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Tag: Kobe Bryant

  • Michael Jordan Gives Kobe Bryant 30 Pairs of Air Jordans as Retirement Gift

    Michael Jordan gave Kobe Bryant a very impressive retirement gift on Saturday. He gifted him a full set of all sneakers released thus far in the Air Jordan line. That’s 30 pairs of sneakers.

    Jordan Brand President Larry Miller says the gift was presented “to honor one of the game’s great players and the legacy that he created.”

    Michael Jordan presented the gift at the Jordan Brand All-Star party.

    In addition to the lavish set of Air Jordans Michael Jordan gave Kobe Bryant, he donated another set to be auctioned off on eBay, with the proceeds benefitting a charity.

    The first bid on the donated set was $100,000. The proceeds will go to the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. Its aim is to benefit children and their families in a variety of ways.

    Do you remember when Michael Jordan first introduced Air Jordans back in 1984? That was the year Nike signed Michael Jordan to a five-year endorsement contract, after he was chosen in the draft to play for the Chicago Bulls.

    What do you suppose Kobe Bryant thinks of his gift from Michael Jordan? He was called the “Michael Jordan of our era” in a recent sports report.

  • Lamar Odom: Test Will Determine What Drugs Were in His System at Time of Accidental Overdose, Khloe Kardashian Still by His Side

    Lamar Odom continues to improve in a Las Vegas hospital since regaining consciousness on Friday. The former Lakers player is now “speaking sentences” and texting from his hospital bed.

    Khloe Kardashian is still with Odom, as she has been since learning of the accidental overdose that rendered him unconscious on Tuesday. Khloe and Lamar’s divorce isn’t yet final, which means Khloe Kardashian was making health decisions for Lamar Odom while he was in a coma.

    Khloe Kardashian’s sister, Kim Kardashian West, posted to Instagram thanking God for the improvement in Lamar Odom.

    “I have faith in you. I believe in the power of prayer and positive energy! Thank you all for your prayers! Lammy- I’m so happy Kendall & I could make you smile today! God is good!” she captioned a photo of herself with Lamar Odom.

    Lamar Odom had several visitors from the basketball world while he was unconscious. Former Clippers teammates Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul arrived in Las Vegas late Wednesday night after the Clippers landed at LAX from a trip to China, where they played two exhibition games.

    “He probably has no idea we were there, but just to be there and to see him–hopefully he knows there’s a lot of guys that love him and want to see him do better and want to see him get better,” Griffin said before Saturday practice.

    Kobe Bryant and Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak visited Lamar Odom on Tuesday night. The Lakers were playing the Sacramento Kings in an exhibition game in Las Vegas.

    Doctors may soon know what drugs were in Lamar Odom’s system when he was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel on Tuesday. Sources are calling his medical situation the result of an “accidental overdose.” He was known to have taken herbal Viagra while at the brothel.

    It’s clear from all the love that has surrounded Lamar Odom in recent days that he has lots of people in his corner. Hopefully when officials determine what he took for drugs, he will be offered help to fight what may very well be multiple addictions.

    Addiction doesn’t discriminate. Lamar Odom is proof. Perhaps the support he has received throughout this hospitalization will encourage him to fight his demons and put the pieces of his life back together again.

  • Kobe Bryant Surpasses Michael Jordan; Jordan Issues Statement

    Kobe Bryant is in his 19th season of basketball, and while he’s earned his own accolades over the years, he’s been compared to a particular veteran player several times during his career: Michael Jordan. Now, he’s surpassed the legendary athlete in points, and Jordan himself has issued a statement regarding the milestone.

    “I congratulate Kobe on reaching this milestone. He’s obviously a great player, with a strong work ethic and has an equally strong passion for the game of basketball. I’ve enjoyed watching his game evolve over the years, and I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next,” Jordan said.

    As for Bryant, he says he’s just happy to still be going in the world of basketball after all these years and admits he’s learned a lot from the talented men he’s played with, not the least of which is Jordan.

    “He knows how much I’ve learned from him. From the other legends, but him in particular,” Bryant said.

    Bryant led the Lakers to victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night after entering the game just nine points shy of Jordan’s record. After scoring 26 points on his own, he surpassed the legend and earned himself a party and a cake on the team plane.

    “I’m just honored to be here, man, to still be playing. I appreciate being able to play this long. Careers normally don’t last this long. I really appreciate the opportunity to still be out there playing and performing and doing what I do,” Bryant said.

  • Michael Jordan’s ‘Aggression’ Was the Key to His Success, Says Kobe Bryant

    Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have been compared to each other for a very long time. After holding the third all-time scoring record for many years, Jordan’s incredible accomplishment will likely be surpassed by Bryant sometime in the next few weeks.

    In a recent interview with The Bleacher Report, Bryant was asked to define Jordan’s key attribute.

    “Aggression. It’s not one game or one play, in particular; it’s just his aggressiveness. It takes a lot of work, a lot of conditioning, skill and thought to be that aggressive and that assertive. He was relentless, man. He just kept coming after you.

    “He just kept attacking, attacking, attacking—and attacking in different ways, from different spots on the floor, with different forms of footwork. Posting, perimeter, versatility…”

    It’s no secret that Bryant did take some of his moves from Jordan. In fact, there’s a YouTube compilation of Kobe mimicking Jordan’s mannerisms on the court.


    Being aggressive on the court means taking risks. And both players took risks by taking shot after shot. Earlier this year, Bryant broke the record for most missed field goals. In 1997, Jordan made a famous “failure” Nike ad that highlighted this aspect of his — and Bryant’s — game.

    “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over, and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

    Bryant has nothing but admiration for his idol and said their friendship runs deep.

    “We hit it off very well. He was really like a big brother, and whether it’s because we see things in a similar way in terms of our competitive spirit or fire or whatever the case may be, there’s an understanding that we have—a connection that we have.”

    “I don’t know if he opened up with me more than he did with other players, I’m not sure. I don’t know if other players had the balls even to ask. But we have a really, really good relationship,” said Bryant.

  • Trayvon Martin Slur Leads To Woman’s Arrest

    Trayvon Martin, the 17-year old Florida boy who was shot and killed by a self-appointed neighborhood watch member for looking suspicious, has become a name associated with injustice and racism. Almost a year to the day that the shooter, George Zimmerman, was acquitted of the killing, an Arkansas woman was arrested for threatening two young boys in the name of the victim.

    Yelena Goforth-Buyalova allegedly brought the boys to tears after she told them they deserved “to be treated like Trayvon Martin” after they reportedly threw trash on the stairs in front of her apartment. She later called the police and told the dispatcher the boys “did not deserve to live in the apartments and they should be in prison because they were black.”

    Goforth-Buyalova says that the responding officers made up the comments in their report. She was arrested for disorderly conduct and harassment.

    On Saturday, the Martin family held a rally in honor of Trayvon on the anniversary of Zimmerman’s verdict. Their Trayvon Martin Foundation aims to create awareness about violent crimes and to support the families who are left to grieve, and Martin’s parents spoke at the rally along with several celebrities, including Kobe Bryant.

    “Our responsibility is more than putting a ball in a basket, but giving them the platform to voice these inspirations,” Bryant said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mitch Kupchak Contract Extended as Lakers GM

    Mitch Kupchak, general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, has agreed to a multi-year contract extension, which was revealed during a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets Tuesday night. Kupchak had one year remaining on his previous contract with the Lakers, and the details of his amended contract haven’t been released.

    Since taking over for Jerry West in 2000, Kupchak has helped to guide the Lakers to win four NBA titles. Yet, the franchise, worth roughly $1 billion, has seen its worst year since relocating to Los Angeles in 1960, and the Tuesday night loss marks the 53rd of the 2013-2014 season, matching the 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers for most losses in franchise history.

    The Lakers have been struggling partly because of Kobe Bryant being out for most of the season due to an Achilles tendon tear and a knee injury, though Kupchak had decided to give the star shooting guard a a two-year, $48.5 million contact extension regardless. Kupchak will also consider how to proceed regarding Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni. There has been speculation that D’Antoni won’t be returning next season, though Kupchak has said no decision has been made.

    There have also been rumors that University of Kentucky coach John Calipari might be taking over as head coach of the Lakers, after Rex Chapman tweeted about a potential move.

    Both Kupchak and Calipari have vehemently denied the rumor, and members of Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation weren’t very pleased with Chapman’s comment. D’Antoni’s record is 65-85 during his two seasons with the Lakers, and was swept out of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs last season.

    As a college player, Kupchak was an All-American on the North Carolina Tar Heels, and went on to play for the U.S. gold medal-winning team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Kupchak played in the NBA for the Washington Bullets and the Lakers beginning 1976, before retiring in 1986, and began a sort of “apprenticeship” program under Jerry West in 1987.

    Image via YouTube

  • Dirk Nowitzki Helps Mavericks Top Lakers, Cling To Playoff Spot

    The Mavericks are in a constant battle for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and with the help of Dirk Nowitzki in last night’s game, they are now in 7th place. What place will they end up with, if any?

    Following closely behind are the Grizzlies and Suns, and the Mavericks are only a game and a half behind the Warriors as well. As the NBA season is coming to an end soon, several teams are battling to get to the top, and get the best seed possible.

    Defeating the Lakers has been a fairly easy task over the course of the 2013-2014 season, and Dirk Nowitzki took advantage of their weaknesses with his 27 points and nine rebounds, giving the Mavs a 104-95 victory.

    Despite their deficit at the end of the game, the Lakers led the Mavericks 54-52 at halftime. The Lakers have continued to lose all season due to injuries to both of their veterans, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, who are not set to return until next season.

    Nowitzki’s impressive performance also helped him rise to 11th on the all-time scorers list of the NBA, passing Dominique Wilkins, who was known as “The Human Highlight Film.” He has 26,678 points for his career, and is averaging 21.7 points per game this season.

    If Nowitzki stays healthy, he’s likely to move up to seventh on the list next season, passing Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes and Moses Malone. This marks the 6th time that he has bumped someone down on the list during this season.

    Speaking about passing Wilkins on the scoring list, Dirk Nowitzki said “It’s been a crazy ride. I used to be a big fan of Dominique. I watched all his dunk contests and the many ways he could score, sometimes missing his own shot and he’d be the person to dunk over two people. He was just so much fun to watch.”

    The Mavericks have been one of the top teams for several years, but this year they are currently clinging to 7th place at the end of the season, and could be lucky to make the playoffs. The Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, and Rockets are still the only teams to clinch the playoffs, and claim the top four spots, respectively.

    With only a handful of games left until the NBA playoffs start, Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks are on a 2-game winning streak, and may have what it takes to make the playoffs after all in an incredibly competitive year for the Western Conference.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kobe Bryant In Hot Water For Trayvon Martin Comments

    Los Angeles Laker shooting guard and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant is receiving tons of backlash today for an interview he gave to the New Yorker recently.

    Bryant was bothered that so many black people, including those in the NBA, stuck up for Trayvon Martin right after George Zimmerman was accused of gunning him down without cause. Bryant said people shouldn’t use race-loyalty when trying to figure out if somebody is guilty or not.

    “I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” he said. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society?”

    In addition, the 6′ 6″ guard said some African-Americans need to approach court cases involving other African-Americans with a little less emotion, and hear everything that’s happened before rushing to judgement.

    “Well, [if] we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American,” said Bryant. “You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.”

    Miami Heat shooting guard Dwayne Wade quickly chimed in, since the Heat posted a photo of themselves all wearing hoodies to support Martin after the shooting. He said because the incident happened in their town, they felt a certain responsibility to speak up.

    “It was our backyard, and being in our backyard, being something that a lot of guys on this team–not only growing up in the kind of environment that Trayvon was in–but also having young boys,” said Wade.

    “Knowing that he is a big fan of the Miami Heat. That is something that we got behind as a team. I can’t even say the organization. It was a team. We got behind it. And it was more so that than the color of his skin.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Los Angeles Lakers Suffer Worst Loss In Franchise History

    Things just seem to be getting even worse for the Los Angeles Lakers with another tragic loss to their hometown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers are one of the worst teams in the league, and continue to lose, with no sign of improvement.

    The Clippers delivered the Lakers their worst loss in franchise history last night, and the embarrassment in their season continues. The game ended with a final score of 142-94, in an unlikely score that puts their embarrassment at a whole new level.

    Following their blowout loss, Lakers center Pau Gasol said “We did not create plays for each other, and that is how it started to fall apart. But you can’t dwell on this game or it will really get you down.”

    Pau Gasol was rumored to be traded earlier this year, and continues to deal with the struggle of being on a team that is unable to win.

    The Los Angeles Lakers have been without two of their veteran players for much of this season, and most notably Kobe Bryant, who has spent his entire career with the Lakers, as one of the best players to play the game.

    As if matters could not get any worse, it was announced recently that the return of either Kobe Bryant or Steve Nash is unlikely. Bryant has missed most of the team’s games since the 2012-2013 season, although he was still voted to the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, and shortly beforehand, the team revealed that he would not be able to play, which everyone had already expected.

    With the tragic loss that the Lakers suffered last night, losing that way to the Clippers makes things even worse. With the way that the Lakers have performed recently, and the rise to power of the Clippers, it is showing that there is a new team that rules Los Angeles.

    It is hard to know what will finally be able to turn this Los Angeles Lakers team around that has gone downhill to such a degree in recent years, as the veterans are plagued with injuries, and the younger guys are unable to compete with the other teams. The Lakers are currently in last place in the Western Conference with a record of 21-41.

    The Lakers only have six weeks left in the season, and clearly have no chance of making the playoffs anymore. They will certainly need to take a look at their roster, and analyze what to do with their veteran players when heading into the 2014-2015 season. The Lakers are also in danger of finishing with their worst record since moving to L.A. from Minneapolis in 1959.

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  • Kobe Bryant And Steve Nash Could Be Out Until Next Season

    Everyone paying attention to the NBA in the past year will know that Kobe Bryant has been constantly struggling with an injury, and has not been able to play much.

    Steve Nash has also been forced to sit out for several games, and it may simply be a sign that the two veterans are getting to the point where they are unable to compete with all of the young talented stars of today. It is unlikely that they will be able to return during the 2013-2014 season.

    Bryant and Nash have both had successful careers, but with the news that neither of them could return to the court by the end of the season, it is unclear what the future will hold for the two NBA stars.

    Kobe Bryant has still not be cleared medically due to his knee injury, and Nash continues to battle with chronic back problems. Bryant was nominated to the All-Star team again this year of course, but was forced to sit out due to his continuing injury problems.

    Without two of the veteran guards in the NBA, among other injuries, the Lakers have had trouble winning all year, and currently have a record of 20-39. Their awful record puts them in a 3-way tie for last place in the conference, along with the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings.

    The Lakers only have six weeks left in their season with no chance of making the playoffs, and Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash have combined for a total of 16 games during the season. Some may argue that if he were to play, it could help them, but as an aging player, it is best not to risk it.

    Coach Mike D’Antoni was recently quoted when speaking about Steve Nash, but the statement could apply to Bryant as well. He spoke of his veteran when saying “I don’t know what to tell you. What’s the endgame? We’ve talked about it. He’s not completely healthy. We have 23 games left. We’re not going to make the playoffs. So what’s his objective in taking minutes away from the young guys that we’re trying to develop?”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGbte77VtlI

    With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash both out, and a younger team that continues to lose, the Los Angeles Lakers will have to reevaluate what they want to do with their roster heading into the 2014-2015 season.

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  • NBA All-Star Game: 2014’s Game Sets Multiple Records With Big Performances

    Last night’s NBA All-Star Game was quite a sight to see, and each of the players on the court made it a point to show the fans why they were chosen to be all-stars. All the best players were out, and it was apparent with all of the great plays that were seen throughout the game.

    The game was filled with constant offense, and set a number of records in terms of scoring numbers, for both individual players, and the teams.

    The teams combined for the most points ever scored at the halftime of the game, and then made it the highest scoring NBA All-Star Game of all time with a total of 318 points, with the previous record being 303, which was set in 1987.

    During the game, it seemed that the commentators were announcing a new record being broken every few minutes, throughout the course of the outrageously played game filled with offense, and hardly any fouls or blocks.

    The game went back and forth throughout, and while the West dominated at one point with an 18-point lead, the East came away with the victory, and ended the West’s three-game winning streak. The final score was 163-155 in favor of the Eastern Conference, while the top players continued to dominate for both sides.

    The game was also significant because Kobe Bryant, a 16-time NBA All-Star Game performer, was forced to watch from the sideline after battling injuries for the past year. While it looked like Dwyane Wade may have to sit out as well, he was able to play, but only for limited minutes, allowing for Kyrie Irving to give a star performance.

    Kyrie Irving was selected as the MVP of the game, after scoring 31 points, and registering 14 assists. Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin both put up impressive performances for the Western Conference, and if they would have won, one of them would have certainly earned the award.

    Speaking on his first MVP for an NBA All-Star Game, Kyrie Irving humbly said “It’s a great honor. We had a few MVPs. Everyone out here today is an MVP.” He is the first player for the Cleveland Cavalievers to win the award since Lebron James did it in 2008.

    Durant and Griffin each had 38 points, and were both 4 points shy of beating the all-time record set for points scored in an NBA All-Star Game, which was set by Wilt Chamberlain. However, after losing three straight, the East was determined to win, and scored the final 10 points of the game, securing the victory.

    Blake Griffin set a record for most field goals made–a total of 19. Griffin also scored 18 points in an explosive first quarter that was filled with multiple alley-oops.

    While the NBA All-Star game is hailed as the “ultimate pick up game,” this year truly made that the case with dunks, layups, and three-pointers being executed at a constant pace throughout the game.

    Image via Youtube

  • Kobe Bryant Will Miss NBA All-Star Game Due To Injury

    Kobe Bryant, although he continues to be a fan favorite and was voted on to the Western Conference All-Star team, will not be able to compete in the NBA All-Star game in New Orleans this weekend.

    He has only played six games this year after recovering from an Achilles injury, and then injuring his right knee upon returning to the court. Bryant has been sidelined since December 17th, and will be reevaluated following the All-Star break, with no clear timetable for him to return to the Lakers’ lineup.

    Bryant finished second among Western Conference back-court players in the fan vote, with a total of about 988,000 votes. It has been reported that he is likely to be replaced by James Harden of the Houston Rockets. He finished in fifth place in the fan voting with about 470,000 votes, behind Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Jeremy Lin.

    Harden, 24 years old, would be making his second All-Star Game appearance, and this would mark his first time as a starter. Harden is averaging 23.9 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game in his fifth NBA season. In addition to James Harden, the starting lineup of the Western Conference team will consist of Stephen Curry, Thunder forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, and Clippers forward Blake Griffin.

    While being led by their star in James Harden, the Rockets have won seven games in a row and are 36-17 at the break, good enough for third in the Western Conference playoff standings.

    Serious injuries have continued to plague the veteran stars of the NBA, and it was also announced recently that Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade will likely miss out on the All-Star game because of multiple injuries, and most recently was diagnosed with foot drop, giving him an inability to lift the front part of his foot.

    At the age of 35, Kobe Bryant may need to start thinking about retirement soon, and after an incredibly successful career with the Los Angeles Lakers, his best days seem to be behind him. He made his debut this season on December 8th, but shortly after he was injured, and has been prevented from playing since.

    Since the injury to their star player Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have struggled greatly, and are not in good shape in the Western Conference.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Nicki Minaj Blasts ESPN For Airbrushing [PHOTOS]

    Nowadays, whenever you see an actor or model on a magazine cover, better believe their photo will be airbrushed to the max, and it usually doesn’t matter how attractive or beautiful they are. And you would figure that most celebrities would have some kind of say on the amount of airbrushing that’s being done, but that’s not always the case, which is why rapper Nicki Minaj took the folks at ESPN to task for touching up her photo too much.

    The cover shows a svelte looking Minaj standing next to a dapper looking Kobe Bryant for ESPN magazine’s music issue, and although her photo doesn’t look severely touched up, she took to her Instagram page to say she didn’t care for it at all, and she wished a better job was done.

    Then, the former “American Idol” judge posted the original shot along with the finished one, and wrote this: “I love my personal unretouched photos where my forehead doesn’t mysteriously grow in length.”

    And it just wasn’t the airbrushing that set Minaj off, she said, it was the fact that it was done in a bad way. “When retouching goes wrong,” she wrote.

    Of course, Minaj isn’t the only celebrity who chose to speak out against airbrushing. Actress Keira Knightley complained of it too. In an interview with Allure magazine, she said many of her movie posters are touched up to the point where she only recognizes her face.

    “They always pencil in my boobs,” she said. “I was only angry when they were really, really droopy. For King-Arthur, for a poster, they gave me these strange droopy t-ts. A, I don’t have t-ts anyway, and B, they digitally made them, and I thought, Whoaaaaa! It’s my face on that poster.”

    And just like Minaj, Knightley felt it wasn’t just the fact that her photo was airbrushed, but it was airbrushed poorly. “I thought, ‘Well, if you’re going to make me fantasy breasts, at least make perky breasts.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kobe Bryant: Is All The Greatness Done?

    Kobe Bryant: Is All The Greatness Done?

    After playing in just five full games this season, Kobe Bryant will miss another six weeks due to a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in his left knee, according to a Tweet from the Los Angeles Lakers. And this comes after Bryant tore his Achilles’ tendon in April while playing against the Golden State Warriors.

    It’s been a season plagued with injuries for the legendary Los Angeles team and Bryant’s knee fracture only contributes to the bleak outlook that many fans have about the Laker’s playoff chances. But these days there’s more than just doubt in the hearts of fans, there’s also been frustration pointed towards Bryant, because many fans simply didn’t like the fact that he received a two-year contact extension for a whopping $48.5 million.

    Many fans said the high salary and the two-year contract extension was too much for a player that may not be healthy for two straight season. Plus, at the age of 35, it’s unlikely that Bryant will be able to play with the same force as he did before the injuries.

    But last month Bryant stuck up for himself and said he had no problem accepting the lucrative deal.

    “Most of us have aspirations for being businessmen when our playing careers are over,” said Bryant in an interview with Yahoo Sports. “But that starts now. You have to be able to wear both hats. You can’t sit up there and say, ‘Well, I’m going to take substantially less because there’s public pressure,’ because all of a sudden, if you don’t take less, you don’t give a crap about winning,” he said.

    And if we know anything about Bryant, he always wants to win and he seemingly gives 100 percent each and every night. However, sheer desire isn’t enough in professional sports, because there are some things, physically, that a player has no control of–like aging and getting slower. Sure a person can train and try to physically prepare for getting older, but the longer one plays and the longer one trains, the chances of receiving yet another injury only get bigger.

    So was it a smart move for the Lakers to spend so much money for a player that might not play? Or should the money have been used to build up the team’s future? Time will certainly tell, but for now, fans will have to wait at least six weeks to see if Bryant show’s even a glimpse of his former self.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Pau Gasol Unhappy As A Laker, Continues To Blame Coach Mike D’Antoni

    Pau Gasol has had a great deal of success in the NBA as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, earning himself a couple of national championship rings, although things have turned sour as of lately.

    He has continued to have troubles with his coach, Mike D’Antoni, and after they supposedly worked out their differences during last season, Gasol continues to wonder if he fits within the Lakers system.

    The trade of center Dwight Howard was supposedly going to help Pau Gasol in the way that he is utilized in Los Angeles’ game-play, but that has not happened, and continues to frustrate him. His contract is expiring, and while the Lakers would consider re-signing him, they would only do it on a budget.

    Pau Gasol understands that he is not being utilized in the way that he should, and would like to see something change. However, he is not sure how that will happen, saying “This year hasn’t been ideal, certain things are not ideal for me, but that’s not going to change any time soon.”

    His numbers have also been struggling, and as he is unhappy with his current situation, a trade in the near future may be what the veteran needs. Gasol is struggling on the offensive end, and having his worst shooting season of his career and is hitting 41.7 percent of his shots through the Lakers’ 10-11 start. It is by far the worst shooting percentage that he has had throughout his career, and to compare, he shot 46.6 percent from the floor last year.

    The Los Angeles Lakers have also been without their star player, Kobe Bryant, for much of the season, causing them to have such a bad record to start the year. Bryant returned to the team last Sunday, but after not playing since his injury in April, he found it tough to score, and they lost to the Raptors in that game.

    While once one of the best big men in the league, Pau Gasol has had trouble working wtih the system that Mike D’Antoni has created in Los Angeles. D’Antoni has fired back with some comments of his own, saying that Gasol’s comments are simply an excuse to not play hard.

    After the back and forth between Pau Gasol and Mike D’Antoni involving his role on the team, where do fans think the NBA star will end up next? He has already mentioned that he is open to the idea of returning to the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that has improved greatly since he left.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kobe Bryant Returns To The Lakers, Still Lose To Raptors

    Despite the return of their star player, and one of the best people to ever play the sport of basketball, the Lakers could not win even with Kobe Bryant. The eastern conference as a whole has been lacking in quality this season, but somehow the Raptors were able to pull out a victory against a Lakers team that had gained its star back.

    Kobe Bryant was playing in his first game since he tore his Achilles tendon in April. He returned with his star power as a player, but was unable to make a statement as an athlete. The Lakers lost in a disappointing fashion to the struggling Raptors with a final score of 106-94.

    After coming off the injury many people talked about how he may be getting too old to play in the NBA, and this game may be a sign of that. However, it could just be that it is hard playing after sitting out for such a long time, and he could have a big game soon.

    It can certainly take a while to adjust to things after being on the bench for eight months. Speaking on Kobe Bryant’s performance, coach Mark D’Antoni said “It’s going to take a while. I know everybody thought he could, but there’s no way you can come out and be in mid-season form. It’s just going to be a little while to get his legs and get his timing back.”

    The fans kept cheering for him throughout the game, wanting to see their favorite player on the court, and performing the way that he used to. Unfortunately, he was not able to play to his full ability, and his teammates had trouble playing around him.

    He admitted his problems, but knows he has time to improve when saying “My rhythm is completely out of sync. But this is a start, and I guess a start is good.”

    He was even played into the game with the imperial march from Star Wars, channeling Darth Vader as he entered the game hoping to have a big presence, but it simply did not work. Despite all of the mythical hype behind his opening music and chanting his nickname of “Black Mamba,” fans were brought back to reality after seeing Kobe’s lackluster performance on Sunday night.

    After the win, the Toronot Rpators improve to 7-12, and the Lakers fall to an an even record of 10-10. The Raptors were able to snap a five-game losing streak, despite playing without Rudy Gay, who is expected to be traded to the Sacramento Kings shortly. Bryant only scored nine points in the game, and delivered eight turnovers during his 27 minutes in the game.

    Kobe Bryant returned to the court for the first time in eight months, and while receiving a very warm welcome from fans, was unable to perform as the high-caliber player that he has been throughout his career.

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  • Kobe Bryant Gradually Recovering

    Kobe Bryant is gradually getting closer to returning to the court with his teammates. It has been a little over seven months since Bryant had surgery to repair his Achilles’ tendon, and he is hoping to be able to play soon.

    “I feel like I’m ahead of schedule,” Bryant said in an interview for NBA TV on Friday. “If there was a playoff game tonight, I’d play. I’d play. I don’t know how effective I’d be, but I would play.” He continued, “The fadeaway still works, the ballhandling, being able to post. Those are things that I can do right now. But it’s not the playoffs, thank god.”

    Bryant has been lightly practicing his “tippy toe” shots, but he and his coach, Mike D’Antoni, say neither of them knows exactly when he will be playing again. Bryant says he doesn’t want to set an official date. He wants to make sure he is 100 percent before he takes the floor again.

    “Maybe a little bit more than tippy-toe,” D’Antoni said of Bryant’s shots. “I look out every once in awhile. I haven’t heard back that he’s ready to practice or anything like that. So, he’s just progressing. I think it’s better than yesterday, but I don’t know yet.”

    “It’s tough because once I’ve set that as a target then I’m hell-bent at doing it at all costs, even to the detriment of the damn Achilles,” Bryant said. “I try to just stay in the moment and really try to listen to my body. The biggest thing is I have not done anything athletically for six months, seven months. You got to get your body back in shape. And doing that, if I was healthy — completely healthy — you have that much time off and get back in shape and your knee is going to ache, your ankle is going to hurt, your back is going to be out. So you got to go through your progressions as you normally would over the course of a summer.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Charles Barkley Takes Shots at Melo and LeBron

    These days, one can find Charles Barkley nestled comfortably between the likes of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal on the set of TNT’s Inside the NBA. Once upon a time, though, Barkley was an elite NBA forward, finishing in the top 8 in player efficiency ratings for 14 consecutive years and earning the ridiculous moniker, “The Round Mound of Rebound.” (Poking fun at Barkley’s portly stature.) Due to his experience both as a player and as an analyst, one can make the argument that Barkley’s opinions on basketball are perhaps more legitimate than others’. Thus, when Barkley criticizes Carmelo Anthony for wanting to explore the free-agency market and leaves LeBron out of his top 5 NBA players of all time, people take notice.

    In a statement to the New York Observer, Anthony stated, “I want to be a free agent. I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It’s like you have an evaluation period, you know. It’s like if I’m in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience.”

    Carmelo’s statement of wanting to explore the waters of free-agency blew up when commentators from Inside the NBA heard wind. Charles Barkley took special offense at the utterance: “He owns the city, he should be trying to get guys to come here and not like `I’ll stay here a couple of years – I forced my way here, No. 1, I got here, now I want to leave.’ That’s just not cool at all to be honest with you.”

    Barkley’s partner-in-crime, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, agreed with his analysis: “What happened to the law of attraction? Like, you’re good enough where you can attract guys that want to play with you. And that’s what’s missing, I think from the Knicks, and I think what’s missing from Carmelo, is just the law of attraction. Like, there aren’t a lot of guys saying they want to come to New York and play here with this guy.”

    Smith would go on to add that “What he should say is, `The Knicks have to, they’re going to give me the max. I’m going to be in New York.’” Many people believe that Anthony’s decision to test free-agency is linked to obtaining the largest contract he possibly can, which makes sense. If the Knicks really want to keep Carmelo around, then they would be forced to cough up more money due to bids coming from other teams. This factor seemingly doesn’t matter to Barkley, who is “ticked off” that Anthony is seeking free-agency when he practically begged to come to New York.

    Barkley’s barbs did not end with Carmelo Anthony, though. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barkley stated that LeBron James would not be included in his Top 5 NBA players of all-time. When asked if LeBron was a Top 10 all-time player, Barkley responded:

    I have him there. But he can’t get any higher than where he is. I have Michael [Jordan] at No. 1. Oscar [Robertson] at No. 2. Then Wilt [Chamberlain], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and [Bill] Russell. I have Kobe [Bryant], LeBron, Tim Duncan, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor after that. Those are my top 10. Those second five fluctuate, but who do I take off my top five? LeBron can get to No. 6 on my list, but here’s the thing that bothers me about the whole LeBron debate: I want to know why y’all killed Kobe Bryant! Y’all don’t even compare him to LeBron anymore. You are skipping him for LeBron and going right to Michael. I’m still going to take five [titles] over two.

    Barkley’s argument is a fair one. At this point in James’s career, could one legitimately make the claim that he is better than Jordan, Oscar Robertson (who averaged a triple-double), Wilt “The Stilt”, Kareem, or Bill “11-Time NBA Champion” Russell? I think the short answer is no.

    Barkley’s ranking of Kobe above LeBron makes sense as well. When one compares their achievements side-by-side (Kobe left, LeBron right), it’s easy to see that Kobe is more deserving of the 6th spot on Barkley’s list than LeBron:

    (image)

    Barkley is not the only former NBA player to leave LeBron off of an all-time starting five. When asked to name his all-time starters, Jason Kidd also snubbed LeBron James in favor of Scottie Pippen, a move that was seconded by Karl Malone. However, Malone perhaps proved himself to be even more insane than Barkley by leaving Michael Jordan off his own list.

    While one can make the legitimate argument to leave LeBron off of an all-time NBA top 5 list (He is still playing and has room to improve his standings), anyone who tries to argue that Michael Jordan is not one of the greatest of all time is simply delusional. It appears that after all these years, Karl Malone is still bitter about the 1998 NBA Championship.

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  • Kobe Bryant Won’t Be Playing Anytime Soon

    It’s going to be a few more weeks before Lakers fans will see Kobe Bryant on the court.

    The shooting guard has a torn Achilles tendon, but he says his recovery is progressing steadily.

    Even though he isn’t eligible to play yet, Bryant has been sitting on the sidelines during exhibition games and will be traveling with the Lakers later this week to China.

    Recently Bryant went to Germany for some treatment, leaving everyone to wonder what for. Turns out he went to get treatment for his right knee, which has also been giving him trouble. On Monday, October 7, Bryant posted a photo on Instagram, letting everyone know what exactly was going on in Germany.

    He has received the treatment, an Orthokine treatment, before, which involves drawing his blood, spinning it in a centrifuge and then reinjecting it to hopefully reduce inflammation in the knee.

    Bryant has seen his fair share of haters during his NBA career, and his current injury has many doubting his ability to come back. But not Kobe, he’s not giving up. Bryant was recently featured on Let Them Talk, which was filmed while he was in China in August. On the program he said, “As I sit here with you now, telling you I’m going to come back 100 percent … I don’t know for sure. You know, I have moments and I have days where I doubt myself. But to me, that’s the exciting part of the challenge. That’s when I realize this is a great opportunity to come out and show everybody this is how you bounce back. This is how you respond to a challenge. And the people who say, ‘You’ll never do it, you’ll never make it,’ this is how I look at that. The people who say, ‘You will never come back from this injury’ … to me, that means that if they had this injury, if they had this injury, they would quit. That’s what it means to me. Because if they sit there and look at me and say I can’t do it, that means that if this happened to you, you wouldn’t do it. So I have to show them just as much as I show the people who support me that this can be done and I can come back from this. By me coming back from this shows the people who doubt me, hopefully makes them reconsider what’s possible. And that’s the important story about the scar. The scar is a good story anyway.”

    Even though Bryant is running on the treadmill with his full body weight, and has even been performing calf raises, as well as shooting and jogging drills, he’s going to have to adjust his diet. Bryant had allowed himself some unhealthy snacks and eating habits while sitting on the sidelines. Said Bryant, “I got to get my fat [behind] in shape. I had six months of eating whatever the hell I wanted to eat and not running, and stuff like that caught up to me.”

    Below you can watch video of Bryant talking about his recovery not long after his Achilles tendon was torn.

    [Image via YouTube.]

  • Jeanie Buss Reveals Feelings of Betrayal in Memoir

    In an updated version of her memoir, Laker Girl, Jeanie Buss reveals her true feelings towards the Lakers’s hiring of Mike D’Antoni over Phil Jackson this past year. Buss, the executive vice president of business operations for the Lakers and Jackson’s fiance, was “stunned” when Jackson informed her that D’Antoni was chosen over him and felt that the incident was a “betrayal”:

    “The sequence of events — Phil almost coming back and then being told someone else was better for the job — practically destroyed me. It almost took away my passion for this job and this game. It felt like I had been stabbed in the back. It was a betrayal. I was devastated.”

    The incident nearly killed Buss, but how did Jackson – the man actually affected by the decision – feel? According to Buss’s memoir, Jackson appeared to be fairly nonchalant about the choice:

    When he hung up, I asked him what that was about, and he said, “Mitch called to tell me they’ve hired D’Antoni. He said that they feel given the personnel they have that D’Antoni is a better fit. He said they know they are going to take a bit of a PR hit, but he thinks it will blow over in a month…”That was really odd,” he said in the quiet of our bedroom as he replayed the conversation in his mind.”

    Jackson appeared to be able to relay the news in a calm manner, and his only comment was that the decision was “odd”. This is a reaction that makes sense. Jackson retired after the 2011 season, after coaching for 27 years and winning 11 NBA championships – 6 with the Bulls and 5 with none other than the Lakers. Jackson had already had his chance in LA with Kobe, and as Buss stated, “Phil wasn’t looking for the job.” (Even thought Jackson apparently thought that he was a better coach for Dwight Howard than D’Antoni.)

    Perhaps the most interesting and ironic comment by Buss was when she said, “I hope the flirtation with Phil wasn’t just a PR stunt. I still can’t get my head around the whole story.” If one takes the time to read the excerpt of the memoir released to the LA Times, the entire thing reads as a huge PR stunt. Buss had to be sent home from the gym because she was crying; the decision “practically destroyed” her; she felted betrayed and devastated…. And she wasn’t even the one who wasn’t hired.

    And better yet, Buss and Jackson seem to be capitalizing from the life of ownership drama Buss now lives, following her father, Jerry Buss’s, death, in a new Showtime drama.

    Unfortunately, it seems as if Phil Jackson wouldn’t have been the saving grace the Lakers were looking for, regardless. Kobe Bryant faced an injury-prone season once again, Steve Nash seemed older than ever, and Dwight Howard was….Dwight Howard. Since the end of the season (in which the Lakers were crushed in the first round of the playoffs by the Spurs), Howard has taken his talents to the Rockets over disagreements with D’Antoni (OK – so perhaps Jackson was a better coach for Howard), and Bryant has stated that he will not look to take a pay-cut in order to land a big-name free-agent next year.

    In her memoir, Buss stated that the decision to hire D’Antoni probably came due to her father’s wishes “to go back to playing Showtime basketball.” It seems as if Jerry Buss is going to get his wish, only in a slightly altered, and much more dramatic, manner.

    Image via Twitter

  • Jalen Rose Admits To Shocking On-Court Incident

    Jalen Rose sat down for an interview with Dave Jacoby of Grantland.com and admitted that he made a shocking decision during a 2000 playoffs game.

    Rose said he was having visible trouble keeping up with Kobe Bryant and felt tremendous pressure to step it up. What happened next was a spur-of-the moment decision that is now landing him in some controversy.

    “Kobe Bean Bryant goes up for a jump shot out on the right wing,” Rose said. “I contest the jump shot. Kobe lands on my foot. He hobbles off and actually misses the next game. If it was up to me, he should’ve just missed the whole series. I would’ve had a championship ring and it would’ve been no harm, no foul.”

    When Jacoby prodded Rose further about the incident, telling him not to lie, Rose admitted he might have put his foot under Bryant on purpose.

    “I can’t say it was an accident,” he said.

    Of course, it’s been several years since that fateful game, and the Lakers ended up beating the Pacers in that series anyway, but is there a statute of limitations on an admission of intentional foul play? Surely now that Bryant knows the injury was inflicted on purpose he’ll be upset, no matter what the outcome of the game was. And some are wondering what this will mean for Rose’s career, as he is a pretty successful NBA analyst.

    There’s been no response yet from Bryant or Lakers management, but it’s hard to imagine that someone won’t come forward with a statement about Rose’s comments.