Kobe Bryant Gives Tony Allen Autographed Shoes, Credits Him for Strong Defense

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has faced his fair share of great defenders throughout his 20-year NBA career, but in his opinion nobody has been tougher to get past than Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen.

After the Grizzlies cruised to a 112-95 victory over the Lakers on Friday night, Bryant paid Allen the ultimate sign of respect by autographing a pair of sneakers for him and inscribing an incredible compliment.

“To Tony, the best defender I ever faced!”

Allen has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive first team three times and the second team once. While those honors stand out, getting props from one of the all-time greats is pretty special.

The Grizzlies and Lakers will play one more time this season, on March 22 at the Staples Center.

[Tony Allen]

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Kobe Bryant Injury: Updates on Lakers Star’s Shoulder and Return

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant will not play in Friday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Continue for updates.

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No Timetable for Bryant Return

Friday, Feb. 26

The team is holding Bryant out of Friday night’s game against the Grizzlies because of a sore right shoulder, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Trudell.

Bryant is in the midst of his last NBA season and has a history of toughing his way through injuries. If the injury isn’t serious, he’ll get back onto the floor soon to cap off his career.

But the Lakers have little to play for other than pride, so there’s no need to press Bryant back into action. It’s been a tough 20th season for Bryant, who is shooting a career-low 35 percent from the field this year.

The Lakers can give rookie D’Angelo Russell more minutes to gain experience amid a maiden season in which his role has been inconsistent.

Volume shooter Nick Young can fill Bryant’s role on the perimeter, while Lou Williams can continue to provide steady backcourt scoring alongside Jordan Clarkson.

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Woman Sitting Courtside Denied a Hug from Kobe Bryant

A high five for the guy in the corner, a fist bump for the fan in the second row, and for the eagerly grinning woman sitting courtside?

Nothing.

In what began as a humble display of gratitude, Kobe Bryant generously decided to show some love to the Lake Show faithful while on his way to the bench.

He just happened not to see the giddy Black Mamba follower directly in front of him—even going so far as to reach around her.

And she was persistent!

Despite multiple attempts at getting his attention (extending her arms in a faux hug, standing up beside him, saying something to him, leaning forward toward his seat), none proved to be successful.

I mean, sure she was a little short, Kobe, but c’mon!

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Greek Freak’s Mom Would’ve Kicked His Ass If She Didn’t Get Pic with Kobe Bryant

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s job was not done after erupting for his first career triple-double against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

Following the Milwaukee Bucks’ 108-101 victory, the Greek Freak introduced his mother to Kobe Bryant.

This was a wise decision by the 21-year-old, whose mom was extremely insistent on meeting the Mamba, per a Reddit translation of a Greek interview:

My mother was driving me crazy. She wanted a photo. She already told me a week ago, “If I don’t get a photo with Kobe, I will kick your ass.” I told her not to worry. She sent me 15 SMS. After the end of the match I found her SMS from half time and after then end of the match! I told myself, “She has to take the picture!” I took them to the locker room, we found Kobe and took the picture. He (Kobe) is a great guy.

She said thank you [to Bryant]. She was wearing his Jersey, it is the first time she wasn’t wearing mine!

Antetokounmpo went for 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers, and afterward he talked to the Black Mamba. Prior to the game, the 6’11” forward was surprised Bryant even knew who he was:

Kobe surely knows who the Freak is now—as well as his mother.

[YouTube, h/t CBS Sports, Reddit]

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Pau Gasol Introduces Kobe Bryant Before Facing Him for Final Time

It’s no secret that Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant share an unbreakable bromance.

Even since Gasol left the Los Angeles Lakers, the former teammates have remained close and competitive.

On Sunday, before playing the Chicago Bulls at the United Center for the final time, the Black Mamba was introduced by his old friend. He seemed genuinely touched.

In a season full of Kobe tributes, this one rings among the most genuine, heartfelt gestures we’ve seen.

[Twitter]

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Kobe Bryant Comments on Michael Jordan, Championships and More

Many NBA stars in the past have been compared to Michael Jordan, but no player has been quite as inextricably linked to “His Airness” more than Kobe Bryant. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers guard opened up a bit about his connection with Jordan.

“No words can really do it justice,” Bryant said of Jordan’s influence, per ESPN.com’s Baxter Holmes.

Kobe also recalled his first game against Jordan and the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 17, 1996. Bryant played 10 minutes, shooting 2-of-5 and scoring five points. Jordan, on the other hand, dropped 30 points in a 129-123 victory for Chicago.  

“Getting schooled for a baseline dunk the first time I matched up with him. That was the coolest thing,” Bryant said of the game, per the Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson.

During TNT’s broadcast of the NBA All-Star Game, Jordan spoke about Bryant’s impending retirement and his legacy in the game:

“What I take from (the comparison) is our competitiveness is second to none,” he added, per Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report.

It’s impossible to say with any certainty, but it will likely be a very long time before any player reaches Jordan’s status in the game and the accolades he earned on the court. Kobe comes pretty close:

Bryant is fighting a losing battle to try to match Jordan’s six NBA championships, though—a point he readily concedes.

“My job was to try to win as many as possible,” Bryant said, per Highkin. “Six doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards. But I’m OK with that.”

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Kobe Bryant Injury: Updates on Lakers Star’s Finger and Return

Los Angeles Lakers swingman Kobe Bryant suffered a dislocated middle finger on his right (shooting) hand. 

Continue for updates. 

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Bryant’s X-Rays Negative

Saturday, Feb. 20

According to Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell, “X-Rays were negative on Kobe’s finger, meaning there is no fracture and just a dislocation.”

Video appeared to show Bryant getting his finger reset before re-entering Friday’s 119-113 loss to the San Antonio Spurs:

Trudell provided some more details on the sequence of events that unfolded following the injury: 

Bryant has been battling shoulder and Achilles injuries all season long, but he’s toughed it out during a farewell tour that has watched fans flock to stadiums throughout the Association to catch one last glimpse of the Purple and Gold legend. 

“It’s fun to go to these arenas for the last time and be able to soak it all in and really appreciate the arenas and appreciate the fans and the players from a different perspective versus having blinders on and really just focusing on one thing,” Bryant said, according to the Associated Press’ Janie McCauley (via NBA.com). 

And while Bryant’s effectiveness has plummeted following a debilitating Achilles tear, rotator cuff injury and fractured lateral tibial plateau in his knee, he’s stayed true to his identity and hoisted shots with reckless abandon. 

Should Bryant miss time, Ryan Kelly figures to see a bump in playing time at the 3 along with Metta World Peace and microwave scorer Nick Young. 

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Gilbert Arenas Wants a 10-Day Contract with Lakers to See Kobe’s Last Home Game

Gilbert Arenas has a modest proposition for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA player turned Shanghai Sharks baller is ready to make his way back to the Association to see retiring legend Kobe Bryant‘s final home game.

There’s just one small problem. Arenas wants a courtside view, and the Staples Center is fresh out of seats.

Not be discouraged, however, the three-time NBA All-Star concocted quite a clever solution—becoming (temporarily) a part of the team.

Warning: NSFW language used below

Like any evil genius, Gilbert’s explanation for his method is a lengthy one. In it, he suggests a signing period of April 3 through April 13, the day of the ultimate curtain call. 

But don’t expect that he’ll take just any seat on the bench. In fact he’s quite particular (and once again, has an aversion to brevity).

Perhaps his own words are best suited to describe the rest…

[Instagram]

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Byron Scott Comments on Kobe Bryant, D’Angelo Russell’s Playing Time

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott says he’s going to make a concerted effort to play the team’s young players more after the All-Star break. Apparently that effort does not apply to rookie guard D’Angelo Russell.

Scott said Russell will not be in the starting lineup when the Lakers return to the court Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The second overall pick has started only 22 of 53 games so far this season, a point of contention with many Lakers fans.

While Russell hasn’t been an instant star, Scott’s deployment of the former Ohio State standout has been inconsistent at best. The relationship has seemingly bordered on tenuous at points, including a number of strangely critical comments from Scott. Earlier this month, he compared Russell unfavorably to Kyrie Irving, whom Scott also coached during his rookie season.

“He was a little bit more business-like at practice and games,” Scott said of Irving, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “D’Angelo still has a playfulness about him. Sometimes in practice he’s joking around and losing a little bit of focus.”

Russell has also been critical of his coach, calling out the Lakers’ offensive system in December while speaking to reporters. Fellow guard Jordan Clarkson was also caught on a hot mic telling Russell to not “say anything crazy” when asked about his playing time following the Rising Stars Challenge in Toronto. Russell scored 22 points and dished seven assists in 17 minutes of playing time, later telling reporters the game was a “confidence-builder.”

As for how Russell may get more playing time, it may come at the expense of Kobe Bryant. Scott said Bryant will play a “tad less” after the break, per Medina, but did not elaborate on a minutes limit. Bryant has averaged 29.3 minutes per game so far in his final NBA season, and Scott has not been shy about playing him extended time. He had 30-plus minutes in four of five February games before the break.

“[I] feel horrible,” Bryant said after last Wednesday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. “My ankles, knees, everything. This stretch couldn’t come at a better time. My ankles hurt. My knees hurt. So I’m looking forward to having a complete week where I just do nothing.”

Of course, Bryant’s week of nothingness included an All-Star Weekend bonanza where he was the star of the show. He was a fixture in Toronto all weekend and was given guest-of-honor status throughout the Western Conference’s record-setting win. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Bryant needed a break from his break.

As with all things Lakers, though, it’s best to take everything with a grain of salt. Scott has proved himself nothing if inconsistent since taking over. Remember that whole thing about Kobe having a hard cap on minutes? Didn’t last long. Or last month when Scott said to Shahan Ahmed of NBC Los Angeles that it was a “priority” for Russell to re-enter the starting lineup? Whoopsies.    

It’s probably for the best that we keep everything in perspective and allow things to play out how they will on the floor.

 

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.

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Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and More Comment on Lakers Star’s Final All-Star Game

Fans will remember the 2016 NBA All-Star Game at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre as the highest-scoring All-Star Game in league history after the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 196-173, on Sunday.

But perhaps it will be better known as Kobe Bryant‘s final appearance in the contest.

The 18-time All-Star didn’t disappoint, scoring 10 points, dishing out seven assists and grabbing six rebounds. While his performance was nothing close to All-Star Game MVP Russell Westbrook and his 31 points, Bryant may have broken one record during the game, per NBA on ESPN:

Here’s some proof of Bryant obtaining the hug record, per NBA on TNT:

Seemingly everyone in the league has had something to say about Bryant during his final season, and Sunday was no different.

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James called Bryant’s last game “bittersweet,” per NBA on ESPN. According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich felt it was “like a passing of a generation,” while Westbrook said, “Everyone was inspired to see Kobe Bryant in his last game and see him on his way out.”

Bryant, who said he was going to miss the comradery of the league during a halftime interview, enjoyed his final All-Star Game, per Sean Highkin of NBCSports.com:

It was fun. I had a blast playing with those guys, laughing and joking with them on the bench. And, you know, I got a chance to stop [former teammate] Pau [Gasol] in a post, redeem myself from what he did to me when Chicago came to town. But all those things are just fun. I had a great time. I had a great, great time.

Bryant was mic’d up during the game, and NBA on TNT shared some “Inside Trax” between the 37-year-old and many players who looked up to him when they entered the league:

It may have been all smiles during the weekend, but when it came to playing over the years, Bryant was all business, per NBA TV:

When All-Star Weekend is over, it’ll be back to the daily grind of the league, and that won’t be as enjoyable for Bryant, considering his Lakers are 11-44 and in last place in the West, but he’s keeping a positive outlook, per Highkin:

You try to make the second half better than the first. And you try to forget about what happened the first half of the season in a sense of what our record is, and take this break to come in and feel like you have a clean slate, right? Mentally approach it as you’re 0-0, and see if we can’t get better. Because as the season progresses and season ends, you want to feel like free agents and other players around the league are looking at the Lakers roster and saying they have some talent and they have some potential. So that’s what we want to try to do.

The entire experience was a great way for Bryant, who will likely finish his career with five NBA championships and rank third on the all-time scoring list, to finish out the first half of his farewell tour. 

It’s hard to believe there won’t be another NBA All-Star Game with Kobe, but it’s clear he’s left a lasting impression on those trying to follow in his footsteps.

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