On the Court With... Kobe Bryant by Matt Christopher Page A
Authors: Matt Christopher
Tags: Biography
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roughshod
over Los Angeles in the final two matches to advance to the next round.
Soon after the final loss, Kobe Bryant made a public plea to the Lakers’ front office. The team was solid, but changes to
the roster needed to be made if they were to regain their championship status. “Do it and do it now,” he said, adding that
he was “beyond frustration” with the year’s results.
He didn’t know it then, but things were about to get much, much worse.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
2007-2008
MVP?
On Tuesday, May 29, 2007, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a report in their newspaper about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
The article quoted an anonymous source inside the Los Angeles organization as saying that “it was Bryant’s insistence on getting
away from Shaquille O’Neal [in 2004]” that ultimately lead to Shaq being traded.
When Kobe learned of the article, he was infuriated. The reason why was simple: the source was dead wrong. The next day, he
set the record straight by doing an interview with radio personality Stephen A. Smith.
Bryant told listeners of a meeting he’d had with team owner Dr. Jerry Buss midway through the 2004 season. The meeting was
between Buss and Bryant only and included some news that shocked Bryant.
“I am not going to re-sign Shaq,” Buss said. He believed Shaq was too expensive and too old. Then hereassured Bryant that the decision had nothing to do with the supposed feud between the two players. “This is my decision.
It’s independent of you. My mind is made up.”
According to Kobe, Buss also stated that he planned to focus the team’s efforts around Bryant, and that he wasn’t thinking
of rebuilding. That latter statement proved to be false, for in the years afterward, rebuilding is just what the team had
set out do.
Kobe had never told anyone of this meeting mainly because he didn’t want to add to the media’s obsession with the troubles
between himself and Shaq. But when the 2007 article appeared, he felt he had no choice but to come forward with the real story—a
story that Shaq himself said he believed one hundred percent.
Smith must have heard the bitterness in Kobe’s voice in the interview for he took the conversation in a new direction. “What
are your feelings about the Los Angeles Lakers organization right now?” Smith asked.
Kobe answered by saying how much he had always loved the Lakers as a kid growing up and as a player. But now he felt he had
been betrayed.
“I just don’t see how you can rebuild that trust,” hesaid wearily. “I just don’t know how you can move forward in that type of situation.”
“Are you saying… that you want to be traded?” Smith asked.
Kobe didn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yeah, I would like to be traded, yeah.”
That reply sent shock waves through the basketball world. Bryant was barraged with questions from reporters. At times, he
seemed to back away from his statement; other times, he seemed to confirm it. In the end, one message came through loud and
clear: Kobe wanted to remain a Laker, but unless the organization was willing to make some changes, he would go.
Rumors of trade talks circulated wildly in the following weeks. The Los Angeles Clippers and the Chicago Bulls were the teams
most often mentioned. But by mid-summer, the story had begun to fade. Kobe himself said that he had put it out of his mind
in order to focus on his play for Team USA and their drive to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics. With Kobe setting the
pace, the squad reached that goal by winning the qualifying tournament in Las Vegas on September 2.
Then it was on to the Lakers’ preseason—and therumor mill began pumping out speculation about a Bryant trade once again. Dr. Buss added to those rumors by saying in mid-October
that he would listen to any offers for his star player. But as nothing came of such talk, Kobe remained with Los Angeles.
The preseason found Bryant plagued with other
over Los Angeles in the final two matches to advance to the next round.
Soon after the final loss, Kobe Bryant made a public plea to the Lakers’ front office. The team was solid, but changes to
the roster needed to be made if they were to regain their championship status. “Do it and do it now,” he said, adding that
he was “beyond frustration” with the year’s results.
He didn’t know it then, but things were about to get much, much worse.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
2007-2008
MVP?
On Tuesday, May 29, 2007, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a report in their newspaper about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
The article quoted an anonymous source inside the Los Angeles organization as saying that “it was Bryant’s insistence on getting
away from Shaquille O’Neal [in 2004]” that ultimately lead to Shaq being traded.
When Kobe learned of the article, he was infuriated. The reason why was simple: the source was dead wrong. The next day, he
set the record straight by doing an interview with radio personality Stephen A. Smith.
Bryant told listeners of a meeting he’d had with team owner Dr. Jerry Buss midway through the 2004 season. The meeting was
between Buss and Bryant only and included some news that shocked Bryant.
“I am not going to re-sign Shaq,” Buss said. He believed Shaq was too expensive and too old. Then hereassured Bryant that the decision had nothing to do with the supposed feud between the two players. “This is my decision.
It’s independent of you. My mind is made up.”
According to Kobe, Buss also stated that he planned to focus the team’s efforts around Bryant, and that he wasn’t thinking
of rebuilding. That latter statement proved to be false, for in the years afterward, rebuilding is just what the team had
set out do.
Kobe had never told anyone of this meeting mainly because he didn’t want to add to the media’s obsession with the troubles
between himself and Shaq. But when the 2007 article appeared, he felt he had no choice but to come forward with the real story—a
story that Shaq himself said he believed one hundred percent.
Smith must have heard the bitterness in Kobe’s voice in the interview for he took the conversation in a new direction. “What
are your feelings about the Los Angeles Lakers organization right now?” Smith asked.
Kobe answered by saying how much he had always loved the Lakers as a kid growing up and as a player. But now he felt he had
been betrayed.
“I just don’t see how you can rebuild that trust,” hesaid wearily. “I just don’t know how you can move forward in that type of situation.”
“Are you saying… that you want to be traded?” Smith asked.
Kobe didn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yeah, I would like to be traded, yeah.”
That reply sent shock waves through the basketball world. Bryant was barraged with questions from reporters. At times, he
seemed to back away from his statement; other times, he seemed to confirm it. In the end, one message came through loud and
clear: Kobe wanted to remain a Laker, but unless the organization was willing to make some changes, he would go.
Rumors of trade talks circulated wildly in the following weeks. The Los Angeles Clippers and the Chicago Bulls were the teams
most often mentioned. But by mid-summer, the story had begun to fade. Kobe himself said that he had put it out of his mind
in order to focus on his play for Team USA and their drive to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics. With Kobe setting the
pace, the squad reached that goal by winning the qualifying tournament in Las Vegas on September 2.
Then it was on to the Lakers’ preseason—and therumor mill began pumping out speculation about a Bryant trade once again. Dr. Buss added to those rumors by saying in mid-October
that he would listen to any offers for his star player. But as nothing came of such talk, Kobe remained with Los Angeles.
The preseason found Bryant plagued with other
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