG rip off trades in the worst way.
i would just love to see odom develop into the player that he has always had the potential to be. this guy has languished for too long and i hope phil can turn him into a superstar.
A few years ago, I would have laughed at the idea of Lamar Odom being a leader. He might have grown up, though. I don't know. I wouldn't want to be on a team whose talent leader is Kobe and spirit leader is Odom.
Being a leader is all about charisma and personality, not skill on the field. The ability to motivate your team has nothing to do with how you fill it up or dunk. If that were the case, then every team would have player-coaches. If Odom really wants to step up and be the leader of the Lakers, I applaud that.
Kobe is not a leader and I dont think the other players respect him as a leader. I do think some of the players fear him and the control he has in that organization. J
I dunno, Odom was pretty much the leader of that Miami Heat team that went to game 7 in the EC Semis against the pacers two years ago. Maybe he's doing this on purpose so he can get shipped again.
I'd take a pot head over a rapist anyday. <--- bitter former Laker fan. I've always like Lamar, even during the Clipper days. I thought he settled for the three a bit too often, but other than that, he shows a lot of potential to be a great secondary star on a dynasty team, like Pippen or Worthy. I didn't follow him much during his Miami days, but I thought he carried himself well during the Olympics.
Odom has the talent to be a top 15-20 or so player in this league. It's amazing for a guy of that size to be able to dribble and move on the floor the way he does - he's got to be one of the harder PF's to guard in this league for that reason (although now i guess he's moving to SF) - its just that half of his talent isnt being utilized on the lakers so far. The handful of games i saw last year when he and kobe were both playing, it amazed me how out of the offense odom was at times and how he would stand around and watch Kobe. If they give him a major role in the offense, the lakers should make the playoffs. Of course i'm also saying this cause he's on my fantasy team and i want him to dominate this year...
