Bryant is the Star of Stars

LAS VEGAS -- Winter, summer, in a Lakers uniform or that of the U.S. team, it's still all Kobe, all the time. . . .

He's not just a Lakers obsession, now he belongs to the world, or at least international basketball, and just in time with the U.S. expected to mop up the competition in FIBA's Tournament of the Americas that begins today -- We're back! -- if only because there isn't any.

Argentina, which won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, won't have Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni or Fabricio Oberto. Brazil, which upended the U.S. in the 2002 World Games, won't have Anderson Varejao.

Even with the U.S. team's new humility that comes from winning their last gold medal in 2000, followed by embarrassments in one Olympics and two World Games, the Americans are expected to be OK here, needing only to finish in the top two to qualify for next summer's Olympics in Beijing.

On the floor, this unofficially became another of Bryant's teams in its televised intrasquad game when he shut down LeBron James at the end and hit the game-winning shot.

Off the floor, there was never a question with Kobe making his first public appearance after last spring's media blitz in which he demanded that the Lakers trade him.

Well, most days, anyway.

Understanding the sensibilities of USA Basketball and Nike, which sponsors the U.S. team as well as Bryant, Kobe has been low-key, trying to defuse the issue. . . while pointedly refusing to take anything back or rule out a holdout.

Just to cut to the chase, here's how he feels.

He still wants out.

He finally figured out the Lakers wouldn't move him, no matter what he said, and settled down . . . only to watch in anguish as his beloved Kevin Garnett went to Boston. If the Celtics could land KG with nobody, why couldn't the Lakers?

More reports of Bryant's dismay went out through the usual channels but Kobe, himself, seems to be settling down again. It's still fuzzy enough to lead to priceless moments, like last week's exchange with ESPN'S Rachel Nichols.

Nichols: "You said one day you wanted to be traded, you said you wanted to be a Laker for life. There were different phone calls back and forth.

"Bryant: "I think a lot of people misinterpreted it. But that's water under the bridge to me because going forward we're handling our situation between ourselves, meaning the Lakers organization and myself."

Maybe all those times Kobe contradicted himself led to the misinterpretation, but being as good as he is means never having to say you're sorry.

If the question is, will he play for the Lakers this season, the answer is almost surely yes.

The real question is whether he'll make this issue go away, before or after training camp, so the Lakers can play this season without a sword dangling above them.

If the day is coming when Bryant and the Lakers do part, his impact on the U.S. team is an excruciating reminder for Lakers fans of how many positive attributes he still brings along with his unrivaled game, the work ethic, the competitiveness, the elbows teammates have to watch out for in drills.

In this ensemble of stars, where great care is taken not to build up anyone at the expense of anyone else, Bryant is indisputably the star of stars.Phoenix Coach Mike D'Antoni, who marveled at his ferocity as Kobe won the All-Star MVP here in February, is marveling at him again as an assistant coach on this team.

"He loves playing and he loves to compete and it just carries over," said D'Antoni. "I think all the guys are doing it this summer. It's been a joy.

"No matter who we're playing, what we're doing, he's competing. He works out like a fiend. I mean, he works out in the morning, at night. It's pretty impressive."

Said Detroit guard Chauncey Billups: "I've always said from the beginning that I felt like Kobe was the best player in the league. We're around a very elite group right now and you can still see his greatness."

The same can be said for a few more players but Kobe's the cream of the crop out there.

"The U.S. team may not be tested here, nor are the Lakers likely to get their questions answered. In both cases, that time is coming, but it's not now.

by Mark Heisler

LATIMES.COM