Kobe Bryant isn’t coming back to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite rumors that he’s interested in making a return to the court in some way, Bryant is adamant that the Lakers are someone else’s team these days.
In fact, haters saying he can’t live without basketball have made him even more determined to stay away from the game. That mean Bryant won’t be around to play with LeBron James, the new King in town. James has had an interesting reception in Los Angeles in that some hardcore Kobe fans who are, in turn LeBron haters think their team is better off without him.
Bryant was interviewed by Rich Eisen and, in addition to assuring everyone who would listen that he’s done playing basketball, said that Lakers fans will “fall in line” once the season starts and appreciate LeBron James on the team.
What did @kobebryant think of @KingJames joining the @Lakers? And how many titles does he need to win to be a true Los Angeles great? LISTEN: pic.twitter.com/7m6lyOB6TA
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 24, 2018
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk transcribed the interview and though Bryant said he, too, bleeds purple and gold, folks gotta just take the wins when they come.
“I hear that,” Bryant said when asked on “The Rich Eisen Show” whether he is aware that some of his fans have an issue with James being a part of the Lakers family. “But listen, if you are fan of mine, you are a fan of winning, you are a fan of the Lakers. I bleed purple and gold. So, that is above anything else.
“I have been a Lakers fan since I was yay high. That is never going to change. Right? [It] is about winning championships. So, they’ll fall in line.”
This “true team member” argument franchises like the Lakers and New York Yankees fans have always comes down to one thing: winning. This seems a bit obvious given that people like to win, and the Lakers with LeBron will win a lot more than they have in recent years, even with Bryant. But when a beloved franchise player with a somewhat rabid fan base says LeBron haters need to relax you know the hyperbole around James and Kobe fans has been too much.
These are folks who couldn’t let a fine piece of artwork stand up despite numerous tweaks to the design in order to keep spray paint vandals from destroying it. Everyone needs to chill, is what I’m saying. But more than anything we all could just use some actual basketball to occupy our time instead of arguments online and frantic trips to Home Depot.
