Great read. Kobe Bryant is a brilliant basketball player, and he has the skills to be the best ever. That's indisputable. What he is not, as we all know, is a good leader. He expects people to follow him. When he learns that respect is earned not given, he'll reel off 4-5 championships. His basketball skills are that good. Even if he doesn't learn that, he could still win another ring or two. But it's up to him whether those "extra" championships are worth sacrificing ego, i.e. points and fame.
not suprising at all, all of Jacksons books are great, suspect all those people who say he can't coach should give his books a go
The funny thing is, Lakers fans are convinced that the media, Phil Jackson, Shaq, and everyone else is wrong and Kobe is totally right. I'm sorry there are to many things going on for people say that everyone is out to get poor old Kobe Bryant!
Can you imagine him shoving an article in Shaq, Karla, or Payton's face and not getting thrown to the floor?
The biggest take away from that excerpt is that despite appearances to the contrary, Kobe is the biggest baby, the biggest brat, and the biggest child in the NBA. People talk about how most high school players could benefit by going to college because they get the opportunity to mature, grow up, and make mistakes without severe consequences. Ironically, Kobe is the poster child for that. Duke might have just been what the doctor ordered. As important as blue chip recruits are, Duke is as big as it gets, and nobody is bigger than Coach K. I wonder how Rudy T will deal with this megalomaniac.
Will we see a LA Magic this year that Kobe being a scoring champion of NBA? How good is next years draft?
You left New York off your east coast list. They are one of the few teams that could afford to pay Jackson's price - and the Knicks may be looking for a coach to take them to the promised land soon.
Have you guys seen Stephen A Smith's breakdown of the situation with this book? I don't think I could accurately explain it until I see it again, but he just basically asks rhetorical questions, completely avoiding the accusations Phil has made. He's basically trying to avoid saying something negative about Kobe. "Why did Phil have problems with Kobe?" "Why did Shaq have problems with Kobe?" "Why did Kobe have problems with everybody?" "Only Kobe can answer that." It was pathetic. I really wish I could transcribe the whole thing, but you guys get the idea.
Nice analysis Steven A. I bet one of those wannabe sports jockeys on "Dream Job" could have done a better analysis. Steven A., you've been cut.
Ok, I saw it again. I don't have the order quite down, but here are the quotes. "He said it was a psychological warfare, which means Phil Jackson was having problems with Kobe." "Jackson also had problems with Shaq. Shaq had problems with Kobe." "Should Jackson have aired their dirty laundry? I don't think Phil should have lambasted Kobe..." "What does that mean to to you (the audience and basketball fans I guess)? I don't know." "What that means to everybody else (the NBA, maybe...), remains to be seen." "The question is, why did everybody have problems with Kobe Bryant? Only Bryant can answer that."
What's the point of writing a book like this?? To make money, I'm sure. So as the team's appointed leader..it's coach...you go out with a loss and then write a tell-all trashing the character of the players who played for you. I'm not a Kobe fan. I don't like Kobe much at all. But this makes me like Phil, even less. There is simply no reason to do this. What goes on in the lockerroom, should stay there. If a reporter hears a conversation and reports it, that's one thing...but when your coach sells you down the river to make money off a book, that's just wrong.
Not trying to defend Kobe, but all these years, only 2 people bashed Kobe and bashed him all year long. Phil and Shaq. If Phil doesn't feel right about airing ill opinion of teammates, why did he bash Kobe all the time in press? why did everybody have problems with Kobe Bryant? Sorry, I only saw 3, plus the gal in Colorado. If Karl can become a buddy of KB, many can, too.
All I want to say is this: Phil, Kobe and Shaq, three of the biggest egos in the NBA, they deserve each other.
Agreed. I never like people bashing their former teammates, coaches, players, etc., no matter how true their claims are.
i agree, but if two of the three biggest egos have come out against the other than i would have to take what they have said over what the one big ego said. shaq and phil got along, kobe and phil didnt and shaq and kobe didnt. the problem was obviously with kobe. the laker organization obviously doesnt care about winning a championship. look at them - without shaq they are never mentioned as contendors. look at miami - with shaq many now consider them instant contendors. blame can be assessed all around, but i think that kobe is most responsible for destroying that team. but this is pretty weak of jackson to publish stuff like this. its obviously for money and to try and re-write laker history to make himself look like a saint in this whole mess.
