I love Kobe Bryant. Judging by the response we get to Bryant-related posts here on the site, many, many readers do not share my enthusiasm for Kobe or his approach to the game. Whatever, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Most people will probably think that the stuff Kobe has been saying to reporters so far in camp about his current and former teammates makes him sound like a jerk. To me, for the most part, it sounds like he’s pushing his honest opinion through the filter of the Kobe “character” he likes to play. He’s already said stuff like Dwight Howard needs to be more like him, a self-proclaimed “a##hole.” And yesterday he said some amazing things about some of his former teammates.
From the OC Register:
Looking around the locker room now, Kobe Bryant can laugh about the days when his teammates included Smush Paker, Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown. Despite the number of seasons and NBA championships that have gone by, Bryant still bristles when he thinks of the 2005-06 season.
“I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team,” Bryant said before Wednesday’s 93-75 exhibition loss to Portland. “I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown.”
Bryant was referring to 2005-06 when the Lakers’ roster included Brian Cook, Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Parker, Mihm and Brown.
Bryant continued, taking aim at his favorite whipping boy, Parker, calling him “the worst. He shouldn’t have been in the NBA but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. So we let him walk on.”
As long as he keeps reminding people who’s the boss in the locker room, he can pretty much say whatever he wants.
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