Kobe Bryant says he wants to blend in, have some fun playing basketball and fulfill a lifelong dream of helping the United States win an Olympic gold medal.But when perhaps the best NBA player in the game says he wants to be traded from the only team for which he has played and then waffles on that decision with no clarification, blending in is hardly the course he chooses.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar knows wherever he goes, whatever he does and — because of how he expressed his frustration — whatever he says creates drama.
Because he feels no one will believe what he says about his situation with the Lakers — no matter what that is — Bryant says the best course for all parties is for him to stop talking publicly about the situation.
"It's about going forward and handling the situation the right way and handling it behind closed doors within the walls of the organization and doing it that way," he told USA TODAY here Saturday.
Yet the spotlight rarely avoids Bryant, even with breaking news last weekend about an NBA referee being investigated for allegedly betting on games. Or even as he tries to keep the focus on winning a gold medal as one of 17 players gathered in Las Vegas during the weekend to start training for next month's Olympic qualifying tournament.
The Lakers' story line is hard to resist. The last thing Bryant said, more than a month ago, was he wanted to be traded. The Lakers, despite talking to clubs about Bryant, have insisted they are proceeding as if he will be with them this season.
Bryant, 29 next month, wouldn't say Saturday whether he wants to remain in Los Angeles or be traded but appreciates the dilemma that poses.
"It's natural for people to be frustrated and that's the case," Bryant says. "I'm sure a lot of people and a lot of fans feel the exact same way, but the point now is that it's said and done. It's all out in the open. We know there are issues to be resolved, but now, going forward, let's handle everything the correct way.
"Let's go about this in a manner where it won't be a distraction."
Bryant's frustration with the Lakers' inability to build a contending team around him since Shaquille O'Neal's departure three seasons ago led to his trade demands. He also went public with his lack of confidence in owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak.
He has since apologized to Lakers' management for his outbursts and has had numerous conversations with club officials. The Lakers would not say Sunday what impact the talks with Bryant have had on the situation.
"Our position has been, since the start of this, that our conversations with Kobe would remain private," Lakers' spokesperson John Black said. "That is still our position."
Jordan had 'better teammates later'
Bryant's ability has never been in question. The 6-6 shooting guard led the league in scoring the last two seasons at 35.4 points a game in 2005-06 and 31.6 last season.
But his obsession with winning — and the way he has gone about it — often puts him at odds with teammates and fans.
"From Day 1 he's been misunderstood, so he's going to say things and they are going to have more weight because of his greatness," NBATV analyst and former player Steve Jones says. "You have to compare him to (Larry) Bird, (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson) and Isiah (Thomas), guys like that who are driven to do whatever it takes to win. That's one thing (Lakers' coach) Phil Jackson and Jerry Buss know. 'If we get him out here on the court, he's fighting.'
"He might be the maddest guy out there and he might be mad all year long, but he'll play and they can't replace that. He wants to make his team better, but his hands are tied and he's half the reason that they are."
TNT analyst Doug Collins, who coached Jordan with the Chicago Bulls and played in the league, observed practices this past weekend. He says the similarities between Jordan and Bryant abound but the differences could be at the center of Bryant's frustrations.
"If you look at (their) careers, Michael's had tremendous struggles early and then he had better teammates later in his career when they won championships," Collins says. "With Kobe, he had his best teammates early and now as he is getting older … all he knows is winning. Now he doesn't make the playoffs three years ago and wins one game this year and hasn't won a playoff series.
"You know the level of frustration is going to come out."
Despite all the Lakers talk, Bryant is steadfast in his insistence that USA Basketball is all that is on his mind now. "It's so unfair for me to try to address that situation (with the Lakers) without it being a distraction to what we are trying to accomplish with USA Basketball," he says.
He is back in his element on the court and leaner by about 20 pounds from this past season, down to 200 — the lightest he's been since 1998.
"I think it's time for me to start being more responsible in what I eat," he says. "I never thought that day would come. I'm a pepperoni pizza-eating, bacon-cheeseburger-having (guy), but you also have to come to grips with reality.
"I'm not 21 anymore … and I'm not digesting that stuff as fast as I'd like to. So it's time to be smart about it and watch what I eat." He has added more fish and vegetables to his diet.
Playing for the U.S. team should help his tarnished image, but Bryant says that is not his motivation for being on the team. Nonetheless, it is the escape and distraction Bryant might have needed.
"I've never had the opportunity to put on a USA uniform, and to say I'm excited about it would be a huge understatement. It feels like I'm a kid all over again," Bryant says. "And … my family and I have tried to do a lot of things for our troops and we kind of feel that this is our small way to represent our country, defend our country, by playing basketball.
"That's why I'm taking it so seriously. In practice I've had kind of a scowl on my face like it's the NBA Finals because it's that important to me. We want to try to represent our country the right way."
Injuries and his legal trouble in Colorado in 2003-04 prevented Bryant from playing on the last three U.S. senior teams involved in international competitions — the 2003 Tournament of the Americas, the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Championships. That was to the great disappointment of former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, who sought Bryant as his first player when USA Basketball gave him control of the men's senior team three years ago.
Not winning the gold medal at the World Championships means the USA still must qualify for the Olympics.
"What is going on with Kobe and the Lakers isn't even a conversation piece with us and shouldn't be," Colangelo says. "This is all about USA Basketball. That's where he's focused and hopefully that's the way it'll play out."
In recognition of Bryant's absence on past teams, Colangelo says the team has had "a little fun" with Bryant here.
"We sent somebody over to make sure he was here," Colangelo says. "It's great to have him here. He's as excited as a rookie. There's a toughness and an edge to Kobe when he's on the court, and that's something we didn't have last year."
Bryant says he has watched every game of the last Olympics and the last two World Championships in which gold has eluded the USA.
"Seeing the level of joy that various countries had in beating us and giving us a hard time was very hard to swallow," he says.
"That adds to the motivation. We're the United States. We are going to come in and do what we do best. It's time to regain that edge.
"It isn't going to be easy, but it's time."
Kobe, LeBron join forces
He seems to have accomplished his goal of putting the Lakers' situation behind him and trying to be one of the guys on the international basketball stage — at least with his teammates over the weekend.
"Anybody would love to play with Kobe," says the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, the USA's leading scorer at the 2006 World Championships. "We love it, the way he is meshing with the other guys here. You never have to worry about what Kobe is going to bring to the table."
Much anticipation on the U.S. team centers around Bryant playing alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James. Bryant scored 26 points Sunday in the team's Blue-White game, including the winning shot of a 105-104 victory. James finished with 18 points, but missed a shot as time expired with Bryant guarding him.
Both are looking ahead to when they are on same team when it counts.
"He adds another leader to our team, and he's going to help a lot," James says. "It's not about me competing with him. It's about us coming together to try to win a gold medal."
U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke also is thrilled to finally get a chance to coach Bryant. He recruited him, unsuccessfully, out of high school and Krzyzewski once considered becoming coach of the Lakers.
"In Kobe we have a great player who wants to represent his country as much as anybody and he's never had a chance," Krzyzewski says. "He's like a little kid in his enthusiasm to play. Kobe's presence here makes us more complete."
Bryant has been visibly at ease with the team. It has been difficult for him to contain his enthusiasm at being able to just play basketball.
"I have really detached myself from the (Lakers') situation," he says. "I've gone into a USA Basketball mode completely. This is what I do. It is just so much fun to do, I want to do it all the time."
Bryant, 29 next month, wouldn't say Saturday whether he wants to remain in Los Angeles or be traded but appreciates the dilemma that poses.
"It's natural for people to be frustrated and that's the case," Bryant says. "I'm sure a lot of people and a lot of fans feel the exact same way, but the point now is that it's said and done. It's all out in the open. We know there are issues to be resolved, but now, going forward, let's handle everything the correct way.
"Let's go about this in a manner where it won't be a distraction."
Bryant's frustration with the Lakers' inability to build a contending team around him since Shaquille O'Neal's departure three seasons ago led to his trade demands. He also went public with his lack of confidence in owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak.
He has since apologized to Lakers' management for his outbursts and has had numerous conversations with club officials. The Lakers would not say Sunday what impact the talks with Bryant have had on the situation.
"Our position has been, since the start of this, that our conversations with Kobe would remain private," Lakers' spokesperson John Black said. "That is still our position."
Jordan had 'better teammates later'
Bryant's ability has never been in question. The 6-6 shooting guard led the league in scoring the last two seasons at 35.4 points a game in 2005-06 and 31.6 last season.
But his obsession with winning — and the way he has gone about it — often puts him at odds with teammates and fans.
"From Day 1 he's been misunderstood, so he's going to say things and they are going to have more weight because of his greatness," NBATV analyst and former player Steve Jones says. "You have to compare him to (Larry) Bird, (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson) and Isiah (Thomas), guys like that who are driven to do whatever it takes to win. That's one thing (Lakers' coach) Phil Jackson and Jerry Buss know. 'If we get him out here on the court, he's fighting.'
"He might be the maddest guy out there and he might be mad all year long, but he'll play and they can't replace that. He wants to make his team better, but his hands are tied and he's half the reason that they are."
TNT analyst Doug Collins, who coached Jordan with the Chicago Bulls and played in the league, observed practices this past weekend. He says the similarities between Jordan and Bryant abound but the differences could be at the center of Bryant's frustrations.
"If you look at (their) careers, Michael's had tremendous struggles early and then he had better teammates later in his career when they won championships," Collins says. "With Kobe, he had his best teammates early and now as he is getting older … all he knows is winning. Now he doesn't make the playoffs three years ago and wins one game this year and hasn't won a playoff series.
"You know the level of frustration is going to come out."
Despite all the Lakers talk, Bryant is steadfast in his insistence that USA Basketball is all that is on his mind now. "It's so unfair for me to try to address that situation (with the Lakers) without it being a distraction to what we are trying to accomplish with USA Basketball," he says.
He is back in his element on the court and leaner by about 20 pounds from this past season, down to 200 — the lightest he's been since 1998.
"I think it's time for me to start being more responsible in what I eat," he says. "I never thought that day would come. I'm a pepperoni pizza-eating, bacon-cheeseburger-having (guy), but you also have to come to grips with reality.
"I'm not 21 anymore … and I'm not digesting that stuff as fast as I'd like to. So it's time to be smart about it and watch what I eat." He has added more fish and vegetables to his diet.
Playing for the U.S. team should help his tarnished image, but Bryant says that is not his motivation for being on the team. Nonetheless, it is the escape and distraction Bryant might have needed.
"I've never had the opportunity to put on a USA uniform, and to say I'm excited about it would be a huge understatement. It feels like I'm a kid all over again," Bryant says. "And … my family and I have tried to do a lot of things for our troops and we kind of feel that this is our small way to represent our country, defend our country, by playing basketball.
"That's why I'm taking it so seriously. In practice I've had kind of a scowl on my face like it's the NBA Finals because it's that important to me. We want to try to represent our country the right way."
Injuries and his legal trouble in Colorado in 2003-04 prevented Bryant from playing on the last three U.S. senior teams involved in international competitions — the 2003 Tournament of the Americas, the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Championships. That was to the great disappointment of former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, who sought Bryant as his first player when USA Basketball gave him control of the men's senior team three years ago.
Not winning the gold medal at the World Championships means the USA still must qualify for the Olympics.
"What is going on with Kobe and the Lakers isn't even a conversation piece with us and shouldn't be," Colangelo says. "This is all about USA Basketball. That's where he's focused and hopefully that's the way it'll play out."
In recognition of Bryant's absence on past teams, Colangelo says the team has had "a little fun" with Bryant here.
"We sent somebody over to make sure he was here," Colangelo says. "It's great to have him here. He's as excited as a rookie. There's a toughness and an edge to Kobe when he's on the court, and that's something we didn't have last year."
Bryant says he has watched every game of the last Olympics and the last two World Championships in which gold has eluded the USA.
"Seeing the level of joy that various countries had in beating us and giving us a hard time was very hard to swallow," he says.
"That adds to the motivation. We're the United States. We are going to come in and do what we do best. It's time to regain that edge.
"It isn't going to be easy, but it's time."
Kobe, LeBron join forces
He seems to have accomplished his goal of putting the Lakers' situation behind him and trying to be one of the guys on the international basketball stage — at least with his teammates over the weekend.
"Anybody would love to play with Kobe," says the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, the USA's leading scorer at the 2006 World Championships. "We love it, the way he is meshing with the other guys here. You never have to worry about what Kobe is going to bring to the table."
Much anticipation on the U.S. team centers around Bryant playing alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James. Bryant scored 26 points Sunday in the team's Blue-White game, including the winning shot of a 105-104 victory. James finished with 18 points, but missed a shot as time expired with Bryant guarding him.
Both are looking ahead to when they are on same team when it counts.
"He adds another leader to our team, and he's going to help a lot," James says. "It's not about me competing with him. It's about us coming together to try to win a gold medal."
U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke also is thrilled to finally get a chance to coach Bryant. He recruited him, unsuccessfully, out of high school and Krzyzewski once considered becoming coach of the Lakers.
"In Kobe we have a great player who wants to represent his country as much as anybody and he's never had a chance," Krzyzewski says. "He's like a little kid in his enthusiasm to play. Kobe's presence here makes us more complete."
Bryant has been visibly at ease with the team. It has been difficult for him to contain his enthusiasm at being able to just play basketball.
"I have really detached myself from the (Lakers') situation," he says. "I've gone into a USA Basketball mode completely. This is what I do. It is just so much fun to do, I want to do it all the time."
By David Dupree
USAToday.com
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