Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest NBA players to ever live, but he also has a reputation for being a tough teammate. Kobe holds everyone he plays with accountable, sometimes to a fault. Has that attitude resulted in the Lakers missing out on a number of superstars that could have helped them win over the past few years?
In a lengthy feature written for ESPN the Magazine, Henry Abbott wonders if Bryant is responsible for the collapse of the Lakers. Abbott spoke to a number of league executives and player agents who insist the presence of Bryant has hurt the Lakers attempt to attract top free agents. That was supposedly the case with Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and plenty of others.
“I’ve had a lot of clients in the last five years, good players, who didn’t want to play with Kobe,” an agent who represents numerous NBA stars told Abbott. “They see that his teammates become the chronic public whipping boys. Anyone who could possibly challenge Kobe for the spotlight ends up becoming a pincushion for the media. Even Shaq.”
Let’s start with Howard, who has already admitted that Kobe is very tough to play with. Here’s how the Lakers most important meeting with Howard — during which they were attempting to convince him to stay in LA — reportedly went down:
As the Lakers’ contingent settled into the conference room’s ergonomic chairs, it was clear that two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash, in a nice crisp shirt, listening attentively, was running Kupchak’s game plan. But Bryant showed up, according to a person in the room, in “hoops shorts, a T-shirt and a gold chain.” He had also packed an attitude.
When Howard asked why his teammates let the injured center take all the flak when the Lakers’ season went south, Nash said he didn’t know that Howard had felt that way and that had he known, he would have acted differently. Bryant, on the other hand, offered a crash course in developing thick skin and a mini lecture on learning how to win. Sources told ESPN Insider Chris Broussard that Bryant’s lecture was “a complete turnoff” for Howard.
Howard is said to have wanted Kobe “released or muzzled,” so it comes as no surprise that Bryant didn’t beg him to stay and Howard ultimately decided to leave. And remember when it was rumored that Kobe was leaving his vacation in Europe to fly back to the States to help recruit Anthony this past offseason? Apparently he never made it.
After James, Carmelo Anthony was high on the Lakers’ list. And the particular way that recruitment was botched — Bryant made news by flying home from Europe, but somehow wires got crossed and he missed the meeting anyway — reminded Lakers insiders of the manner in which he nearly alienated Steve Nash in 2012. In the days before LA acquired Nash, sources say, the point guard wanted to hear from Bryant that the Lakers’ star was amenable to having Nash control the ball much of the time — a key tenet of the D’Antoni offense from the Suns days. When Lakers brass asked Bryant to call Nash, Bryant failed to do so, saying he preferred that Nash call him. The pettiness took days to resolve and nearly scuttled the deal.
Abbott also reports that the Lakers were once aggressively pursuing Paul George, but the Indiana Pacers star was turned off by the prospect of Bryant always having to “police his efforts.” One front office executive went as far as to say that Kobe got so much money with his latest contract extension because general manager Mitch Kupchak knew he wouldn’t need cap space for another max deal.
“I’m sure Mitch already investigated and found out he didn’t need two max slots because the destination isn’t all that attractive until Kobe has completely left the premises,” the exec said.
No NBA superstar can win a championship by himself, but there was once a time where Kobe could come pretty close. Bryant was so good during the prime of his career that it didn’t matter if he was chasing off talent. Now that he is 36 and recovering from two major injuries, those days have passed. And now, his attitude may be poking more holes in a sinking ship.
