Kobe Bryant Biography & Pictures

Kobe critical of Shaq's leadership (Oct. 28, 2003)

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This is outdated, so don't think it is new

The transcript of Kobe Bryant's interview with ESPN's Jim Gray:

GRAY: What was your reaction to Shaq saying the Lakers are his team, and everybody knows it?

BRYANT: It doesn't matter whose team it is. Nobody cares. I don't, Karl [Malone] doesn't, Gary [Payton] doesn't, and our teammates and the fans don't either. There's more to life than whose team this is. But this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court. It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Also, "my team" doesn't mean only when we win; it means carrying the burden of defeat just as gracefully as you carry a championship trophy.

GRAY: Do you consider Shaq to be a leader?

BRYANT: Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million [dollars] plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free. A leader would not demand the ball every time down the floor when you have the three of us [Malone, Payton, Bryant] playing beside you, not to mention the teammates you have gone to war with for years -- and, by the way, then threaten not to play defense and rebound if you don't get the ball every time down the floor.

GRAY: Shaq says that you have not been a team player. Is he right?

BRYANT: That's ridiculous. I have been successfully sacrificing my game for years for Shaq. That's what Phil [Jackson] wanted me to do, so I did it. Last year Phil told me Shaq was not in physical condition to carry the trust of our offense, so he asked me to do it. But then he saw Shaq was getting upset that the team wasn't running through him, so Phil asked me to pull back and I did. This year is no different; my role is whatever Phil wants it to be. Period.

GRAY: Through out the preseason, your leg and conditioning has been lagging. Are you in the proper shape to start the season?

BRYANT: My knee is not strong enough to play yet. I know it. When it is I will play.

GRAY: Does that mean you will miss the opener [Tuesday] night and other games?

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

GRAY: Kobe, Shaq said if you didn't like what he had to say you can opt out and leave next season. Will you leave the Lakers?

BRYANT: I won't make that decision until the end of the season. I told Shaq last year that I was planning on opting out. He knew before anyone. I told him out of respect for what we have been through together. I thought he should be the first to know. The fact that he acts like this is such a big shock is a mystery to me. If leaving the Lakers at the end of the season is what I decide, a major reason for that will be Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy.

GRAY: Do you feel Shaq has been supportive in regards to your legal situation?

BRYANT: He is not my quote unquote "big brother." A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. I spoke to Devean [George], Rick [Fox], Mitch [Kupchak], Phil, and our owner Jerry Buss. And Shaq's own Uncle Jerome called and left three messages. Other teammates like Derek [Fisher], Mark [Madsen], and [Stanislav Medvedenko] left messages as well. Opponents called like [Chris] Webber, [Mike] Bibby, and many others. So did a lot of coaches. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing.

GRAY: Why not resolve this behind closed doors? Why is this so public?

BRYANT: I asked Phil on Sunday [yesterday] to say something to calm this situation down before it boiled over. But he backed away, so now here we are. I have been a bigger person every time something happened with Shaq, and I don't expect this to be any different. But somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year.

Espn.com

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Kobe Bryant struggled for 22 points on 8-of-29 shooting.

Ray Allen, with help from his Sonics, hounded Kobe Bryant all night, forcing Kobe to contribute nothing to the Los Angeles Lakers for stretches up to a quarter in length.

"We knew Kobe was going to get his shots," Allen said. "It was just a matter of making him take tough shots, keeping a body in his (face) and rebound his missed shots. I think we did as good of a job that we could do."

"We went into the game with idea of Ray trying to push Kobe to a certain part of the floor and then there would always be help," Seattle coach Bob Hill said. "I thought Ray did a good job for the most part in pushing him there and then our big guys were ready to make him at least take a jump shot. Kobe is just a freak of nature - unbelievable."

Bryant missed a crucial free throw and three 3-pointers in the waning seconds, ending one of his worst games of the season. He did not speak to reporters afterward.

"We wanted to keep an extra guy in front of Kobe," Hill said. "And keep the last guy open. When the ball was below the foul line, I think we did a really good job of that."

"Myself, I was just trying to keep pace with him offensively," said Allen, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds. "I need to keep him tired because if he's working on just one end of the court he has more energy to use offensively."

"I thought we did a good job," Watson said. "We have come in here and helped the team and elevating the team to a more athletic team and a quicker team in transition. We want to be competitive and I think we are."

"The guys here are believing in me," Wilcox said. "We are getting out and running and that is what I do. It is an easy fit for me because they were running before I got here. I've just added a little something extra to it."

Luke Walton scored a season-high 17 points and Smush Parker added 15 for the Lakers (33-31), who had won four of their last five games. They were coming off a solid win at San Antonio on Friday but stumbled with another bad home loss.

"It does hurt because we are in a playoff race so we can't let this get us down if we expect to be a championship team," Lakers forward Brian Cook said.

Lewis scored 18 points and Wilcox added 13 as Seattle raced to a 64-55 halftime lead. Los Angeles never led in the second half, although Cook's jumper forged a 74-74 tie midway through the third period.

"Seattle really hurt us with their transition game," Cook said. "They got a lot of easy layups and it looked like we weren't getting back on defense."

written by John Mbugua
Kobe Bryant Biography & Pictures

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