Kobe Bryant Comments on Kevin Durant Signing with Warriors, More

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant doesn’t have any qualms about Kevin Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign with the Golden State Warriors during the offseason.

The newly retired Bryant spent each of his 20 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, but loyalty never came up when he spoke about Durant on the The Jim Rome Show on Thursday (via Andre Vergara of Fox Sports). Rather, he spoke about how he would’ve reacted as a competitor.

“I would have thought less about myself if I looked at that move and said, ‘That’s unfair,'” he said. “If you’re a real competitor, you look at that and say, ‘OK, lace ’em up. Let’s go. I don’t care how many players you have over there; we’re still going to take you down.'”

But Durant’s arrival in Golden State has formed the latest superteam in the NBA, as he joined the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on a two-year, $52.2 million contract, per Spotrac.

Billed as one of the fiercest adversaries to play the game of basketball, Bryant was never one to back down from an opponent as he fueled himself and those around him. It’s a safe assumption that this Golden State team would have presented a challenge that Bryant would have reveled in:

That kind of tenacity will be needed to take down the defending Western Conference champions next season. Bryant disclosed that he sees a lot of his tendencies in Durant’s former teammate, Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook.

“When I turn on the TV and watch players play, the player who plays with the same kind of emotion and grit and competitive intensity is Russell,” he said. “He’s going hard, doesn’t matter who’s playing against, doesn’t matter what the odds are. … He’s going 110 percent every single time.”

As the definite leading man of the Thunder, Westbrook won’t need much more motivation when it comes time to meet Durant and the Warriors on the court.

Their first matchup will take place Nov. 3 in Oakland, California, and there’s a good chance that Bryant, like most of the NBA universe, will be tuning in.

Read more Kobe Bryant news on BleacherReport.com

from Bleacher Report – Kobe Bryant http://ift.tt/2bWZRZv
via IFTTT

Kobe Bryant Day Declared by Los Angeles City Council

Life after basketball is looking pretty good for Kobe Bryant.

After 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, the city he called home will honor the Black Mamba with a day just for him Wednesday, according to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register:

The special day comes right after he turns 38 years old Tuesday.

Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation shared Councilmember Jose Huizar’s rationale behind the honor in a series of tweets [sic]:

‘Kobe Bryant Day’ is the City of Los Angeles’ way of thanking him for his single-minded dedication to excellence, the fans and the entire City and region of Los Angeles. For 20 yrs, we were all the beneficiaries of Kobe’s incredible talent & legendary work ethic, and on 8-24 we’ll gather to say, ‘Thank you, Mamba.’

Bryant spent his entire career with the Lakers, going to 18 All-Star Games and winning five NBA championships. His 33,643 points rank third on the NBA’s all-time list, making him a surefire Hall of Famer when he is eligible.

The creation of Kobe Bryant Day is a well-deserved honor for one of the most accomplished athletes in the city’s history.

However, Bryant made it clear Monday he is prepared for a life after basketball by announcing the formation of a $100 million venture capital fund along with Jeff Stibel, according to Ken Sweet of the Associated Press. LegalZoom highlights the list of 15 companies that have received early investments from the newly formed Bryant Stibel.

The pair rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange after announcing the fund’s creation Monday morning.

As Darren Rovell of ESPN.com noted, Bryant is serious about succeeding with his newest venture:

Although it might be difficult, no one should question the superstar’s work ethic.

 

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.

Read more Kobe Bryant news on BleacherReport.com

from Bleacher Report – Kobe Bryant http://ift.tt/2byBeDZ
via IFTTT

Kobe Bryant Comments on Retirement, Lakers, Luke Walton and More

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is hopeful about the future of the organization as he transitions from the role of key player to perhaps the team’s most famous fan.

Mike Bresnahan of TWC Sportsnet spoke with the five-time NBA champion, who entered retirement following a memorable 60-point performance in his final game. He believes the pieces are starting to come together after an often painful rebuilding process.

“Now it’s just a matter of them growing together,” Bryant said. “Having those pieces mesh, which I think is a great opportunity because now at this age, where their games are still developing, they can develop their games and their strengths around each other.”

The Lakers already had some promising assets in the likes of D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson coming into the offseason. But the opportunity to add Brandon Ingram, the second overall pick out of Duke, should really accelerate the building process.

Bryant told TWC Sportsnet he likes what he’s seen from potentially the new franchise cornerstone.

“I think he plays with great tempo, great pace,” he said. “I like his length. His ball-handling ability is very good, and he gets to his spots on the floor. I think defensively he has the potential to be fantastic, as well. … So hopefully he starts really paying attention to that just as much as the things he does offensively.”

Here’s the complete conversation between Bryant and Bresnahan, which also included discussions about Team USA’s recent close calls at the Olympics and new Lakers head coach Luke Walton:

Bryant’s comments about making himself available to the organization and its young players is surely music to the ears of the front office. There aren’t many players who are more connected to a single franchise, especially one with the storied history as the Lakers, so he can be a valuable mentor.

Aside from the basketball talk, the newly bearded 37-year-old future Hall of Famer is seemingly enjoying the retired life. There are always questions about whether players with an intense competitive fire such as Bryant can truly walk away and stay away for good, but he sounds content, at least for now.

       

Read more Kobe Bryant news on BleacherReport.com

from Bleacher Report – Kobe Bryant http://ift.tt/2bgybhm
via IFTTT