We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

Michael Redd was a 2004 NBA All-Star, a member of the 2008 USA Olympic basketball team…and, during the summer of ’08, a teammate—and de facto tile teacher—of Kobe Bryant. 

“Our relationship doesn’t get publicized,” shares Redd, once the subject of a memorable SLAM story by Scoop Jackson, “but it doesn’t have to. We know what we had behind the scenes.”

It’s 2008, and thousands of the best athletes from all over the world are staying in the Olympic village in Beijing. Fifteen of the most famous athletes, though, are staying at the Intercontinental, on their own. It’s there that Redd remembers schooling Bryant in dominoes—forging a friendship that would still feel fresh in his mind 15 years later. 

“It wasn’t about the dominoes,” says Redd. He remembers sitting and playing on a Team USA plane with Kobe, Tayshaun Prince and Chris Bosh—and a photo exists to prove it. “He was trying to ingratiate himself with us, with his teammates. He was masterful at using his mind like that.” 

***

Intentionality.

If there are two words the public associates with Bryant, it’s MAMBA MENTALITY. If there’s one—one word from those who know him—it’s INTENTIONALITY. 

Bryant was, famously, intentional in his approach to the big picture. His prep for practice and games was detailed down to the minute, down to the movement. He was the same way with his sneakers, pushing Nike to develop new silhouettes, to incorporate lighter materials, to deliver a better performance product. 

It shouldn’t surprise people to hear, then, that Bryant was detail-oriented about less visible minutiae, too. Yeah, he pretended to care about playing dominoes to win over teammates. And, yeah, he was exactingly meticulous in his 20-plus year relationship with SLAM.

It began a few covers in, with Bryant admitting in the early aughts that he read Trash Talk. He didn’t just peep them, though; Bryant used any and all negativity as fuel. 

“It mattered to him,” recalls Ryan Jones, a former SLAM Ed., “that SLAM heads didn’t have an accurate idea of what made him tick. On some level, that motivated him.” 

Fast forward to 2006. A lot has happened in the Bryantverse in the decade since he’s been drafted, even in the few years since his Trash Talk admission. Now, he appears on the cover of SLAM clutching a snake—symbolizing his Black Mamba moniker—to his face. 

“Who else would have done that?” laughs Jones.

Another few years, another cover. Bryant is no longer looking for love. Now, he’s mindful about all the details. The shoot is set to take place in Hawaii, but Bryant and his team want SLAM to fly in his personal barber from L.A. After some back-and-forth, the sides compromise: a local Hawaiian barber of renown is booked to be on set for Bryant. Only thing is, when Bryant shows up, he’s already rocking a fresh cut. The resulting cover—American flag draped over his freshy—is iconic. 

Twenty10. At this point, Bryant doesn’t show up for cover shoots. He wants to pitch ideas, to own the creative process. A hint at his post-basketball life. 

“He demanded Martin Schoeller,” says Ben Osborne, the then-Ed. at SLAM. Schoeller, famous for his up-close celebrity portraits, would shoot Bryant for SLAM 136. “There’s never been anyone like Bryant about that. Not even close.”

Fast forward again. 2019. Bryant’s last cover before…you know. SLAM is amenable to having their first retired player not named MJ on the cover. They want him in a suit, to represent the business, man, he’s become, but he wants to be captured as a coach, to have his girls’ team with him. Emails are exchanged, and when the day arrives, Bryant walks in wearing a Mamba sweatsuit and carrying a big ol’ bag of basketballs.

***

Mamba Mentality. 

A hoops writer at a different magazine once defined the depths of Michael Jordan’s transcendence by pointing out that the best people in any given industry were labeled “the Michael Jordan” of that sector. 

There’s no denying that the author made a great point. Just like there’s no denying that Mamba Mentality, Bryant’s self-titled ethos, is the Michael Jordan of motivational phrases.  

Bryant, in the only autobiographical book he ever published, defined Mamba Mentality as, more or less, an acute and laser-like focus on excellence. Since his death it has taken on new meaning.

“I had…an epiphany the other night,” someone messaged me recently. “Mamba Mentality has evolved into more than just a mindset or approach. It has become an ideology.” 

***

In the years after his death, Bryant has been enshrined as one of the most important ambassadors of the women’s game. In the weeks leading up to his death, he led a small camp for elite women at his gym. In his final SLAM cover, he insisted on having his youth team—his girls’ youth team—on the cover with him. In his afterlife, he made the orange WNBA logo hoodie a bestseller. 

First, he changed the men’s game. Then, he changed the Mentality. Finally, with his final moments on hardwood, he helped give women a small boost. 

Yeah, Kobe Bryant is the Michael Jordan of SLAM’s era. Yeah, SLAM is the Mamba Mentality of magazines. Yeah, we were lucky to have Bryant, and we’re lucky to still have SLAM. 

Feature photo via Getty Images.

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Villanova Defeats UNC in the National Championship Game at the Buzzer (2016)

UNC’s Marcus Paige had just hit what would be one of the NCAA’s craziest shots in national championship history to tie the game at 74 a piece with just under 5 seconds remaining. Unfortunately for Paige, that shot is erased from many people’s memory bank because of what transpired shortly after. Coming out of a timeout with the length of the court to go and 4.7 seconds on the clock, Villanova’s Kris Jenkins inbounded the ball to Ryan Arcidiacono. He’d make his way up the court and pitch the ball back to Jenkins who was trailing the play. With 1.2 seconds left, Jenkins walked into an open three-pointer, let off a picture-perfect textbook release and the rest was history. Buzzer beaters are among the most exciting plays in basketball. But a buzzer-beater to win the national championship?! There’s a pretty good chance I’ll never see another walk-off buzzer-beater in the national championship again in my life. For that reason alone, I’ll savor this moment forever.

LeBron James Breaks the NBA’s All-Time Scoring Record (2023)

I’m just old enough to remember watching LeBron James when he was at St. Vincent-St. Mary. It feels like yesterday he was deemed “The Chosen One” as a 17-year-old junior in high school. Love him or hate him, there’s no true basketball lover who doesn’t respect the man. As a Kobe fan, I never rooted for LeBron growing up but I always respected his greatness. Quite frankly, he didn’t leave me with much of a choice. His journey from high school phenom to the Mount Rushmore of basketball has been admirable, to say the least. Watching him shoot one of his patented mid-range fadeaway jumpers to break Kareem’s all-time NBA scoring record is a basketball memory I’ll tell my kids about one day. At the rate he’s going, LeBron looks like he could play another 20 years. My future kids just might get to watch him for themselves.

Stephen Curry Breaks the NBA’s All-Time Three-Point Record (2021)

Every time Stephen Curry makes a three-pointer, he breaks a record. His own record. It’s no secret that Steph is the best shooter to walk this planet. On Dec. 14, 2022, under the bright lights of the world’s most famous arena Madison Square Garden, he stamped what was already a foregone conclusion. As he broke free from the Knicks’ defense, he caught a pass on the right wing from Andrew Wiggins and let it go with no hesitation like he’s done too many times to count over the course of his career. Nothing but net. Watching him lead his underdog Davidson Wildcats on an unprecedented NCAA Tournament run back in 2008 was mesmerizing. Experiencing watching him break the NBA’s all-time three-point record, and counting, is the epitome of what makes Steph the greatest show on earth.

Dawn Staley Becomes the First Black Coach to Win Two Division I Titles (2022)

I’m a fan of so many women’s college basketball programs, but since I was a kid UConn has been my favorite. I never ever root against them. This was the case in 2022 as they faced the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship. From the tip-off, South Carolina controlled the game and ended up pulling out a 15-point victory for what’d be Dawn Staley’s second national championship. As much as I would’ve loved to see Paige Bueckers capture a chip, I couldn’t help but be proud of witnessing history with Coach Staley becoming the first Black coach, male or female, to win two Division I titles. She’s known for no-nonsense approach to the game, but it’s evident how much she loves her players. In a sport that’s made up of mostly Black athletes, Black women coaches aren’t represented equitably. Coach Staley takes pride in her Blackness and carries that chip on her shoulder. Being able to watch her handle herself so gracefully on the way to making Black history is one of my favorite hoop memories that I can recall. 

Kobe Bryant Scores 60 in his Farewell Game at Staples Center (2016)

On April 13, 2016, basketball enthusiasts had a tough decision to make. You could either choose to watch the Golden State Warriors strive for their record-breaking 73rd victory or you could tune in to watch Kobe Bryant’s last game ever. As much as I love some Golden State, Kobe’s farewell was the easy choice for me. At this point, Kobe was fighting through a broken down body that he put on the line for two decades on his way to becoming one of the greatest hoopers to ever grace a court. The aura surrounding the game was charged with emotion as Kobe delivered a performance for the ages. He willed his way to 60 points, and most importantly a comeback win over the Jazz. Every basket felt like a poetic punctuation mark to an illustrious career. As the final buzzer sounded, the cheers of the crowd echoed gratitude, respect and a profound farewell to one of the game’s greatest icons. Kobe’s last game was more than a spectacle; it was a symphony of greatness that basketball fans will cherish forever.

Curtis’ Corner

Hoops: College Basketball “Feast Week” is underrated as a series of sporting events. This past week, we’ve seen some great hoop from some of the top teams in the country. Feast Week gives teams a taste of tournament-style play in preparation for March Madness down the road. The Zach Edey-led Purdue Boilermakers won the Maui Invitational for the first time in program history. Could this be the year they win the Big Dance, too?

Rap: Like most rap fans, Scary Hours 3 has been on constant rotation for me. Every track is barred up, and you hatin’ if you say otherwise. “Evil Ways” and “The Shoe Fits” are my go-to’s from the EP. Furthermore, I’m patiently waiting for Cole’s “The Fall Off” and really curious to hear what it will sound like. What are the chances we get it before the year is out?

Everything Black: André 3000’s “New Blue Sun” is beautiful. It’s the perfect background music for any occasion. I love how comfortable André is living in his truth. As much as I’d love one, he doesn’t owe us a hip-hop album. His legacy is set in stone as one of the culture’s greatest artists ever.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

Photos via Getty Images

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Nah, not the cassette tapes and baggy jeans. We’re talkin’ about the moments that defined the game, the biggest wins and the brightest superstars. 

SLAM Presents The Best NBA Photos of the ’90s contains hundreds of photos that visually chronicles the entire decade.

In this special collector’s issue, we hit on the biggest wins, the brightest superstars and the most hilarious memories with these photos. No long talk here, though, because a picture’s worth 1,000 words.

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Named in honor of his uniform number, the curvy, almost dream-like (I see puffy clouds) KB8 was considered an addition to the Feet You Wear line that Bryant had rocked previously, with its round edges making the silhouette extra agile, comfortable and good looking. The KB8’s tech features—mesh lining, EVA midsoles and adi’s Torsion system—made it one of the most advanced basketball shoes to hit the market. Unsurprisingly to those who know the game, Bryant’s second season in the NBA represented a major step forward: he started the All-Star Game, upped his scoring average to 15.4 ppg and helped the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals for the first of many times in his career. On the court, his star only grew. Adidas rode Kobe’s wave straight through a number of signature releases and three straight NBA championships before the brand and player had a falling out during the 2002 offseason.

After an epic ’02-03 sneaker free agent season that saw Bryant play in a variety of non-adidas sneakers, he famously signed with Nike and wore the Swoosh for the remainder of his career. A 20-year Laker who scored more points than anyone ever has in the iconic purple and gold (mostly wearing Nikes), Kobe is thought of by many fans as a Nike guy, which is fine. But old heads know: Kobe entered the game in adidas, and when history carved out a pair for him, it was the KB8. Bryant’s departure from adidas meant the brand could no longer use his name or initials on any product, but adidas knew a winning shoe when they had one. Rechristened the Crazy 8 and retroed for the first time in ’07, the classic kicks have been seen on the likes of Derrick Rose (during his ’10-11 MVP campaign, no less), Justin Bieber (during the 2011 Celebrity All-Star Game) and various young adidas NBA athletes through the years. They cause a stir every time they come back on the market. Clearly, Crazy 8s will be here forever.

BUY YOUR COPY OF SLAMKICKS PRESENTS TOP 100: THE GREATEST BASKETBALL SNEAKERS OF ALL TIME

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But that doesn’t mean it was easy. A reinforced wall of doubt and skepticism stood in between Kobe and his desire back in the mid-2000s. Not many understood the vision, and far fewer were willing to welcome the future of basketball sneakers. 

The prevailing knowledge was that low-cut sneakers would be unsafe. Players wore mids and highs because of the perception that the extra height safe-guarded their ankles. But clunky and heavy sneakers, mixed with tight tape jobs and bulky ankle braces, were actually way more dangerous. The secret lay waiting in ankle strengthening stretches and proper heel lockdown. 

Bryant and legendary Nike Basketball designer Eric Avar believed in the future so much that they burst through the wall and arrived on the other side with the low-cut Kobe 4. They refined that concept with the Kobe 5. Bryant won back-to-back championships with those. And with nearly two straight calendar years of basketball played in those silhouettes, the ever-meticulous Bean gathered up all of his findings. And it was the Kobe 6 that became the masterpiece. 

Even lower than the 4 and the 5, the 6’s foundation used Nike Zoom cushioning in the heel, a Met Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, a Phylon midsole and a carbon fiber shank. The upper was triple-layered. Under the surface, a standard mesh interacted with Flywire cables. Flywire, also seen on the Kobe 4 and the 5, is what allowed Avar to go lower. The cables were placed strategically in spots where the foot endures extreme stress, and their durability let Avar shed a ton of unnecessary materials. 

Above the mesh and the Flywire, Bryant introduced the basketball world to the land of snakes. The Kobe 6 coincided with the debut of his Black Mamba alter ego. Always inspired by nature and the animal kingdom, Bean had found a kinship with the highly venomous killer from sub-Saharan Africa whose venom helps it make easy work of mice, birds, squirrels and, yes, even humans. Bryant wanted everyone to know that he was the top of the top, the most unforgiving and feared player in the NBA. The final layer of the Kobe 6’s upper was made of a faux-snakeskin material. 

Kobe’s mind made the connection between soccer and basketball—two of his great passions—and millions of people followed. The 6 has become the most coveted of his already highly sought-after line. Colorways flooded in and continue to do so. 

After all these years, the epiphany’s light continues to guide the way.

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Now that you have the criteria in your mind, hopefully all 100 of these sneakers make sense to you. 

I stand by this list wholeheartedly. When we made SLAM Presents JORDANS Vol. 6: The Air Jordan XI, we very clearly and very definitively put “The Best Basketball Sneaker of All Time” on that cover. That was my true belief before we made that issue and it remains after making this issue. From that No. 1 spot and onwards, we extensively combed basketball sneaker history. I spent days writing down over 300 different sneakers that could’ve been on here and then we—sneakerheads and basketball nerds on the SLAM staff spanning multiple generations—spent a whole bunch of time arguing with each other to hammer out the list that you’re about to read. 

For all those who think I’m foolish for putting the Air Jordan I in the fourth slot and for all those who recognize I know my stuff by including the Nike Hyperfuse 2011 on this list, I welcome you all. This type of stuff is where it gets fun. So let’s have some fun, SLAM Fam. 

As always, wear your damn kicks. 

Peace,

Max Resetar

Which basketball sneakers made our list? Let the debates begin…

No. 1

Worn by the greatest player ever during the greatest single season ever.

READ HERE

No. 3

These kicks coincided with the debut of Kobe’s Black Mamba alter ego.

READ HERE

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He’s become a premier playoff performer during his six postseason tours; however, the Jazz only won two playoff series; Mitchell was a standout and did everything he could to help lead Utah over the hump before they traded him to Cleveland last summer.

Now that trajectory is skyrocketing again after he dropped a Cavaliers franchise record 71 points, career-high tying 11 assists, and eight rebounds in 50 minutes on 22-34 shooting from the field and 7-15 shooting from beyond the arc to lead the Cavaliers to a 145-134 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls. He also hit a career-high 20-25 free throws.

71 PTS
8 REB
11 AST
W

Donovan Mitchell sets a new scoring record for the Cleveland Cavaliers and becomes only the 7th player in NBA history to score 70+ points in a game. pic.twitter.com/qbOwr3sqyH

— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023

Mitchell has scored the most points in a game by any player since Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant put up 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. Then-76ers center and eventual Hall-of-Famer Wilt Chamberlain holds the single-game record for most points scored after he scored 100 against the Knicks on March 2, 1962.

“To be there in the record book with guys like Wilt is truly humbling,” said Mitchell, per ESPN. “I always believed I could be one of the best players in the league. I’m speechless and blessed to be in the company of that greatness.”

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Mitchell’s coup-de-grace happened during overtime, as he scored 13 points. He forced overtime after rebounding his intentionally missed free throw and hit a circus shot layup with 3.0 seconds left to tie the game up at 130-all. The clutch bucket broke the Cavaliers’ previous single-game scoring record of 58 points.

Spida is the seventh player in League history to join the 70-point club. Chamberlain did it six times, while Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, and Booker each scored at least 70 points once.

“We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the game,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary.

“Donovan has never put himself above the team, so how can you not root for a guy like that? I told everyone else to get out of the way.”

The three-time All-Star scored or assisted on 99 points, the second most in a game in NBA history and the most since Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point outing. His 55 second-half points are tied with Bryant for the most by any player over the past 25 seasons.

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When he thinks about who he sought out for advice on how to reach their level of superstardom and legendary status, KD pointed out the game Kobe put him on to as an up-and-coming centerpiece on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Really, just don’t be a crybaby,” Durant said Wednesday, per ESPN. “I was at that age at 23 where I thought the world revolved around me. And I know we’ve talked a lot about Kobe; he was real humble in how he approached the game, how he approached his teammates, just life in general. So I learned just from watching his movements.

“He was an example; he didn’t say much, but he was an example just by how he moved, and I try to emulate; like I said, him and Mike are two dudes I emulate on and off the court what they do, and I know it will make me better.”

The subject and memories of the Black Mamba came up because Hornets head coach Steve Clifford compared th two former Finals MVPs to each other. He specifically called out how the two legendary hoopers are “very similar in terms of the way work,” how they’re “both students of the game,” and he’s noticed that Durant and Bryant are both passionate and “care deeply about the results more than they like individual numbers.”

When Durant heard about Cliffords’ analysis, he was appreciative.

“It’s hard to fill them shoes and be a Kobe Bryant,” Durant said. “But Kob is somebody I’ve been around and still study to this day. And basically, I just try to copy everything he does, same with Michael Jordan. Those two guys just set the tone for everything you want to be as a basketball player. So I just simply try to copy them as much as I can.”

Another Kobe disciple and a close friend and teammate of Durant also notice the similarities. Irving noticed the sacrifices Durant and Bryant made in the pursuit of greatness. Irving also reflected that for Bryant and Durant and players chasing greatness, there are similarities like “the hours that are put in,” as well as “the way that they prepare” and, of course, “how serious they take what they do.”

“And they’re very competitive, Kobe and KD. Obviously, with Kob transitioning in the last few years, he would definitely be giving us some gems to continue on, and you can tell that K got a lot of advice from him and watched him a lot.”

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The Best NBA Photos of All Time Special Collector’s Issue is out now.

One quick note on the content: These images are in zero particular order, nothing is chronological, just incredible photo followed by incredible photo. Three legendary photographers were tasked with choosing their favorites from their respective catalogs, so Nat Butler, Andy Bernstein and Atiba Jefferson all have their own sections, but beyond that, this magazine was designed so that the reader has no idea what will be on the next page. 

Only that it’ll be absolutely beautiful and it’ll tell one hell of a story.

Peace,

Adam Figman

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When it comes to pure skill and dominance, there are only a few names that make the shortlist of the greatest hoopers to lace them up. On that short list would Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James, who all share the ‘killer’ mindset that has broken the hearts of many opposing fanbases and elevated their status to all-time heights.

Antetokounmpo aims to be on that list and may already be there, as he psychologically challenges himself to dominate whatever is in his way of becoming the greatest of all time.

In a group text to his siblings, Antetokoumpo was inspired by a ‘Redeem Team’ movie scene that featured Bryant running through his then Los Angeles Lakers teammate Pau Gasol in an Olympic game. Let’s not forget, it was Bean who once challenged Antetokounmpo to become MVP in 2019. The late great Laker always had confidence in Antetokounmpo, so to see the multi-time All-Star embrace his inner “crazy” would make the Black Mamba happy.

“In order for you to be great, you have to be a little bit crazy.”

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Through whispers in his head telling him he can’t do the impossible, Antetokounmpo responds to that inner monologue by overworking on areas of the game that he’s not elite in. Though that’s what a coach wishes to hear from their star player, Antetokoumpo adds a statement that lets you know he’s operating on a different level.

“I’m working so hard on things that I’m able to do, but I’m not unlocking it,” Antetokunmpo told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “And that’s the next step for me: to unlock things that I’ve worked on this summer and make my game easier.”

Season 10. Let’s gooooooo!! pic.twitter.com/k8W6jZEtPB

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) October 19, 2022

Essentially, the back-to-back MVP has enforced the idea upon himself that no one can guard him effectively. Though it comes off a tad bit disrespectful, who really gets in the way of Antetokounmpo nowadays? The 2021 Finals MVP won his first championship off a ridiculous 50-point game that featured him making 17 made free throws, silencing critics who complained about his accuracy from the line and perceived it to be a weakness of his game.

When you factor in how the 2021 Finals MVP has evolved into an elite physical specimen capable of finesse scoring at times, you understand that the work ethic is there, and it’s resulted in Antetokounmpo becoming the most physically dominant player in the NBA today.

The Greek Freak is entering the early years of his prime as he turns 28-years-old on Dec. 6. Although NBA fans may consider Antetokounmpo the best player in the world, his legacy rides on just how far he’s willing to take the term ‘crazy.’

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After winning the chip, the veteran forward draped himself in a Mexican flag, proudly honoring his Mexican heritage. 

Toscano-Anderson broke many Warriors fans’ hearts after he decided to sign with the Lakers for the 2022-2023 season.

In five preseason games, he averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 boards, and a whole lot of competitive fire in 18.3 minutes.

“Juan is doing some amazing, competitive basketball-playing,” Lakers Coach Darvin Ham said, per Andscape. “You need those kinds of guys that can get you 50-50 balls, take charges, and put bodies on bodies knowing that they may not be the one who gets the rebound or stat or whatever.”

“They still sacrifice for their teammates. You can’t have enough of those guys in your locker room. And Juan Toscano-Anderson is at the top of the list of everything he does. His attitude, [the] energy [he] brings to work every day. His teammates are very fond of him.”

Not only does JTA’s character shine on the court and in the locker room, but he is trailblazing a path for Mexico and basketball. 

“Things don’t happen overnight,” Toscano-Anderson said. “Basketball is a growing sport in Mexico, there; there’s a lot of financial interest in it — I know there are guys that can do it for me, but it’s a different world now in regard to marketing and advertising. I’m opening doors to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Mexico.”

Toscano-Anderson is the first Laker of Mexican descent. For a city that is 75 percent ethnically Mexican, is populated by over five million Mexicans, and has the largest Hispanic, JTA’s arrival is momentous. While the Lakers have aired Spanish-speaking broadcasts since 1993, the franchise has not had a Spanish-speaking player since Kobe Bryant retired in 2016.

Although he was not Hispanic, Bryant energetically embraced the Mexican community in Los Angeles.

“If there was a guy that understood the love, the passion, the loyalty of the Hispanic community, especially towards the Lakers, it was Kobe.” former Lakers Spanish television announcer Adrian Garcia Marquez said. 

Being the first Spanish-speaking player since Kobe and being half-Mexican, JTA can connect to L.A’s Hispanic and Latino roots.

“There are probably more Mexicans watching the Lakers than any other demographic. That’s very important, not only for myself in the Lakers, but in L.A. for [the] Mexican community, the Latino community,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I don’t want to call myself an ambassador, but somebody who’s representing and who can speak the language. I’m representing full throttle. I can speak the language; I represent my culture, everything.”

Toscano-Anderson is embracing the L.A. community, and the L.A. community is embracing him. Known for murals of Laker greats – Kobe, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and more – the city recently added a Juan Toscano-Anderson mural. On the outside wall of a Mexican bakery, JTA dons a Lakers jersey with a Mexican flag wrapped around his shoulders, and Mexico City’s Tenochtitlán pyramids and downtown L.A. in the background.

“I went to the reveal of the mural. That was really dope,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I’m very appreciative of that. It’s LA, man, City of Champions. That was really cool. I couldn’t believe it, to be honest. I didn’t have anything, nothing like that before. It was more than just the sports thing. It was about that community embracing me there.”

Born to an African American father and a Mexican mother, JTA wants to be a positive role model for both Mexican American and African American kids. 

“It’s been magnified that I’m Mexican, but I also want people to know that I’m just as proud of being Black.”

“I’m Black every day. The way I dress, the way I talk. My sauce. I’m a Black man when I step out on America — Black is beautiful; I’m proud of being Black as well. Being Black makes me who I am.”

For Oakland, Los Angeles, and Mexico, Toscano-Anderson’s impact has not gone unnoticed. The community-oriented forward plays in his first game as a Los Angeles Laker tonight against the Golden State Warriors. The second NBA player of Mexican descent to win a title, Toscano-Anderson will be honored and receive his championship ring.

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Reggie Miller’s hands extending like prayer over Penny Hardaway and the wings of an angel; Bill Russell against the backdrop of the Milky Way; Kobe in Crayola contemplation. These are a few of the images in the collaged work of artist Bradley Ward. Born in Houston, TX, he says he grew up as a huge Hakeem Olajuwon fan. His first heartbreak came at the Rockets’ expense, when John Stockton hit “that shot” over Charles Barkley at the buzzer in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in 1997.

Ward and his older sister played basketball “religiously,” but his sister was the notable athlete of the two. She was “like the Michael Jordan or Cheryl Miller” of the family, he says. So, in his senior year of high school he decided to focus on something that could get him noticed: his artwork. 

He received a BFA from Texas Southern and an MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where a professor asked him to make something from his own experience. That assignment reminded him of an idea he had in undergrad after seeing a photograph from the iconic Walter Iooss of a David Robinson rebound in a Spurs vs Lakers game. It showed Robinson looking up at the rim, captured in light, which reminded Ward of a sketch in his Tumblr feed of King David. “It was the same exact composition,” he recalls.

He began meshing Western canonical paintings like Caravaggio’s “Calling of St. Matthew” with NBA photos of LeBron James shooting a free-throw in the Finals. This mixing got Ward thinking, “we have long since preserved and revered these images of white bodies, but here we have Black bodies, in real time, doing the same thing.” For Ward, it was Arthur Jafa and the collage work of Lorna Simpson that made him consider “who gets to tell the history” and wrestle with ideas of ownership, agency and what contemporary art can be about.

In the studio, while sourcing an image, Ward listens to hip-hop initially. Sampling is, of course, an artistic tool central to both hip-hop cultural production and African Diasporic practice, a way to pay homage to one’s history and referencing what came before. Like Kobe perfecting MJ’s fadeaway.

Once Ward begins to manipulate the image, drawing on top or around it, editing in photoshop or by hand, he switches the playlist, like a DJ, to something “much softer.” Earth, Wind & Fire, Sade, Luther Vandross or The O’Jays are his go-tos. The “softer” side functions both as a complement to the boom bap, but also as a space of deeper reflection. “When I first started out, I wanted to highlight the idea of agency and ingenuity. And now what I’m trying to do is show these moments of fraternal intimacy.”

In his artwork, Ward represents the kinship and camaraderie of being on a team, of working with a group toward a common goal, of winning but also forging bonds in the fire of blood, sweat and tears. He wants to uplift and honor the “small quotidian moment” of hoops, like Jerry Stackhouse touching the head of Rasheed Wallace, as if they are brothers.

For more information on the artistry of Bradley Ward visit his website and on IG, @brvdley.

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DeRozan was most recently seen rocking a pair of Kobe 6s when he teamed up with LeBron James at Drew League two weeks ago. The five-time All-Star, who played in Kobes throughout high school and college, became the most active representative of the Kobe signature line after Bryant retired in 2016.

Nike and the Bryant estate could not come to terms on a new contract following Kobe’s passing but reached an agreement in March of this year, according to ESPN’s Nick DePaula. DeRozan has regularly debuted the latest Kobe models and consistently rocked older models from his collection since his rookie season.

“For me personally, he meant everything to me basketball-wise,” DeRozan told reporters when speaking about Bryant’s influence in January. “That’s well documented, a mentor of mine, a friend of mine, someone that taught me a big part of the game and motivated me to have the mentality that I have today.”

The 32-year-old earned a new deal with Nike after leading the Bulls to the playoffs for the first time in five years and averaging a career-high 27.9 points per game last season. While no specifics regarding DeRozan’s role with Nike have been announced, we can expect the Compton native to continue rocking Beans for the foreseeable future.

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Jonathan Kuminga first learned the game by watching Kobe highlights at an internet cafe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Now at 19 years old, he’s an NBA champion. pic.twitter.com/FD8bjjSFRl

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 26, 2022

Everything you see from Kuminga, his work ethic, and his potential as a two-way lockdown star for the Warriors came from the adversity of his journey to the League. It came from Kuminga growing up watching Kobe Bryant highlights in an internet cafe in the Congo.

“It was crazy cause there’s a lot of things that you have over here that you don’t get over there. Going to the Internet cafe at an early young age, just watching Kobe, and that’s when I fell in love with basketball.” Kuminga said.

Kuminga went on say that people his age or younger that come to the States should use the presented opportunity to come here and take advantage of it.

Kuminga parlayed his high school success into becoming a part of the inaugural G League Ignite team. Kuminga went on to cement his potential as a lottery pick-level player, averaging 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. After his season of development with the G League Ignite, the Golden State Warriors were impressed with Kuminga enough to draft him seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“Just me going to the G League; it was just basically like me leaving home and coming here. I think I was going to be drafted just a year after that, and it be way higher. That’s what made me go to the G League and just get ready to be professional and way ahead of everybody. The night I got drafted, my parents came over, and then I heard my name get called just to sit at the same table; I don’t think that happened since I left home. That was just a joyful time to enjoy it with my parents and my family.”

Next season, Kuminga will have a prime opportunity to become a vital piece of the Warriors’ rotation as they attempt to defend their 2022 title. The Warriors let vital members of their bench mob walk in free agency in order to focus on their develop and win now philosophy, while Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green remain on the roster.

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This list is also featured in our special issue, SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time. Shop here.

Check out the full list below to see who our number one is and where your favorite team ranks. We expect that there will be some disgruntled fans out there, but that’s what makes this fun, right?

No. 66-75

Last but certainly not least. From the 1997-98 Pacers who put up a fight against the Chicago Bulls’ “Last Dance” squad to the 2018-19 Raptors that made history in the 6.

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No. 65-55

These squads set the foundation for greatness to come. The birth of the Celtics dynasty with Bill Russell to the 2004-2005 Phoenix Suns had the best record in the L.

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No. 54-44

Rewriting history. The 2003-04 Pistons that ended the Lakers’ Finals run to Milwaukee’s first title.

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No. 43-33

Heavyweights turned champions. From the 1983-84 Celtics that brought the ‘chip back to the Bean over LA to the 2011-12 Heat that won LeBron James his first ring.

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No. 32-22

Tight spaces and pressure packed situations formed these teams into dynasties. From the 2001-02 Lakers completing the three-peat, to the Spurs squad that gave Tim Duncan his third ring.

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No. 21-11

These squads made history. The 2015-16 Warriors that won 73 games to the Cavaliers team that upset them in that same Finals.

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No. 10

Back to back. Miami became the first Eastern Conference team to repeat as champions since the “Last Dance” Bulls.

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No. 9

At the height of their dominance in 2000-01, the Shaq and Kobe-led Lakers generated one of the best postseason runs ever when they lost just one game in the 2001 playoffs.

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No. 8

Paid in Full. The early 80’s were mostly dominated by the Lakers and Celtics, but the 1982-83 Sixers, led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone, swept LA in the Finals.

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No. 7

The first of six rings for Jordan, this Bulls squad redeemed themselves when they swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and then defeated the Lakers in five.

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No. 6

A revenge tour and Magic’s first regular-season MVP, this “Showtime” Lakers team returned to the Finals after missing it the previous season.

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No. 5

A coin flip in ’69 allowed the Bucks to draft Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which brought a championship in his second season as he averaged over 30 points per game and earned MVP honors. Legendary.

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No. 4

Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics were flying high in the mid 80’s. Larry himself won his second Finals MVP trophy in ’86.

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No. 3

The opening act before Showtime. The Lakers capped off a tremendous season and brought vindication to the franchise. Wilt Chamberlain was the Finals MVP, and Jerry West could finally feel like a winner.

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No. 2

One of the most talented teams ever assembled in the L, the Warriors lost only a single game during the 2017 playoffs. Adding Kevin Durant made their 2016-17 squad unstoppable.

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No. 1

Top 2 and they’re not 2. The 1995-96 Bulls weathered a perfect storm; getting Michael Jordan back in full form, adding Dennis Rodman, the Bulls won their fourth title.

READ HERE

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“I can remember when he was a little boy—this is how obsessed he was,” recalls Brandy Cole, the mother of Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum. “I asked him, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ His first answer in life was, ‘Kobe.’”

Brandy tried to explain to her son: You can’t be Kobe. You can be an NBA player, like Kobe. But you can’t be Kobe.

Jayson refused to accept that. And when mom dared to suggest that he could one day be better than Kobe, her son damn near lost his mind.

“I was like, ‘Can’t nobody be better than Kobe!’” Tatum remembers. “It didn’t even make sense to me.”

Not too long ago, Jayson Tatum hated the Boston Celtics. As a kid growing up in St. Louis, MO—a city without a hometown NBA team—he fell in love with Kobe and the Lakers. That love, dating back to when Jayson was 4 years old, ran deep. It was an obsession.

He retreated to his bedroom and cried when Boston beat L.A. in the 2008 Finals. He was ecstatic when Kobe got his revenge in 2010, winning his fifth and final championship.

“From the beginning, [Kobe] was always my favorite player,” Tatum explains. “I wanted to be just like him. He was my biggest basketball inspiration.”

By the age of 6, Jayson was getting into heated arguments with Brandy about who was better, Kobe or Michael Jordan. She watched MJ and the Bulls rule the League in the ’90s. Jayson’s allegiance, of course, was always to the Mamba.

In every way possible, Jayson tried to emulate his idol. He was shooting turnaround, fadeaway jumpers by third grade. Brandy would peer out the window and see Jayson working on Kobe’s moves in the backyard of their home in University City.

He rocked all the Kobe kicks and apparel he could get his hands on.

“My favorite Kobe shoes were the Kobe 3s,” Tatum says. “I had on the ‘What The’ Kobe 9s in the state championship game my senior year. Played in Kobe ‘Preludes,’ 5s and 6s, when I was on the EYBL circuit.”

“I can remember the first time I found out that Flight Club existed, he was entering his senior year and he wanted these shoes—’What The’ Kobes,” Brandy says. “They were already expensive to me. I looked high and low, and then I found Flight Club. Of course, the only place [that had them]. And I was like, You mean I got to pay more for these? [laughs] But he was like, ‘That’s all I want. It can be my Christmas gift and my birthday gift. That’s all I want.’”

In 2007, Jayson met Kobe for the first time at Quicken Loans Arena, when the Cavaliers hosted the Lakers. He still has the picture they took in the hallway after the game. That same year, he went to All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas with Brandy. They didn’t have tickets to the events but made it to the NBA’s Jam Session—a giant activation geared toward kids. Tatum picked out a red Western Conference All-Star Kobe jacket. Brandy dug it up after Bryant’s passing and surprised Jayson with it.

Tatum’s fandom started as most fandoms do. He gravitated to the exciting showman playing on one of the League’s brightest stages. The Lakers regularly appeared on national TV. Bryant regularly appeared on SportCenter’s Top 10. Once Tatum discovered YouTube, he’d spend hours and hours going through highlights. 

“One of my all-time favorite plays when I was younger was when they threw the full-court pass to him and he did the 180 when he went behind his back,” he says. “That shit was just, like, unbelievable to me when I first saw that.”

As he became older and found his own success in basketball, Jayson began to look up to Kobe for reasons far beyond a lob to Shaq or a poster over Dwight. He kept watching the highlights, only this time, he studied them differently.

“I remember my dad telling me, ‘Don’t just watch his buckets. Watch how hard he works to get open for the ball, his demeanor, how efficient he is with his body movements and his jab steps, his footwork. Don’t just watch the shot go in,’” Tatum says. “I really started to pay attention to the little things.”

“The little things” extended far beyond clips on YouTube. Jayson read stories of Kobe’s work ethic, drive and intensity. He listened to the Mamba speak about it himself—how he put all his eggs in one basket, how he chased his goal of making the NBA relentlessly, how he never had a backup plan. It became Tatum’s own mantra.

“He said the exact same words to me,” Brandy explains. “We would talk about work ethic and all of that. I would say, ‘OK, what’s your Plan B just in case [you don’t make the NBA]?’ He looked at me one day and he was like, ‘That’s the difference between me…’ and he named all these other people. ‘They actually have a fallback plan, a Plan B.’ These were his exact words: ‘Mom, no. It’s this or die.’ And I responded, ‘Um, no. Maybe there’s something else, like coaching.’ I was trying to get him to at least come up with something. There’s a small number of people that actually make the NBA, and as a lawyer, I’m always like, Do your due diligence, make sure you have all your bases covered. But he was emphatic. ‘It’s this or nothing.’”

As early as elementary school, Tatum embraced the Mamba Mentality. He’d tell teachers that his dream was to be an NBA player, and when they encouraged him to choose something more realistic, he remained steadfast.

“I can remember vividly, he was in the fourth grade playing AAU Nationals in New Orleans,” Brandy says. “We would go on trips and there was a rule that you couldn’t swim or couldn’t have fries and ice cream and stuff like that, because you couldn’t swim all day in the sun and then go play and compete. We lost, and a bunch of other kids on the team were like, Yay, now we can go swim. We get back to the hotel and they all can’t wait to get into their swimsuits and go to the pool. I go in our room and Jayson’s sitting on the floor with his back against the wall in tears. You’re not going swimming? He said, ‘No, I don’t understand. We lost. There’s nothing to be happy about.’ He was just so upset. There was always something different about him.”

That continued into high school, when Jayson was up at 5 am every morning and off to the gym before Brandy even got out of bed. He paid attention to the details and never took shortcuts. He mastered Bryant’s jab step by training for an entire week without a basketball, just replicating the motion over and over again. During his four years at Chaminade, head coach Frank Bennett insists he took just two days off—the two days following their state championship victory his senior season.

All of that stemmed from Bryant and a desire to follow in his footsteps. It seemed to come full circle when, amid Boston’s 2018 playoff run, Kobe dedicated a segment of his ESPN show Detail to breaking down Tatum’s game. Then a rookie, Tatum had been helping to lead an injury-riddled Celtics team through the Eastern Conference. After years of analyzing Bryant’s every move, the roles had suddenly reversed. Jayson watched the episode on repeat.

“I started to talk to him during the playoffs. He told me when I get to L.A. to contact him. If I wanted to get in the gym, just let him know,” Tatum says. “And then when we did, I remember I was sweating on the way to the gym. My heart was beating fast. I remember I walked in and I was like, Yo, this shit…Kobe is here and I’m about to…like, it was…”

He struggles to find the words to describe the moment exactly. Here he was, having just turned 20, about to play basketball with his hero.

“I remember I would do a drill and he would show me how to do something or tell me what to do next, and I was just sitting there and in my mind I’m like, Yo, I’m working out with fucking Kobe Bryant.”

“It’s right up there with him getting drafted,” says Brandy, of that first workout between her son and Bryant. “It’s watching your kid’s dreams come true.”

“He’s iconic,” says Jayson. “He accomplished so much. I think it was just the way he went about it. The way he did things and his demeanor. He was different. That’s the best way to put it. He was just different. He was unlike anybody else. He did it his own way. And you could see when he passed away, so many people my age and even older guys in the NBA, they attribute him [with] being the reason they work so hard and started playing basketball.”

The news of Kobe’s death left Tatum heartbroken. He continued to honor his idol on the court, being named to his first All-Star team in late January. The seeds of that accomplishment were planted nearly two decades ago, when a young, awestruck Jayson first saw the Black Mamba dominate. Kobe was the reason he picked up a basketball. Kobe was the one who inspired him to strive for feats like this.

“No matter if it was during the regular season, postseason, All-Star—everything he’s always done, he’s always followed and wanted to emulate Kobe,” Brandy emphasizes. “Whether it was on the court, life accomplishments, USA [Basketball], All-Star.

“I think it’s a little bittersweet [making his first All-Star Game],” she continues. “I’m sure Kobe would’ve been there. I’m sure Jayson probably would’ve gotten a text or a phone call congratulating him. I think he would have been glad to see that Kobe was proud of him. It’s bittersweet, for sure, but I know that he knows Kobe is proud of him and that this is one of many. And if he keeps that Mamba Mentality, he’ll be a perennial All-Star, MVP candidate, all of that.”

That’s Plan A. And for Jayson Tatum, there aren’t any backup plans.

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9. 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 56-26

Roster: Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Greg Foster, Rick Fox, Devean George, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, Tyronn Lue, Mark Madsen, Stanislav Medvedenko, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Penberthy, Isaiah Rider, Brian Shaw

It’s easy to dismiss the ’00-01 Lakers’ 56 wins as “disappointing.” That wasn’t even the NBA’s top win total.

But the true test of this team—and most great outfits—is the postseason. In that regard, there is a different number that matters.

One.

The Lakers lost just one game in the 2001 Playoffs, the Finals opener against Philadelphia. They swept their first three opponents, including San Antonio, which had the NBA’s best record.

This was the middle championship of L.A.’s early 21st century three-peat, and it didn’t come easy, despite the playoff dominance. The Lakers fought injuries, withstood some animosity between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and had to integrate some new faces (Isaiah Rider, Horace Grant) into a deep rotation that won eight straight to finish the regular season.

Things were not great between the two stars, as the Big Brother-Little Brother dynamic was no longer that palatable to Bryant. Coach Phil Jackson was able to keep things relatively zen, but it was clear that the two weren’t too happy together. That led to some regular-season unease and a final record that doesn’t really represent how good this team was.

Of course, O’Neal was overpowering. Still at the peak of his powers, he averaged 28.7 ppg and 12.7 rpg. He was even better in the Finals, when he won MVP. Not that Bryant was simply riding shotgun or anything. He scored 28.5 ppg, by far his best performance as a professional up to that moment. They may not have been lunch buddies off the court, and they feuded during the season about the breakdown of offensive opportunities, but when the ball was tossed up, they formed an unbeatable tandem.

Perhaps the biggest reason why the team didn’t approach 70 victories was the absence for 62 games of point guard Derek Fisher, who was recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot. Once he returned, the offense was more efficient, and the Lakers played better at the other end, too. Grant was a steady interior force, while Rick Fox provided his usual all-around assistance.

In the playoffs, L.A. swept away Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio, as the team crackled. And though Allen Iverson’s 48 points in the Sixers’ overtime win in Game 1 of the Finals gave Philly some hope, the Lakers crushed that ruthlessly over the next four games to complete the second title in their three-peat. There was more—of everything—to come in 2001-02.

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At this point in the list, we’re getting into dynasty territory. Clutch moments and high-pressure situations were the norm for these squads, many of whom won multiple championships over a three to five year period. Different.

From iconic three-peats to historic dubs, here’s our picks for No. 32-22:

32. 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 59-23

Roster: Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Dion Glover, Robert Horry, Linton Johnson, Sean Marks, Tony Massenburg, Nazr Mohammed, Rasho Nesterovic, Tony Parker, Glenn Robinson, Malik Rose, Beno Udrih, Mike Wilks

The Spurs and Pistons came into the season having split the previous two NBA championships, and both upset higher-seeded opponents (the Suns and Heat, respectively) in the Conference Finals that spring. That set up a title bout that made up for a relative lack of star power with heavyweight intensity and dominant D. Five of seven Finals games ended with the losing team not breaking 80 points. The series ended with Tim Duncan securing his third ring.

31. 1963-64 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 59-21

Roster: John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Clyde Lovellette, Johnny McCarthy, Willie Naulls, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders, Larry Siegfried

Yawn, another title run, but at least Boston got a new Finals opponent to break up the monotony. The San Francisco Warriors tried to play immovable object to the Celtics’ unstoppable force, and in Wilt Chamberlain, the Dubs at least had the firepower. But Boston had the balance, experience and pedigree: John Havlicek and Sam Jones led the offense, and Bill Russell did his usual work, dominating defensively and on the glass to lead Boston to its seventh championship in eight tries.

30. 1969-70 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 60-22

Roster: Dick Barnett, Nate Bowman, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, Bill Hosket, Don May, Willis Reed, Mike Riordan, Cazzie Russell, Dave Stallworth, John Warren

When a new decade brought an end to the Celtics’ dominance, the Knicks asserted themselves as the class of the League. Behind MVP Willis Reed’s 21.7 ppg and 13.9 rpg and Walt Frazier’s stylish 20.9 points and 8.2 dimes per, New York rolled to the League’s best record and a Finals meeting with the Lakers. What followed was a seven-game classic against West, Wilt and Baylor, best remembered for Reed’s Game 7 effort on a bum leg that inspired his teammates to victory.

29. 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Paul Westhead, Pat Riley

Record: 57-25

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brewer, Michael Cooper, Clay Johnson, Magic Johnson,Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Mark Landsberger, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Kevin  McKenna, Norm Nixon, Kurt Rambis, Jamaal Wilkes

Pat Riley was second choice. When Paul Westhead was fired (at Magic Johnson’s urging) 11 games into the ’81-82 season, Lakers owner Jerry Buss named Jerry West head coach. Only West didn’t want it, so Riley—the former player turned broadcaster turned inexperienced assistant—got the gig. Duly motivated, Magic, Kareem and Jamaal Wilkes led L.A. back to the Finals, where they bounced the Sixers in six. Showtime was in effect, and one of the greatest coaching careers was born.

28. 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 58-24

Roster: Kobe Bryant, Joe Crispin, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Robert Horry, Lindsey Hunter, Mark Madsen, Jelani McCoy, Stanislav Medvedenko, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Penberthy, Mitch Richmond, Brian Shaw, Samaki Walker

The third title of the Shaq-Kobe axis didn’t come easily. That Western Finals series with Sacramento was brutal, and there were those who thought the Lakers shouldn’t have won it. But they did, and then L.A. dusted Jersey in the Finals, behind another overpowering performance from O’Neal. The dynamic duo was again tremendous, while Derek Fisher provided stability at the point, and supporting players like Rick Fox and Robert Horry stepped up when needed.

27. 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Brent Barry, Matt Bonner, Bruce Bowen, Jackie Butler, Tim Duncan, Francisco Elson, Melvin Ely, Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberto, Tony Parker, Beno Udrih, Jacque Vaughn, James White, Eric Williams

These Spurs scored when they needed to, and they moved the ball like no one else. But the real strength of the team was on defense, where San Antonio could stifle rivals, just like it did Cleveland in the Finals sweep. Tim Duncan was a no-frills frontcourt star, with point guard Tony Parker’s creativity and Manu Ginobili’s flair and passion the keys to the team’s success. Role players like Bruce Bowen and Michael Finley helped complete a pure team.

26. 1980-81 Boston Celtics

Coach: Bill Fitch

Record: 62-20

Roster: Tiny Archibald, Larry Bird, ML Carr, Terry Duerod, Eric Fernsten, Chris Ford, Gerald Henderson, Wayne Kreklow, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Rick Robey

After Magic Johnson got his title in 1980, it was Larry Bird’s turn. He and the Celtics waged a year-long battle with the Sixers that culminated with a seven-game Eastern Finals series that featured three big Boston comebacks. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were interior forces, while Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford and Cedric Maxwell patrolled the perimeter. The Rockets were tough in the Finals, but they weren’t tough enough to stop the Celtics machine.

25. 1989-90 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chuck Daly

Record: 59-23

Roster: Mark Aguirre, William Bedford, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Dave Greenwood, Scott Hastings, Gerald Henderson, Vinnie Johnson, Stan Kimbrough, Bill Laimbeer, Ralph Lewis, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Isiah Thomas

The Bad Boys went back-to-back with the same formula that won their first title: ferocious defense, timely offense and a Mean Streets attitude. Isiah Thomas smiled a lot, but he was a killer. Joe Dumars quietly piled up the points. Bill Laimbeer made no friends inside. Dennis Rodman rebounded and defended like a dervish. Mark Aguirre scored in many ways. James Edwards was a force in the post. And nobody wanted to mess with John Salley.

24. 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 65-17

Roster: Trevor Ariza, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Chris Mihm, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Vladimir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Sun Yue

The first of back-to-back titles was Kobe Bryant’s initial one as undisputed leader of the Lakers and redemption for the Mamba. A year after losing in the Finals to ancestral rival Boston, the Lakers piled up 65 wins—third most in franchise history—with Bryant leading the way but receiving plenty of help from Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum inside. The anticipated Finals matchup with Cleveland and LeBron James didn’t happen, so L.A. whipped Orlando instead.

23. 2007-08 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 66-16

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Eddie House, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard, James Posey, Leon Powe, Gabe Pruitt, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine

Depending on how you define it, the Super Team era started in Boston in the summer of ’07, when future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce to give the Celtics their best team in (at least) 20 years. Behind Pierce’s scoring, Allen’s shooting and KG’s two-way play, the Cs posted an NBA-high 66 wins and bounced LeBron and the Cavs en route to the Finals, where they renewed their rivalry with the Lakers. Not long after, they hung banner No. 17.

22. 1992-93 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: BJ Armstrong, Ricky Blanton, Bill Cartwright, Joe Courtney, Jo Jo English, Horace Grant, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Rodney McCray, Ed Nealy, John Paxson, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Trent Tucker, Darrell Walker, Corey Williams, Scott Williams

The Lakers and Pistons had taken some of the magic out of title repeats by the time the Bulls
won their second straight, but no team since the Celtics’ ’60s dynasty had won three in a row. The Bulls felt like making history. The formula by now was familiar: Jordan averaged League-
highs in points (32.6) and steals (2.8), Scottie Pippen was a terror at both ends and Chicago made the big plays when it mattered, edging Barkley and the Suns in the Finals to seal the threepeat.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55, 54-44 and 43-33.

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From dominant big threes and electrifying duos to all-around greatness, here’s our top 43-33:

43. 1958-59 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 52-20

Roster: Gene Conley, Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Bennie Swain, Lou Tsioropoulos

The greatest rivalry in NBA history began, for all practical purposes, in the spring of ’59, and it foreshadowed the decade to come. Led by veteran guard Bill Sharman’s 20.4 ppg, five Celtics averaged better than 15 ppg en route to the League’s best record. They needed seven games to dispatch Syracuse in the conference finals, setting up a first-ever Finals meeting with the Minneapolis Lakers. Three Cs averaged 20-plus, Bill Russell pulled down 22.1 boards per and Boston swept their way to the title.

42. 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 60-22

Roster: Mengke Bateer, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Speedy Claxton, Tim Duncan, Danny Ferry, Manu Ginobili, Anthony Goldwire, Stephen Jackson, Steve Kerr, Tony Parker, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Steve Smith, Kevin Willis

The Kings, Mavs, Spurs and Timberwolves all finished ahead of the three-time-defending-champion Lakers in ’02-03, but one of them would still have to beat L.A. when it mattered. Led by Tim Duncan, fresh off a second straight League MVP award, and second-year point guard Tony Parker, San Antonio got its chance in the second round and dispatched Shaq and Kobe in six games. They handled Dallas and New Jersey in similarly businesslike fashion en route to the chip.

41. 2018-19 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 57-25

Roster: Jordan Bell, Andrew Bogut, Quinn Cook, DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Curry, Marcus Derrickson, Kevin Durant, Jacob Evans, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Jonas Jerebko, Damian Jones, Damion Lee, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Alfonzo McKinnie, Klay Thompson

The three-peat was never a given, but it was right there, within reach. As injury-impacted NBA championships go, this one is right up there. With Steph, KD and Klay, the Dubs were the scariest offensive team in the League; but a mix of minor and major injuries to the Splash Bros, Durant and much of the supporting cast in May and June were too much for the Dubs to overcome. Toronto got them in six games in the Finals. You just know they’d love a do-over.

40. 1993-94 Houston Rockets

Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Scott Brooks, Matt Bullard, Sam Cassell, Earl Cureton, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Chris Jent, Vernon Maxwell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Richard Petruska, Eric Riley, Larry Robinson, Kenny Smith, Otis Thorpe

Go ahead and attribute Houston’s first title to Michael Jordan’s baseball flirtation. Others have done it, and it’s just wrong. The Rockets excelled at both ends of the court, had all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon and his Dream Shake in the middle and boasted a versatile lineup of fierce gamers like guards Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxwell and rugged Otis Thorpe. Houston outlasted the Knicks in a classic Finals series and deserves a title with no asterisk.

39. 1983-84 Boston Celtics

Coach: KC Jones

Record: 62-20

Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Quinn Buckner, ML Carr, Carlos Clark, Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Scott Wedman

After two years of watching hated rivals Philadelphia and the Lakers hoist the trophy, Boston reclaimed its rightful spot atop the NBA. Or at least that’s how Celtics fans figured it. Call the roll: Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale were up front. Dennis Johnson, Cedric Maxwell and Gerald Henderson handled the backcourt. The Celtics had way more regular-season victories than anyone else and won a thrilling seven-gamer over L.A. to take the title.

38. 2011-12 Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Record: 46-20

Roster: Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Eddy Curry, Mickell Gladness, Terrel Harris, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, LeBron James, James Jones, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman, Ronny Turiaf, Dwyane Wade

Although LeBron James had taken his talents to Miami a year earlier, the Heat hadn’t won a title. In the lockout-shortened ’11-12 campaign, James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh & Co. changed that. The Big Three were a force all season, and a strong supporting cast helped fuel a focused postseason run. The seven-game Eastern Finals series with Boston was a grind, but the Heat dominated OKC in the Finals to take the title.

37. 1972-73 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 57-25

Roster: Dick Barnett, Henry Bibby, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, John Gianelli, Phil Jackson, Jerry Lucas, Dean Meminger, Earl Monroe, Luther Rackley, Willis Reed, Tom Riker, Harthorne Wingo

If it’s possible, the Knicks five-game wipeout of L.A. in the Finals was actually an anticlimax after their thrilling Eastern Finals upset of the Celtics. The Knicks were the consummate collection of team players. Backcourt men Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe were practically unguardable. Dave DeBusschere was a force inside, while Bill Bradley patrolled the wings. Jerry Lucas was the League’s best passing big man, and Willis Reed could still hang with the best centers around.

36. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 67-15

Roster: Kobe Bryant, John Celestand, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, AC Green, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, Sam Jacobson, Travis Knight, Tyronn Lue, Shaquille O’Neal, Glen Rice,
John Salley, Brian Shaw

This was the first of three straight for the Big Brother-Little Brother Lakers. Shaq and Kobe were together for three seasons before ’99-00, and although their relationship wasn’t always the warmest, their talent was overwhelming. There was just no stopping the Diesel. O’Neal overpowered defenders and swept the boards clean, while Bryant provided offense from all over. Glen Rice was a potent outside weapon, and a cast of veteran winners completed the Laker machine.

35. 1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 60-22

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ron Boone, Marty Byrnes, Kenny Carr, Jim Chones, Michael Cooper, Don Ford, Spencer Haywood, Brad Holland, Magic Johnson, Mark Landsberger, Butch Lee, Ollie Mack, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes

Showtime made its NBA debut in Magic Johnson’s rookie season, when the 6-9 point guard brought fun back to the Lakers and kick-started perhaps the League’s most entertaining decade. Johnson revitalized center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and served as the trigger for a raucous L.A. attack that was bolstered by Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes and Jim Chones. The Lakers ruled the West and finished off Philadelphia in six, with Johnson scoring 42 in the Finals-clinching victory.

34. 2014-15 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 67-15

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Justin Holiday, Andre Iguodala, Ognjen Kuzmic, David Lee, Shaun Livingston, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Klay Thompson

The Warriors’ first title in 40 years—and the first of three in four seasons—was accomplished primarily by the never-ending shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, whose solution to tough defenses was simply to move back another step or two. Draymond Green handled the tough work and never backed down from a soul, while Harrison Barnes and Marreese Speights did what was necessary. The Warriors dumped the Cavs in six to take the crown.

33. 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers

Coach: Jack Ramsay

Record: 49-33

Roster: Corky Calhoun, Johnny Davis, Herm Gilliam, Bob Gross, Lionel Hollins, Robin Jones, Maurice Lucas, Clyde Mayes, Lloyd Neal, Larry Steele, Dave Twardzik, Wally Walker, Bill Walton

The Blazers weren’t overpowering during the regular season, but by the playoffs, they had become the perfect team, working as a highly efficient unit under coach Jack Ramsay. It all started with Bill Walton, a pivot savant who could pass, score and rebound. Maurice Lucas provided the muscle, with Lionel Hollins, Dave Twardzik, Bob Gross and Larry Steele willingly playing supporting roles. Portland overcame Julius Erving’s high-flying Sixers in the Finals with textbook unselfish basketball.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55 and 54-44.

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We’re gonna keep it real though: this list was pretty tough to put together. It was mostly guided by the idea that the way to measure the true quality of a team is to think about how much better they were than everyone else they played against. Some decent team in the 2000s would almost definitely destroy an excellent team from the ’70s if we teleported all of the players into the same dimension and let them go at it, but that’s not how this works. This is about dominating your era. Read here for No. 75-66, and 65-55.

Here’s our top 55-44 best teams of all time:

54. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

Record: 52-30

Roster: Dennis Awtrey, Fred Brown, Lars Hansen, Joe Hassett, Dennis Johnson, John Johnson, Tom LaGarde, Jackie Robinson, Lonnie Shelton, Jack Sikma, Paul Silas, Dick Snyder, Wally Walker, Gus Williams

For the greatest team in franchise history, it was all about balance. Seven players averaged double-figures for Seattle in ’78-79, led by the high-powered young backcourt duo of Gus Williams (19.2 ppg) and Dennis Johnson (15.9 ppg), while second-year big man Jack Sikma held it down in the paint to the tune of 15.6 and 12.4 per game. The Sonics rode that young core to the Finals, where they dropped the series opener in Washington before taking four straight from the Bullets.

53. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Al Attles

Record: 48-34

Roster: Rick Barry, Butch Beard, Steve Bracey, Bill Bridges, Derrek Dickey, Charles Dudley, Charles Johnson, George Johnson, Frank Kendrick, Jeff Mullins, Clifford Ray, Phil Smith, Jamaal Wilkes

Rick Barry led the NBA in free-throw percentage and steals in ’74-75, League-leading numbers
to go along with a casual 30.6 ppg, 6.2 apg and 5.7 rpg. The Dubs were solid, with silky-smooth rookie Jamaal Wilkes averaging 14.2 ppg and a steady backcourt pairing of Butch Beard and Charles Johnson. But it was Barry, a decade into a spectacular career, who carried Golden State to a Finals sweep of the Bullets for the franchise’s first championship since relocating to the Bay.

52. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Wes Matthews, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mike Smrek, Billy Thompson, Mychal Thompson, Ray Tolbert, Milt Wagner, James Worthy

It had been 19 years since an NBA champion successfully defended its title, so when Pat Riley guaranteed his Lakers would do just that after the ’87 Finals, the pressure was on. If not for Isiah Thomas’ injured ankle, Detroit might have made Riley a liar, but don’t tell a Laker fan that the last title of the Showtime era was a fluke. James Worthy confirmed his Hall of Fame bona fides with a 36-point triple-double in Game 7 to ensure his coach’s guarantee held up.

51. 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer

Record: 46-26

Roster: Jaylen Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, DJ Augustin, Elijah Bryant, Pat Connaughton, Torrey Craig, Mamadi Diakite, Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, Jrue Holiday, Justin Jackson, Rodions Kurucs, Brook Lopez, Sam Merrill, Khris Middleton, Jordan Nwora, Bobby Portis, Jeff Teague, Axel Toupane, PJ Tucker, DJ Wilson

You can focus on the pandemic-shortened schedule, or the placement of Kevin Durant’s toe, but as time passes, what people will remember about the ’20-21 season will mostly come down to one dude: Giannis. A two-time League MVP who still faced skeptics who said he couldn’t produce when it mattered most, Antetokounmpo did just that, first against KD and the Nets (31.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg) in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal thriller, then even more impressively against the Suns (35.2, 13.2) in the Finals.

50. 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton

It was Kobe’s team, but even prime Kobe knew he couldn’t do it alone. In 2010, with a title to defend and a matchup with the hated Celtics in the Finals, the Lakers’ star once again relied on the steadiness of Pau Gasol (18.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg), and got invaluable defense and clutch play from a resurgent Ron Artest. “Kobe passed me the ball!” the man now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest said after hitting a title-sealing three late in Game 7. Every Laker fan shared his joy.

49. 1973-74 Boston Celtics

Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Record: 56-26

Roster: Don Chaney, Dave Cowens, Steve Downing, Hank Finkel, Phil Hankinson, John Havlicek, Steve Kuberski, Don Nelson, Paul Silas, Paul Westphal, Jo Jo White, Art Williams

Russell and Cousy were retired, Red Auerbach was no longer on the bench, and it had been five long years since the Celtics last hung a banner from the Garden rafters. But with John Havlicek (22.6 ppg) still around and young Dave Cowens (19 ppg, 15.7 rpg) already looking like a future Hall of Famer, Boston decided five years was long enough. They needed seven games to take down Kareem, Oscar and the Bucks, but soon enough, Red was lighting that stogie once again.

48. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Record: 57-25

Roster: Alexis Ajinca, JJ Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Brian Cardinal, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dominique Jones, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Shawn Marion, Steve Novak, Dirk Nowitzki, Sasha Pavlovic, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry

There was still a sense that calling Dirk Nowitzki “the greatest European player of all time” was sort of a diss. Nobody doubted his production, but plenty of people questioned whether he could be that dude when it mattered. All questions were answered that June: With help from a veteran supporting cast that included Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and 37-year-old Jason Kidd, Dirk averaged 26 points and 9.7 rebounds in the Finals to dispatch the Heatles and confirm his spot among the all-time greats.

47. 2005-06 Miami Heat

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley

Record: 52-30

Roster: Derek Anderson, Shandon Anderson, Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Gerald Fitch, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, James Posey, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Matt Walsh, Jason Williams, Dorell Wright

A decade dominated by the Lakers and Spurs didn’t leave much room for Eastern Conference contenders, but in ’06, a Miami team loaded with loose parts and a wild array of past-their-prime big-name vets coalesced around a dynamic third-year guard from Marquette. Sure, Dwyane Wade benefitted from some friendly officiating in a Finals matchup that Dirk and the Mavs are probably still mad about, but mostly, Flash earned what he got in leading the Heat out of a 0-2 Finals hole and on to the title.

46. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Larry Brown

Record: 54-28

Roster: Chucky Atkins, Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Hubert Davis, Tremaine Fowlkes, Darvin Ham, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Darko Milicic, Mehmet Okur,  Tayshaun Prince, Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Corliss Williamson

Larry Brown talked all the time about playing basketball “the right way,” but he had never
won a title until the Pistons hit the League with their stifling defense. Sure, Richard Hamilton was a potent scorer, Chauncey Billups was good all year (especially in the Finals win over the Lakers) and the mid-year arrival of Rasheed Wallace was huge. But the embodiment of Detroit was lunch-pail center Ben Wallace, whose relentless approach keyed a championship.

45. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 37-13

Roster: Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan, Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Andrew Gaze, Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson, Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey, Gerard King, Will Perdue, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Brandon Williams

It was the post-Bulls era and a lockout-shortened season, but the Spurs were ascendant. Their first championship team featured the Tim Duncan-David Robinson interior axis, one of the few times a twin towers configuration had enjoyed supreme success. Avery Johnson ran the team, Mario Elie hit big shots and locked down opposing high scorers, while Sean Elliott was a do-everything type who fit in perfectly. The Spurs lost just two games the entire postseason.

44. 1994-95 Houston Rockets

Coach: Ruddy Tomjanovich

Record: 47-35

Roster: Tim Breaux, Scott Brooks, Chucky Brown, Adrian Caldwell, Sam Cassell, Pete Chilcutt, Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Charles Jones, Vernon Maxwell, Tracy Murray, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith, Zan Tabak, Otis Thorpe

If Houston’s ’94 title run was inspired, the ’95 version seemed unlikely to ever happen. The Rockets posted the NBA’s 10th-best record and were pushed to the distance in their first two playoff rounds. But something about matchups with arguably the other two best centers in the League seemed just what Hakeem Olajuwon needed: He Dream-shook and dominated newly crowned MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, then went for 32.8 and 11.5 to sweep young Shaq and the Magic for the title.

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With that in mind, we decided to show just how meaningful Kobe’s relationship to his footwear really was. These pages cover all of that history, in great detail and with great respect for one of the greatest to ever do it.

SLAM Presents KOBE: The Kicks Issue is out now.

This special issue is also available in an exclusive purple metal edition. Shop now.

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“We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue!” Vanessa Bryant wrote in her official announcement Instagram post. “I am so proud that my husband’s shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world.”

After a brief split starting in early 2021, the world will again have full access to Nike products of the late Kobe Bryant as well as Gianna. https://t.co/sgXA7T6ddb

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 24, 2022

The shoe and apparel company will reportedly be donating all net proceeds of Gianna Bryant’s sneakers to the Mamba and Mambacity Sports Foundation, and are working towards establishing a youth basketball center in Southern CA. The new agreement comes nearly a year after the Kobe Bryant Estate, and Nike couldn’t agree to a new deal after his five-year, post-retirement endorsement extension with Nike expired in April 2021.

Contract talks stalled after the Bryant estate pushed Nike to produce a higher volume of Kobe’s for the re-release as well as the expansion of Kobe’s to include kid sizes. Another key element in contract negotiations was its commitment to launching a new basketball facility in the Black Mamba’s name.

According to ESPN, Nearly 20% of NBA players have worn Kobe’s since the Black Mamba, Gianna, and seven others passed away in a January 2020 helicopter crash. During the 2019-2020 campaign, 102 of the 322 total players competing in the League’s Orlando bubble wore Kobe’s. Nike also plans on starting several initiatives plan to honor Bryant’s legacy.

“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just NBA fans but globally beyond the game,” John Donahoe, Nike’s president, and CEO, said in a statement. “His impact in growing the sport, particularly encouraging women and young people to pick it up, endures as one of his deepest, lasting legacies. Together with Vanessa, we hope to honor Kobe and Gigi by championing a new generation for many years to come.”

Nike will not only be re-releasing all 11 Kobe’s, including six potential post-career silhouettes, but the company will also be launching a line of sneakers for Gigi Bryant too. The first releases could arrive as soon May 1, which would fall on Gigi’s 16th birthday. The Gigi sneaker colorways will be styled similarly to the Mamba Ballers team colors, and will include gold accents, they were originally produced just before Bryant’s contract expired but were never released.

“The first new shoe from the partnership, the Kobe 6 Protro ‘Mambacita Sweet 16’ will honor Gigi Bryant,” Nike said in a statement. “All proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.”

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The new Kobe Bryant Trophy awarded to the Kia NBA All-Star MVP further celebrates its namesake, with intricate details holding dual meanings, both for NBA All-Star and Bryant’s legendary career, which include the following: pic.twitter.com/kOXXywo8yX

— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2022

As a player, Bryant won All-Star Game MVP a record-tying four times.

The Kobe Bryant Trophy was designed in partnership with artist Victor Solomon and will be presented for the first time during the All-Star game in Cleveland. Solomon also developed the other All-Star weekend trophies to celebrate the League’s 75th anniversary season.

“For the past few years, the NBA and I have proudly and tirelessly worked to reconsider what a trophy is, has been, and could be,” said Victor Solomon. “Redesigning the All-Star trophies gave us a special opportunity to create event awards worthy of the energy and excitement the moment creates while introducing the full collection’s visual, aesthetic language. The occasion also gave us the privilege and responsibility to develop an entirely new silhouette worthy of being named ‘The Kobe Bryant Trophy’ for the Kia NBA All-Star MVP for which, in the spirit of its namesake, we threw out all conventions and challenged ourselves to reorient how we thought about ‘the game.'”

The Kobe Bryant Trophy weighs 15 pounds and has four levels to celebrate its namesakes’ numerous accolades with intricate details, reportedly honoring dual meaning in the All-Star weekend and Bryant’s legendary career. The trophy Solomon created has an eight-sided base that celebrates his original no.8 jersey and is a tribute to Bryant’s initial All-Star appearances before changing to 24. The award also has a level for Bryant’s five championships and two Finals MVPs.

The NBA’s new Kobe Bryant Trophy for the All-Star Game MVP features an 8-sided base with 24 stars, and 4 levels of 2, 7, 9 & 11 inches in height — a nod to the 2002, 2007, 2009 & 2011 years in which Kobe won his record-tying 4 All-Star MVPs. pic.twitter.com/tHQIPa7Fu6

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 3, 2022

On Thursday, the NBA will announce the All-Star Game reserves.

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James entered Christmas Day only 13 points shy of Bryant’s (395 points) record and two field goals (137) shy of passing Bryant for the most on Christmas as well. The King secured the scoring record during the second quarter and the field goal record during the first half and shot an efficient 7-11 from the field. James now has 422 overall points on Christmas Day.

Despite James scoring 39 points on 14-25 shooting, the Nets held off the Lakers late to win 122-115 and hand LA their fifth straight loss. While passing Bryant for any record is significant, losing makes the feat lose some of its impact for many players, including James.   

“I don’t really care about the way I play if it comes in a loss,” James said after the game per USAToday. 

James has won 10 games on Christmas Day, tied with Dwyane Wade for the most in NBA history. This was also James’ 16th Christmas Day game, tying the Black Mamba for most appearances in League history.

The Lakers return to play on Tuesday against the Rockets (10-23).

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One hundred and twenty-four pages of history, featuring our list of the best 75 players ever, as well as lists from celebrities around the basketball world. There’s also a rundown of the sneakers and fits that have defined these seven and a half decades.

As far feelings surrounding and reactions to this very thoroughly conceived list, well… sorry.

SLAM Presents the Top 75 NBA Players of All-Time is OUT NOW!

This special issue is available now in these exclusive Gold (94 copies) and Black (60 copies) metal editions.

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As time has gone on, Carter’s longevity has made him a legend of the game. One of his former teammates, Matt Barnes called him the most gifted teammate he ever had in his career in the NBA based on the time they played in Orlando during the 2009-10 season.

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What made Barnes’ statement so surprising is because he played with Hall of Famers like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson.

While it’s widely believed that Bryant, O’Neal and Iverson had better careers, Carter accomplished what very few players in NBA history could do by adapting to the current style of play.

The former lottery pick finished with career averages of 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while being named to eight All-Star teams.

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On the 27th, Giannis Antetokounmpo received his: MVP. He delivered twice, the very next season (2018-19) and again in 2019-20.

MVP https://t.co/cjmWH5Mqyz

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) August 27, 2017

The Black Mamba acknowledged the now two-time MVP with his next challenge: an NBA Championship.

On Tuesday night, Giannis delivered on his second challenge from the late NBA Hall of Famer, just two years later.

He did it. pic.twitter.com/1MSLjHfEFc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 21, 2021

The Greek Freak (now also known as Superman) walked out of Fiserv Arena, a champion and a Finals MVP after a scintillating 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block performance.

Antetokounmpo is just the seventh player in NBA history to have a 50-point Finals game while becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal to tally 40 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game per ESPN Stats & Info.

“Kobe Bryant thinks I can do this… I had to do it. I had to work hard.”

Giannis reflects on Kobe challenging him to win MVP and an NBA title

(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/ZBhb2UNp4t

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2021

“At first, I was like joking. I didn’t even think he was going to respond to me,” Antetokounmpo said in the Finals press conference.

“But when he did, he made me believe. I’m like, ‘Kobe Bryant thinks I can do this? I can play in the high level and lead my team and win MVP?”

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Throughout this absolutely incredible postseason, Booker had started to get extremely high praise from fans and media, drawing comparisons to his idol and mentor, Kobe Bryant. He has a tattoo that says ‘Be Legendary’, which is in remembrance of Bryant and what he wrote on Booker’s shoes in 2016. 

ESPN’s Richard Jefferson recently asked Booker what he thought of these comparisons to the late Bryant. 

“I know it’s something everyone has going on right now,” said Booker. “I didn’t make that comparison myself. I just leave it to what he’s done for me as a mentor and the advice that he’s left me with. I try to take bits and pieces of his mentality and his approach, but I should never be compared to Kobe Bryant.”

Booker is one of the rising stars in the NBA at just 24 years old. While he’s still influenced by Bryant to this day, he doesn’t think he should be compared as a player to him. 

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Inches away from the baseline, Paul whipped his ninth assist of the game— the 1,041st of his career—to a cutting Jae Crowder who cashed in on a midrange jumper. A nine-time All-Star, Paul would notch the milestone assist in his 125th postseason game, leaving him with a career average of 8.3 assists per game in the playoffs.

Congrats to @CP3 of the @Suns for moving up to 10th on the #NBAPlayoffs ASSISTS list! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/NVSj5HQETu

— NBA (@NBA) July 9, 2021

Paul, who is averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 assists in the Finals, could realistically displace Larry Bird at the seventh spot, as the Hall of Fame forward sits 21 dimes behind the two-time Finals MVP.

The Point God and his Suns squad will head to Milwaukee next to face the Bucks in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Finals, on Sunday night.

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The settlement was signed Tuesday, according to numerous media outlets including ESPN.

The other victims were baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and their daughter Alyssa. Christina Mauser, who coached Gianna’s basketball team with Bryant and Sarah Chester with her daughter Payton. Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester were Gianna’s teammates. They were traveling to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy. 

The investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board released a report claiming pilot error and his series of poor decisions along with company’s inadequate review practices and safety oversights.

This settlement now effectively ends legal action against pilot Ara Zobayan’s estate and companies Island Express Helicopters Inc. and parent company, Island Express Holding Corp. The suit alleged that Zobayan’s “carelessness” and “negligence” caused the fatal crash and that the flight should have been aborted. The suit includes the companies lack of training and supervision of their pilot on duty.

Island Express Helicopters Inc. denied responsibility calling the crash “an act of God” that was out of their control. The company filed a countersuit against the two Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers on duty, blaming the crash on their “series of erroneous acts and/or omissions.”

This settlement agreement does not include the countersuit against the Federal Aviation Administration.

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It’s, simply, all for the love of the game.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents: KOBE now!

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The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 decides the selection of previous inductees to make the presentations. Due to Kobe Bryant’s tragic accident back in January of 2020, his family made the decision of selecting Jordan, who spoke at Kobe’s memorial service in February 2020.

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It was at the memorial service where Jordan gave the true insight of their close relationship.

“At first, it was an aggravation,” Jordan said of Bryant constantly peppering him with questions early in his career, per ESPN. “Then it became a passion.

“As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother I could be.”

Jordan will be a busy man at the ceremony. He is the only Hall of Famer that will present two candidates to the Hall of Fame, introducing Baylor’s women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey into the Hall as well.

The other 2020 Hall of Fame Inductees and Presenters are as follows.

• Patrick Baumann, presented by Russ Granik (’13), Vlade Divac (’19)
• Kobe Bryant, presented by Michael Jordan (’09)
• Tamika Catchings, presented by Alonzo Mourning (’14), Dawn Staley (’13)
• Tim Duncan, presented by David Robinson (’09)
• Kevin Garnett, presented by Isiah Thomas (’00)
• Kim Mulkey, presented by Michael Jordan (’09)
• Barbara Stevens, presented by Geno Auriemma (’06), Muffet McGraw (’17)
• Eddie Sutton, presented by John Calipari (’15), Bill Self (’17), Sidney Moncrief (’19)
• Rudy Tomjanovich, presented by Calvin Murphy (’93), Hakeem Olajuwon (’08)

The 2020 class of honorees had to wait a year for induction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post Michael Jordan Named Presenter For Kobe Bryant At Naismith Hall of Fame appeared first on SLAM.

And, even after his playing career, the film room remained his classroom. As portrayed in “Detail”, now streaming on ESPN+, Bryant continued to break down his own games, as well as others, and was constantly looking for even the slightest details and ways to improve. It was up to all of us to listen. 

 If I want to attack the basket, that toe needs to be pointing in the direction I want to go. I need to turn that toe in and then I need to attack in a straighter line.

Yet, Bryant was aware that when it came to the art of the war of basketball, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. He studied his opponents just as much as he studied himself, tracking his on-ball defender, finding what their weak tendencies were so he could take advantage. 

When looking back at the film from his matchup against the Denver Nuggets during the 2009 West Conference Finals, Kobe knew that if he wanted to dominate the series, he had to make a statement during Game 1.  

The important part about the playoffs is when a series starts it’s about establishing how you plan to dominate the series.

He says the goal was simple: set the tone. That included making the Nuggets have to double team, and preparing himself to counter their coverage. 

In that game, his moves were carefully calculated, all selected to dominate: the post-ups, the spin moves, the fadeaway jumpers that resulted in and-one finishes. During Game 1, Kobe moved swiftly liked the wind while attacking the rim like fire. And yet at the same time, his focus was still like a mountain. When matched up against a young and long athletic defender like Carmelo Anthony, Kobe reveals in “Detail” that every move was purposeful. 

I need to establish this is what I’m going to do and now this gives me the ability and my teammates the ability to counter off of that.

Bryant wasn’t just a student studying his own game, he became the teacher. Just as basketball is a game of momentum, the tempo is ever-changing and evolving with a new generation of superstars-in-the-making. Kobe broke down the film of Sabrina Ionescu, Donavan Mitchell, Trae Young, Jewell Loyd, Jaylon Brown, Arike Ogunbowale, and Pascal Siakam. 

Tatum, specifically, grew up wanting to be Kobe. He broke down his jab step, watching film and trying to mimic the very-same moves that turned him into a legend. He honed in on every minute detail until it was seamless.

Kobe returned the admiration. During the 2018 Eastern Conference finals, he took a deeper look into Tatum’s film from that series against the Cavaliers. He pointed out Tatum’s left toe placement and how it was pointed towards half-court, while t should be placed towards the basket.

“If I want to attack the basket, that toe needs to be pointing in the direction I want to go. I need to turn that toe in and then I need to attack in a straighter line.”

Tatum—whose 20-point performance during the playoffs had only been achieved by very few under the age of 23, Kobe being of them— knew how special it was to get that kind of feedback from the legend.

“I’ve probably watched it 25 times,” Tatum said of Bryant’s episode on “Detail.”

And confidence, Kobe Bryant once said, comes from preparation. It’s knowing that when the game is on the line, your plan of attack is a move that you’ve done over, and over again until perfection. Not a foot out of line, not a hesitation step out of rhythm. Every detail, even those the enemy might overlook, counts. 

Stream Detail exclusively on ESPN+. 

The post Mastermind of the Game: Stream Kobe Bryant’s series, Detail, on ESPN+ appeared first on SLAM.

Irving even shared an image, as designed by Tyson Beck, of what a Kobe Bryant logo would possibly look like.

Vanessa Bryant approved of Irving’s idea to honor her husband, and shared his post on her Instagram story with the words, “Love this.”

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In his caption, Irving explained why it’s important to honor Black players, writing:

“Gotta Happen, idc what anyone says. BLACK KINGS BUILT THE LEAGUE”

The current NBA logo is modeled after Hall of Fame guard Jerry West. West told ESPN’s Rachel Nicholas on ‘The Jump’ that he’d be on board to changing it to someone else.

Still, Irving is discussing something even more important than simply changing the logo. All-time greats such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant have all changed the game, and Black athletes across the NBA and WNBA have used their platforms to call for social change on, and off the hardwood.

Irving’s post suggests that now is the time to pay homage to that history, influence, and legacy.

The post Kyrie Irving Wants NBA to Honor Kobe Bryant With New Logo appeared first on SLAM.

While the pandemic has closed gyms, and limited hoop sessions and pick-up games on courts around the country, they’ve created an exclusive way to help hoopers train anywhere, at any time. They’re also offering a series of training drills that Loyd and Handy learned from the late-Kobe Bryant himself.

Handy, founder of training business 94FEETOFGAME and a 3x NBA coach who now is the 3rd assistant coach on the Lakers, has partnered with Loyd to launch a training series, “GOLD MAMBA WORKOUT” on the 94FEETOFGAMEAPP. Both Jewell, also known as the “Gold Mamba”—a nickname Bryant bestowed upon her in 2015 when she went pro—and Phil had a close relationship with the legend. In 2011, Handy was offered his first NBA position as the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Lakers, working with Bryant.

The GOLD MAMABA WORKOUT is entirely inspired by Bryant. It will feature 24 Kobe Bryant-inspired drills, a tribute to the number he wore when he won his second scoring title, two championship titles, and made 10 All-Star Appearances. 

“I was one of a few people that really got to know Kobe and spend time with him to understand his mindset of how he worked and how he approached the game of basketball,” says Handy. “It’s a tremendous blessing for me to carry and be part of a community. There’s a lot of people that knew Kobe and are doing their part as a whole to continue what he left the world with. For me to be a part of that is a tremendous honor and blessing. It’s a humbling experience to be able to understand what he was about and try to continue to share that with the world.”

“I always try to you know, kind of idol my game around Kobe’s (Bryant),” adds Loyd. “Because I thought his fade way jump shot, that you know he obviously got from Jordan and things like that…Just seeing how he (Kobe) trained and working with him and seeing all these things, I realized that I could do that. He realized that I could do that. There wasn’t much that I couldn’t do if I really focused on the details. And Kobe only, you know, trained and hung out with people that were real serious about the game of basketball.”

“So, the fact that I was even in his presence was an honor [and] knowing that, I was able to take things from his game and implement into mine and knowing that Phil (Handy) worked with Kobe, and just trying to really key in on the main points of creating space, jab steps, and things like that… I want to take full advantage of that.” 

Bryant’s work ethic was unmatched. At Lower Marion, he’d show up to practice two hours before, even shooting in the dark. By the time he got to the League, his teammates would try to beat him to the gym—but Byrant would be there, shooting even while injured with a broken wrist. Shaquille O’Neal has recalled memories of Bryant practicing, even during shootarounds, at full speed without a ball. 

In a promotional video, Bryant narrates over a highlight reel of both himself and Loyd, preaching about the importance of not only putting in the work but that, through preparation, confidence is built. 

“Confidence comes from preparation. You know, so when the game is on the line, I’m not asking myself to do something you haven’t done thousands of times before.” 

WSLAM’s Camille Buxeda caught up with Loyd and Handy to learn more about how the app came to be and what it means to them both to carry on Bryant’s legacy.

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WSLAM: What’s good Jewell! What’s going on?

Jewell Loyd: I’ve been good! Trying to stay warm in Chicago, it’s a blizzard. 

WSLAM: I’m in Brooklyn so, we’ve been feelin’ all the snow…I want to start off with talking about the success of last season. You won a second championship, what did that mean? How did you feel coming out of that season, like, ‘Damn, I really just did it again.’

Loyd: You know it was obviously a different season, our why was different and why we went into the bubble, and why we played you know having Breonna Taylor’s name on our jerseys was super special. It was really educational to be down there, honestly, we had a lot of zoom meetings and a lot of things that we didn’t really know beforehand. So knowing all that and then knowing everything that everyone put into the season on our team and trying to stay healthy and playing in a new schedule, to finally blend it was just like “We did it,” you know it’s like a relief and you know, for me, obviously it was a little bit more personal with losing Kobe (Bryant) and stuff like that. Having that in the back of my head going through and trying to you know go through grief and things like that. But it was just a really, I think at the end of the day we were just like “Uh, let’s go home, like we did it!” We said we wanted to do this, we finally did it. You know celebrating, but let’s get out of this bubble.

WSLAM: Looking back did you learn something new about yourself, that maybe you didn’t know before going into last season?

Loyd: Yeah, I think of the things that I learned is that I have a voice and that I don’t necessarily always have to be the loudest in the room, but I could definitely have my input and effects on different things, the way I’m comfortable with. So, that’s communicating with the next generation of kids or having Breonna Taylor’s name on my jersey. Things like that I can always educate in different ways and that was super important for us, for me, because I have nieces and nephews who look up to me. So, what I do and what I say actually really, really matters and affects them.

So, that’s kind of how I felt about it like I really do have a voice, and people are actually listening to me. Which sometimes you kind of forget about when you’re just, you know, in the season and you’re just doing things you kind of forget that you also are a pretty good role model, regardless if you see yourself that way or not.

WSLAM: How did you and Phil first connect and get together to workout? And when did this idea for the app begin to come to fruition?

Loyd: Honestly, I got to know Phil through Kyrie (Irving). I met Kyrie, a couple of years before I met Phil and we just connected. It’s pretty amazing that a lot of people who were really close with Kobe, we’re still close even when he’s not here. I mean, we still feel his presence when we’re around each other.

Honestly, I wanted to really invest in my game. Coming into the 2020 season, I just wanted to invest in myself and really get going. You know a lot of times that people don’t know we travel overseas and we’re always playing, and we don’t have a chance to really work on our game and I wanted to be more efficient, more effective, and really grow my game. A lot, of times I don’t like to reach out to other trainers because I’m very hit or miss. Like I keep my stuff very private, and I need to know that you’re actually here for me, not just to post me on IG (Instagram) and stuff like that. So, the moment I worked out with Phil it took us maybe 10 minutes I mean, connected because he was there, he believed in me, he was there, he knew my game. He knew what I wanted to do, how to accomplish it so it’s been a great blessing to have him in my life, in [my] corner, and we’re working, we’re putting a lot of good work in and it’s exciting to see.

WSLAM: So, tell us more about the app and this “GOLD MAMBA” program…

Handy: I wanted to put together an app to simply share my knowledge and impact basketball on a global scale. Just have a place for players and coaches to improve from a teaching standpoint. 94ft app is a basketball community set up for coaches, trainers, and athletes of any age, gender or skill level. It’s a place people go to get detailed, quality basketball instructions. And for coaches and trainers to learn how to teach better. 

The history of the workout and how Jewell got her name is Kobe. He blessed her with that nickname. It’s really just a combination of “Jewell-isms,” Kobe inspired drills and some things that I have learned over the years that I use heavily in my training techniques. It’s a great compilation of things that Jewell has tried to apply to her game, things that Kobe used in his game and things that I’ve applied to my training over the years. It’s 24 drills in honor of Kobe’s number and Jewell’s number, who both wear 24. It’s a great way to share some high level basketball training with the basketball community. It’s a great high level workout that we really enjoyed putting together. 

WSLAM: Jewell, what’s the workout like?

Loyd: I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty tough. Which it should be, because I mean that’s how you gotta get better, you got to challenge yourself and get yourself out of your comfort zone. Then there’s a lot of footwork, a lot of footwork, and I think people kind of overlook that stuff when they come to training. They don’t really realize that’s like the basics of that, it’s understanding, a certain jab step, or what different jab step to use. There’s a lot of ball handling my thing, that’s a big thing is understanding if you could control the ball you could go anywhere on the court because confident in your handle. So, understanding ballhandling is you know jab step, crossovers, fadeaways obviously really creating space, with little space and little dribbles. So, understanding how to use that and understand that it’s not, you got to take 15 dribbles to get a shot off, a simple jab-step or a simple shot fake do the same.

Then we get a little crafty, you know a little finishes, a little Kyrie (Irving) stuff in there as well so it’s a full workout like you could do the workout over and over again. Like I said I do the workouts, I’m doing all the workouts so it’s not just out there for show, it’s real stuff so it’s, good.

WSLAM: Why was this such an important thing for you to do with Phil, at this time?

Loyd: Everything’s kind of changing. How people are learning, how people are training, and you could take this (App) anywhere. You could go and find a parking lot, you can shoot in your garage, you could go work on your ballhandling. I guess my whole thing is like there’s no excuse and Phil knows this too, anytime anywhere. You can always make time, you can always figure out how to do it and being able to have access in your phone, being able to have this, like you don’t have an excuse to say, “oh well I didn’t know what drills to do.” Now on your phone, here’s this. Maybe you don’t have a time or place to go get a trainer, but you have two minutes, if you have time to check social media, and Twitter, you have time to put 15 minutes on your ballhandling. Or watch film on your game, or study how people think and how to come up with a ball screen like that’s all on your phone. 

WSLAM: Going into this program what’s something you want these hoopers to take away from when they use this app? And, what does it mean to continue Kobe’s legacy through an app? 

Handy: Inspiration. I hope that from the app itself and from the Gold Mamba Workout people feel inspired to not be lazy and take away the excuses. Covid has been a bad thing for people around the world. It’s easy for people to say there is nowhere for me to work out, there’s no gyms, there’s no coaches. There are all these different excuses you can use. Hopefully, this program will remove all these excuses because you can take the app and your phone in the palm of your hand and go in the driveway, your backyard, living room, garage. This whole app is to implement the philosophy of no excuses and training anywhere anytime. Find a way to get up and get some exercise. 

Loyd: It means a lot. You know, I think Kobe’s last couple of years he was focused on, the next generation of female hoopers. He dedicated his time, obviously with Gigi’s (Bryant) team and really investing in women’s hoops. Knowing that I’m a part of that legacy knowing that I know some of the philosophies and I’m hanging out with and I’m close with a lot of people who worked with Kobe, and I’m not alone in this process either. It’s not just one me right, it’s on our team and people that he’s mentored me, Ky (Kyrie Irving), Phil (Handy), all of us we’re trying to do what we believe is right. Do it the way it should be done. Right, we’re not trying to do this for glory or fame, we’re really trying to just help and that’s the biggest thing it’s not about us, it’s about giving back. That’s just something we have pureness about and joy about. It’s really about the next generation, you know, I’m here doing what I love and I want the kids, and people, to be able to do the same.

The post ‘The Gold Mamba Workout’: Jewell Loyd and Phil Handy launch Kobe Bryant-Inspired Training Series appeared first on SLAM.

A room, a cavernous room, dome-shaped and dilapidated, blanketed with the dust of the past year, cloaked in a hazy darkness, waits for discovery. It’s familiar. The deep darkness in here has its own layers. Faint outlines of trophies and banners cast shadows on ascending rows of uneven shelves. Mini mountains of faded shirts and frayed shorts sprinkled on the ground add dimension to the darkness. Footsteps on the creaky hardwood ring out with an echo, with an echo, with an echo. Squint. There’s still some light in here, towards the back. It glows overhead, celestially, a break coming from somewhere unseen. Something wants to be found. Something is calling.

Be still. Let the vastness of the space be all-consuming. Be still. Let the background blend with the foreground. Be still. Let the surging storm winds that whip outside become rhythmic. Be still. Let everything get focused. Be still. The darkness won’t last.

Stand and accept that the unknown will be worth it, that the tactile feelings of the surrounding aged relics will bring an awakening that though it can’t be touched, it can, and it will, be experienced. 

Then keep it moving.

There’s a towering canvas against the wall, one side free of its beige tarp, the other still covered.

An imposing painting comes into focus, a work of art that would only be possible after 20 years of devotion. A golden mold with purple specks frames the craft. Tales are told with these strokes. The myths are confirmed, the legends of unrelenting dominance, of genius-level mastery, of a hunger that lived so deep that the only thing that could satisfy it was more work, of a terrifying desire… They’re all true. Scenes from atop sun-soaked hills and under bright lights are right next to moments of beautiful togetherness which are then contrasted by individual glory reserved only for the few, the type of prestige that is lonely by nature, that is thought to be unattainable by those who aren’t ruthless and ravenous and haunted by the pursuit of winning.

Decades of greatness sweeps all across the uncovered side of the painting, accented by stealthily slithering snakes.

The winds outside the dome rage. They build and build right up until the other side of the worn-out tarp falls to the floor, bringing the darkness and the dust and the downpour with it.

Quiet. For a moment.

The storm is passing. More light is coming. Those outlines aren’t so faint anymore.

The entirety of the canvas is revealed. And… it doesn’t make sense…

These brushstrokes are even older and even deeper. They’re raised. They don’t tell a story of athleticism or of malicious competitiveness. These images have been left with a vulnerable sincerity. These images are more true.

A happiness, dipped in goofiness and playfulness, shines off the canvas. An unlocked imagination, where the passion formed in childhood was never lost, can be seen. An appreciation of the past, with defining memories clocked in pen, and an awareness of the future, with lofty plans to inspire left in colors, play off each other. This side of the painting spans continents and features scenes that illustrate care and affection. Questions asked aloud, of the self and of family and friends, are joined by play-by-play actions that chronicle true love. Feelings, happy and sad, good and bad, cover the corners. Understanding of the consciousness is clear.

Creativity and expression demand attention here. Sometimes the tool is the mind, sometimes the voice, sometimes a pair of eyes, sometimes a sneaker, sometimes the legs, sometimes the hand, and by extension, a pen. Records written. Every step counted.

Four life-giving doves soar above all else.

And that desire to win at all costs, the theme of one half of the painting, can’t be found on the older half of it. The older side, the honest side, is dedicated to love.

How can this be the same painting? How can it all be true? Whose depiction can this be?

Light is starting to bleed into the dome. It’s not coming from overhead anymore. It’s instead coming from behind the canvas.

Take one more step.

A window, an enormous window, rectangle-shaped and dilapidated, blanketed with the dust of the past year, cloaked in a hazy brightness, waits for discovery. It reveals a rising sun, beaming with red and orange rays, coming in off the Pacific. The dawn rolls in, joined by calm waves.

And, with the new morning setting in, the back of the canvas has one more surprise. There’s an inscription left in sparkling gold. It reads: The Portrait of Kobe Bean Bryant

The post The Full Picture appeared first on SLAM.

The last Spalding basketball ever designed with the help of Kobe himself, the ball will be released in limited quantities—2,408 available globally, and just 824 in the United States.

Featuring a two-tone channel-less design—the first in Spalding’s history—and an exclusive snakeskin composite cover, the Kobe ‘Hall of Fame’ basketball tells a story with its opposite sides.

The gold half highlights the peak of Kobe’s accomplishments—the iconic image of Bryant embracing the crowd after winning his 5th championship and the Hall of Fame logo above it.

The black half focuses on Bryant’s famed Mamba Mentality by showcasing an elaborate, cross-channel black mamba snake with a gold-foil accents and Kobe’s signature.

The custom premium display box showcases Kobe’s signature, alongside his 18 All-Star nominations, 5 championship trophies, 2 Finals MVPs and regular-season MVP.

The ball will be available exclusively to MVP Members in the Spalding App for $299.99 on Monday, December 21 at 10 a.m. EST.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photos courtesy of Splading

The post Spalding To Release Limited-Edition Ball Honoring Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

Kobe Bryant’s career was nearing its end when he stretched out on a trainer’s table in the Lakers’ locker room for some restorative work on a body that had given two decades to the NBA. As he received treatment, Bryant entertained a visitor, Kentucky’s John Calipari, who in 1996 had been hired as head coach by the then-New Jersey Nets—the same year Bryant had bypassed college and headed directly into the NBA Draft.

Jersey had the eighth pick in that draft, and there was speculation the Nets would make Bryant just the second prep player chosen since 1975. But the franchise selected Kerry Kittles instead, thanks to a Nets ownership group unwilling to take a chance on a 17-year-old prospect. Meanwhile, Lakers GM Jerry West was engaging in some back-channel dealing that eventually brought Bryant to L.A.

“I saw Kobe in the locker room, and he said, ‘Cal, you should have taken me. You would still be in the League,’” Calipari says.

Calipari wanted to take Bryant. After working him out three times before the Draft, the coach knew the guard would be a star. But it isn’t always as simple as writing a player’s name on a card and handing it to the commissioner to be announced. And everything that happened in ’96 proved that. So, the Nets passed on Bryant and chose Kittles instead. Eleven other teams refused to take Bryant, too. Meanwhile, West convinced Charlotte to trade Bryant—whom they had taken with the 13th selection—to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. And Bryant became one of the League’s all-time greats.

“I thought for sure someone would take him before 13,” West says. “When he was there, it was a celebration.”

The former Lower Merion HS star went from top target of the Nets to a draft choice of Charlotte to Los Angeles, where he would team with Shaquille O’Neal—a Lakers free agent acquisition later that summer—to win three titles. It was a perfect example of West’s shrewd eye for talent and his salesmanship skills, combined with the lack of certainty around the League that players, particularly wings, could make the jump from high school to the NBA. Throw in a lack of cohesiveness from a New Jersey franchise that featured a new brain trust in Calipari and GM John Nash operating under an ownership structure trying fruitlessly to step away from a lack of success, and you have a series of events and machinations that impacted NBA history for 20 years.

Bryant’s announcement that he would be heading straight from high school to the NBA surprised even his coach, Gregg Downer, who admits he didn’t know his star player’s plans until Bryant informed a jam-packed press conference that he had “decided to skip college and take [his] talents to the NBA.” By doing that, Bryant joined a talented crop of ’96 Draft hopefuls that included Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Peja Stojakovic and spawned a League-wide debate over whether he was ready to play at the highest level. Several teams thought he wasn’t. West believed he was.

Bryant had two workouts for the franchise, the second against star Lakers defender Michael Cooper. After 10 minutes of that exhibition, West was convinced the organization had to do whatever it could to get Bryant.

“Not only was he physically equipped, more importantly, he was skilled, and you could see his love of the game,” West says.

But it wouldn’t be easy. The Lakers had the 24th pick in the draft, and there was no way Bryant would fall that far. “I told [Bryant’s agent Arn Tellem], ‘This guy is going in the top three,’” West says.

If that was the case, West had some work to do to land Bryant.

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM PRESENTS ’96 DRAFT FOR EVEN MORE GOODIES FROM THE ISSUE.

It was a catered dinner in a hotel near the Nets’ arena, where the ’96 Draft would be held. Nash and Calipari hosted Joe and Pam Bryant, Kobe’s parents, and told them Jersey would be choosing their son with the eighth overall pick.

“We were discussing what their expectations were,” Nash says. “Joe thought Kobe would start as a rookie and be All-Star-caliber his second year.” 

Nash and Calipari believed Joe Bryant’s hopes for his son were a little high but they were still committed to selecting him, and they believed the Bryants were satisfied with the situation. As it turns out, that wasn’t true. According to West, Tellem told him the Bryants were afraid there would be too many distractions for their son on the East coast and that it would be a good idea for him to get away from home.

As Draft Day dawned, the Nets were still planning to select Bryant. But that all changed over the course of several hours, beginning with a lunch date. At the time, the Nets were owned by a group of seven men, including Joe Taub, who was charged with overseeing the basketball operations. He was not too enthusiastic about Bryant joining the team.

“Joe’s fear was that we would invest time in this young player, bring him along, and when the time came, he would leave in free agency,” Nash says. “That’s what had happened in New Jersey. People didn’t see it as a destination.”

Taub had a point. The Nets chose Kenny Anderson with the second pick of the ’91 Draft and had to trade him to Charlotte during the ’95-96 season because Anderson had announced his intentions to become a free agent the following summer. Derrick Coleman, whom New Jersey took No. 1 overall in 1990, signed a five-year deal with the team before the ’94-95 campaign but demanded a trade the following fall because he wanted to play for a contender. Taub wanted the Nets to select Syracuse forward John Wallace, whom Calipari and Nash did not think would be an NBA star.

“The owners told me, ‘Cal, why take a high school kid with the first pick?’” Calipari says. “They were adamant that I didn’t do it.”

Taub had just hired Calipari, who felt making a move his new boss didn’t like wasn’t the best thing to do so early in a business relationship. Calipari and Nash’s second choice was Kittles, a consensus All-American at Villanova who became a strong scorer for the Nets before hurting his knee.

“I thought that in five years, Kobe would be the guy,” Calipari says. “For three years, Kerry Kittles would be better.”

When the phone rang at 2:30 p.m. on Draft Day, Calipari and Nash began to see that something was going on. Tellem informed the Nets that the Bryant family was no longer interested in Kobe going to Jersey. “I stated our position as forcefully as I could and in a professional manner,” says Tellem, now the Pistons’ vice chairman. It was a surprising turn. Nash made some calls to find out what was going on. Calipari asked David Pendergraft, Jersey’s Director of Player Personnel, what he thought. “He said, ‘Somebody has a deal,’” Calipari says.

He was right. Tellem and West were good friends, and after working out Bryant, West told Tellem the high schooler had “a chance to be an all-time great.” West and Tellem spoke regularly as West tried to find a trade partner that would allow him to grab Bryant. He found one in Charlotte. “Once Jerry and [Charlotte GM] Bob Bass gave me their word the trade was real, I contacted New Jersey,” says Tellem.

The idea that Bryant would fall to the 13th spot was quite surprising to West, who believed the guard was a top-three talent and had started there in the draft hierarchy with his attempts to deal Divac. But Tellem wasn’t surprised. “[Teams between New Jersey and Charlotte] wouldn’t have had the guts to take him,” says Tellem, who limited Bryant’s exposure to several NBA clubs. One person who agreed with West was Tony DiLeo, who at the time was in the Sixers personnel department and is now director of college personnel with the Wizards. DiLeo had seen Bryant play pickup games against Sixers players the previous September and had been impressed by the prep senior’s “supreme confidence.” DiLeo also says Bryant would play one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse, the team’s first pick in 1995 (third overall), and the games “were very competitive.” At one point, Sixers coach John Lucas had to stop the competition because it had become too intense.

DiLeo had seen Bryant play several times at Lower Merion and had helped prepare him for his pre-draft workouts. He was so convinced Bryant would be a star that he pitched two ideas to new Sixers GM Brad Greenberg. The first was to choose Bryant first overall. Greenberg considered that too great a risk. Remember that when Minnesota drafted Garnett fifth overall the previous year, he was the first player to go straight from high school to the NBA in 20 years. Plus, Garnett was a big man, and thus more coveted in the mid-’90s NBA.

“People always wanted big guys,” West says. “They thought they could dominate the game. No one knew what the rule changes would do.”

DiLeo says he also suggested trading Stackhouse for a lottery pick and choosing Bryant. It may not have worked out, but a pairing of Bryant and Allen Iverson, whom the Sixers chose first overall, would have been fascinating to watch. “We discussed it,” DiLeo says. “I don’t think Brad was comfortable with it. He was a first-time GM. I understand.”

At dinner in the Nets locker room before the draft, Calipari announced to the owners and others that the team would be choosing Kittles, but that if he was not there, the Nets would take Bryant “no matter what.” When the Clippers selected Lorenzen Wright seventh overall, Calipari heard an outburst of cheers from the other side of the wall in the Nets’ war room. The owners were happy. Kittles would be a Net.

“[The Nets] were going to take [Bryant], and John Nash didn’t want to give in just because the owners were a little nervous,” Tellem says. “But Calipari was a new coach, and based on my conversation with them, obviously they decided it wasn’t worth the risk.”

So, would Bryant have gone to Jersey if the Nets had chosen him?

“That will remain a great mystery,” Tellem says. “I will take that to the grave.”

West and the Hornets sweated through the next four picks—all big men—and then Charlotte chose Bryant. But the deal between the two teams wasn’t finalized until 13 days after the draft, because Divac initially balked at being traded and threatened to retire if the deal was made. (Shortly thereafter, he changed his mind and agreed to play for the Hornets.) Less than a week later, O’Neal signed with the Lakers, and L.A. went from what West considered “good” to a three-time champion.

“It was like Christmas for the Lakers,” West says. “We got Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the same summer.

“Kobe didn’t just want to be a player. He wanted to be a major performer. He wanted to blow people away.”

And that he did.

—

SLAM PRESENTS ’96 DRAFT IS AVAILABLE NOW.

The post How Kobe Bryant Became a Los Angeles Laker appeared first on SLAM.

Special Offer: Click Here To Get 15% Off NBA Store With Code NBASLAM15

Already due to receive a statue outside of Staples Center, where he played for 20 seasons before retiring in 2016, the tragic incident that left the world without Kobe has accelerated fans’ desire for a statue of him to be erected. There are even those who have advocated for him to have two statues, much like he had two jerseys.

Back in 2018, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said that she would wait until Bryant was inducted into the Hall of Fame prior to unveiling a statue in his honor. Because Kobe retired in 2016 and a player must be out of the league for three full seasons, he was set for induction in 2020.

However, due to the unforeseen events that transpired this year, the enshrinement for the Class of 2020 has been postponed until 2021.

With Kobe’s enshrinement into the Hall of Fame and thus the unveiling of his statue just around the corner, speculation has continued on what exact pose or moment Bryant’s statue would capture.

Would it be the pose he struck on the scorer’s table after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals? What about his between-the-legs dunk from the Slam Dunk Contest he won in 1997?

In a conversation with Dorell Wright on The Player Tribune’s Text Message Talk Show, former teammate Shaquille O’Neal endorsed Bryant’s game-winner over the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 2006 NBA Playoffs as the pose for his statue.

With 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime, Bryant nailed a midrange jumper over two defenders to secure the win. While the shot was a spectacular moment and a microcosm of what Kobe could bring to any team, his reaction to making the shot was as memorable.

However, the Lakers would eventually lose their first round series against the Suns in seven games that year.

The statue that Kobe receives will likely represent a more triumphant series of events.

The post Shaquille O’Neal Suggests 2006 Playoff Buzzer Beater for Kobe Bryant Statue appeared first on SLAM.

Remember SLAM 15? Our brand new special edition issue takes a trip back to 1996 to explore the impact of the draft class featured on the cover of 15, a class that has produced four (and counting) Hall of Famers, three League MVPs, multiple champions and All-Stars and, maybe most importantly, ballplayers that shifted the lines between sport, music, movies and culture in general.

Profiles on the class’ biggest stars are included in these pages, as well as conversations with some of the players that had solidly productive careers. And a look at the world of 1996 at large is included too.

Blast some Jay-Z, OutKast or Fugees and order your issue now.

The post SLAM Presents ’96 DRAFT Special Issue is Available NOW appeared first on SLAM.

Call it a sense of duty to champion his people’s story, history and identity. Call it a lean toward making the mundane mystical or nostalgia fantastical.

Just make sure to call Tyler Deauvea (@tylerdeauvea) an artist who is a burgeoning incubator of his time, earnestly burdened with the clarity of significance.

The Houston native’s reverential look at basketball, “For the Luv of the Game,” was sparked by the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, and the indelible imprint the future Hall of Fame guard left on his life.

“I really only make work that I feel,” says Deauvea, who started out in photography and film before opting for collages and other multimedia. “I’ve always loved basketball and I’ve always had in mind that I would do a basketball series, but I really didn’t know in what way I would do it and how I would do it. Then Kobe Bryant died. I was a huge fan of Kobe Bryant. I still am.”

The Black Mamba’s passing led the diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan down several YouTube rabbit holes, where he discovered a treasure trove of his favorite player’s classic NBA games, buzzer-beaters, dunks and interviews.

“I made my first piece because he passed and I was really affected by it just as a fan,” Deauvea says. “I had realized just how much of an impact he had in my life. I realized that he was a hero to me, and I took a lot of what he said, and I use it in my everyday life, subconsciously and consciously. So that’s how it started off.”

Then it was on to Michael Jordan’s Emmy-winning documentary, The Last Dance, and a litany of memorable All-Star games. Basketball fans were all in the throes of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and desperately missing the game during the hiatus, so Deauvea started basking in the nostalgia, prompting him to honor the generation of players that inspired him to chase greatness.

“I just wanted to really honor those men who were on my television screen when I was a kid,” Deauvea says. “I want to celebrate them because these are my childhood heroes and they could pass one day. My favorite player passed, so we should honor these men for how they inspired us. Anyone that’s publicly doing well in their craft should inspire you, and for me that’s my big takeaway, but especially basketball because I love it so much.”

The 30-year-old social commentator’s series features pieces on Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Francis, Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jordan and of course, Bryant, whose “Mamba Mentality” lives on in everything Deauvea creates.

“There’s always people better than you,” Deauvea says. “There’s always people hungrier than you, at times may be more dedicated than you, so you always got to be in the gym, like constantly. There’s no reason to like rest on your laurels, because once your moment is done and you celebrate it, it’s over with. Now you got to get back to work. To celebrate more, you got to get back to work. That’s what the Mamba Mentality is, dedicating yourself to the craft and not being swayed by anything outside of you.

“That’s the same teaching of Taoism and Bruce Lee spoke on that, so it’s definitely a lot of Eastern philosophy behind the Mamba Mentality. I was already studying it before in different aspects, but once Kobe was doing interviews and explaining what it was, I was like, This is so much of what I already like to do. The Mamba Mentality is being a student to whatever you’re trying to do, so I definitely buy into it.”

Edgar Degas was onto something when he said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

Deauvea’s work, aptly dubbed AFROPOP, takes Degas’ principle to the next level, switching the culture code of negative African-American imagery from its Jim Crow era origins on its head, making the indefensible something entirely new and worth appreciating.

“For me, when I create my characters, I make them that way so that every Black person can identify that this is a Black person,” Deauvea says. “Every Black person can put themselves in those shoes. There’s a book that I read by Dr. Francis Cress Welsing called, [The Isis Papers:] The Keys to the Colors, and it was a whole book about how white supremacy used the color black against Black people and made it a negative thing. So, for me, I’m not going to let you make me feel bad about my black features. When I decided to create characters, I made him as symbolic of a Black person as possible, there’s no way to cut across it.”

Embedded in his work is the idea that everyone can identify with his images of a Black person, not just in normal environments and normal situations, but in a wondrously weird and exaggerated world like those depicted by Asian characters in anime or Takashi Murakami’s Superflat work.

“I just wanted to have Black people in these imaginative spaces,” Deauvea says. “I feel that’s important for kids to see. Even when it came to making the basketball players, I didn’t find the reason to differentiate from what I would do normally because I feel like in basketball, we place ourselves in the feet of these athletes when we watch the game.

“It’s not just the athletes themselves that’s being portrayed, it’s my character in their jersey doing what they would do. It’s anybody who loves basketball and loves that player and remembers that dunk from this game. That’s the concept behind it. My concept is truly a visual inclusion of all Black people. I want Black people to look at Black images, no matter how Black images look, from Black people and be like, ‘Yes, Black.’”

—

Maurice Bobb is a contributor to SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @ReeseReport.

Photo courtesy of David “Odiwams” Wright

The post FOR THE LUV: Artist Tyler Deauvea Celebrates Basketball in Unique Style appeared first on SLAM.

They are currently 4-0 this season while wearing the uniform, which honors the late Kobe Bryant.

Per the AP‘s Tim Reynolds, the Lakers were originally scheduled to wear the uniforms in Game 7 of the Finals but decided to wear them for a potential championship-clinching Game 5. L.A. will still wear the uniforms if a Game 7 is necessary.

The Lakers have dedicated their postseason run this season to Bryant. “If we lose in those jerseys, we just feel like we let him down,” Anthony Davis told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on the The Jump last week.

“Everybody on this team, Kobe has touched in some form or fashion,” Davis said. “We wear those jerseys with pride. We know how much he wanted for us to win this year.”

The post Lakers To Wear ‘Black Mamba’ Uniforms for Game 5 🐍 appeared first on SLAM.

In an interview with former NBA forward Dorell Wright on The Player Tribune’s Text Message Talk Show, KD was transparent on a number of topics, including part of the motivation behind the number change and his mentality while rehabbing from the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in 2019.

Durant fielded a number of questions that required him to list his favorites. Whether it was WNBA players, MVP winners, or Nike KDs, Durant had answers at the ready.

Asked why he switched jersey numbers away from the No. 35 he wore with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, Durant opened up about some of the NBA legends he respects.

“Wanted to try something new for this phase of my career plus ALL my favorite superstars rocked 2 numbers…..Kob, Mike, Bron…

Oh yea I can’t forget Melo”

Kobe Bryant. Michael Jordan. LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony.

Kobe and Jordan’s appearance on this list was predictable, given the scorer’s mentality that Durant shares with the Hall of Famers. Subsequently, Melo’s name being listed makes sense as well, particularly when noting that both he and Anthony played for Oak Hill Academy in high school.

On the other side of the spectrum, there’s LeBron, who KD did happen to make a song with in 2011. Still, given LeBron’s pass-first mentality, the burgeoning rivalry between the two for the title of the best player in the world, and his assertion that LeBron isn’t the greatest player of all-time, his place in Durant’s exclusive list does raise eyebrows.

The post Kevin Durant: ‘All My Favorite Superstars Rocked Two Numbers’ appeared first on SLAM.

“Elisabet Gianna Gasol, a very meaningful name for our super beautiful daughter!!” Gasol shared on social media.

Gasol and Kobe won back-to-back championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. Playing together from 2008-2014, it was inevitable that the pair became very close friends. So close, that Kobe named Gasol the godfather of his children.

Earlier this year, Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with seven other passengers tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26.

Gasol and his wife have remained close by Vanessa and her daughters’ side following Kobe’s death. The couple chose Vanessa to be their daughter’s godmother.

In a post on her private instagram, Vanessa wrote: “My goddaughter is here!!!! Congratulations @paugasol @catmcdonnell7 Love you 3 so much! So touched by your request to honor my Gigi Can’t wait to hold Elisabet Gianna Gasol.”

—

Charlie Desadier is an intern at SLAM. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Pau Gasol, Wife Honor Kobe Bryant’s Family With Newborn Daughter’s Name appeared first on SLAM.

But going into that night, GMs and coaches had already determined that there were a half-dozen can’t-miss players. Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen and Antoine Walker were the “Super Six of ’96,” the dudes that were locks to be selected first. And that’s how it played out.

Another half-dozen teams would make their picks, all missing out on a chance to draft the man who would immortalize the #8 and the #24.

So cheers to the Dirty Dozen and Unlucky #13 for making the mistake of a generation.

In honor of UNDEFEATED’s new Kobe 5 pack, we’re running down every player selected before Kobe and every franchise that got it wrong by not taking him.

1.     Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers

Italy was isolation. For most of his time over there, Kobe was alone, obsessing over basketball, dreaming and imagining the places that the game could take him. Then when he and his family got back to the States, they settled in Philadelphia. Lower Merion High School was the new headquarters for young Kobe to finally show the work he had put in during all those years.

It was like a comic book superhero had made his grand entrance.

Boom!

Pow!

Wham!

It wasn’t a bird or a plane—it was Kobe flying over every high school kid that dared to guard him. #33 was an unstoppable force, an immovable object that just wanted to see every school in Philly burn.

But the Sixers weren’t watching the story unfold. They selected Allen Iverson with the first pick in the ’96 draft.

Iverson and Bryant would have their battles. They’d each win and they’d each lose. Sometimes Kobe was the villain and sometimes he was the hero.

Until 2001, when Iverson earned League MVP and carried an offensively-challenged squad to the Finals. The roles were clear. Iverson was The Answer, the person that the entire country was rooting for. Kobe was the one standing in his way.

But there was no happy ending, no way the sun would shine on Iverson and Philly. Kobe made sure of that.

He sent his hometown team back home by doing everything on the floor and reminding them in between hounding defense, marvelous shotmaking and an evil competitiveness that their local kid wasn’t a kid anymore.

“It was always a war,” Iverson said in 2016. “You knew you had to come with your best. He brought everything out of me. He’s a fighter. With all the criticism that came his way throughout the years, he was able to overcome it all. That’s how he’s built. He loves proving people wrong.”

You hear that, Philly?

2. Marcus Camby, Toronto Raptors

Defense, rebounding and leadership were the qualities that made Marcus Camby a sure thing coming out of the University of Massachusetts. He was forever steady on the backline, plus he brought athleticism to the offensive end, as well as a very famous shooting form that was actually good money for the entirety of his 17 years in the League. 

But damn, did Kobe love playing against him. They played against each other 37 times and Camby came up on the wrong side of those matchups 24 times. Bean was out there giving him a light dose of 25 points every time they linked up. Then there were the times he gave Camby and his teams the gold-member level scoring treatment. Those were all-inclusive experiences that saw 51 points and 42 points (twice) get put on the Nuggets. 

And that career average of 25 points per game against Camby got upped to 33 a night when they met in the 2008 playoffs. Bean put that Nuggets team out of their misery swiftly. In the four-game sweep he put up 32 points, then 49 points, then a calm 22 and ended them with an efficient 31.

The defense that Camby got drafted for wasn’t ever enough vs #8 or #24. 

But back to the Raptors real, real quick. 

January 22, 2006. 

81 reasons to regret passing on him in ’96. 

3. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Vancouver Grizzlies

The shots seemed to cascade down from the rafters when Kobe found the zone. It used to look like they were falling and descending from basketball heaven, like Kobe was above the floor, higher than the defense—hooping from the sky. He would raise up and no matter what the defense did, the shots would splash through the net. And it would happen relentlessly, until the final buzzer mercifully sounded. 

It wasn’t just that there were a lot of shots. It’s that, truthfully, they were often bad shots against good defense that somehow always went in. 

Ask Shareef Abdur-Rahim about January 19, 2006. 

The third pick in the ‘96 draft had moved on from Vancouver to Sacramento by that point. His Kings team caught up with Kobe just three nights before he hit 81. He was already in the zone. 

Kobe racked up 51 points, getting the step on every single member of the Sac-Town defense. He did his damage from wherever he wanted to on the floor but most of his buckets came in the midrange, taking bad shots that became good shots because they went in. Clinically speaking, it was a first-class education in midrange footwork out of the triple-threat. Prof. Bryant was nice enough to give the Kings a free course. 

The Lakers lost in overtime that night. But a decade into their careers, Bryant showed Adbur-Rahim what the zone truly looked like. 

4. Stephon Marbury, Milwaukee Bucks

Stephon Marbury deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s how nasty he was. From Lincoln High School in Coney Island to Georgia Tech in Atlanta to the NBA to China, the only thing that ever changed was the jersey. The rest stayed the same. The hunger he played with, the fight he showed, the brilliance he brought to the hardwood, it all deserves to be rewarded with a spot in Springfield. 

That’s why the fourth pick’s words about Kobe, from a 2007 interview, carry so much weight. This isn’t Steph speaking about the finished product, the man with five chips and two Olympic Golds and over 30,000 career points. This is the single-minded, uncompromising, still-searching-for-the-next-rings Kobe. So listen up. Because real ballplayers know real ballplayers. 

“The way he goes at basketball and his preparation and dedication is something that’s unique. Kids think that he’s Kobe Bryant, he’s just as good as he is because of him just knowing how to play. They don’t know before the product touches the store, there’s a lot of things that has to go into that. People, when they look at him play, it’s like, ‘Oh, I could do that.’ Nah, you can’t do that. He’s the only person on this Earth that can do what he’s doing on a basketball court. He defends and plays offense. Who does that? He guards, he defends, he stops people. And then do that on the offensive end? Seeing him that night is like, ‘Damn, I can’t score and he about to bust my ass.’ That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

5. Ray Allen, Minnesota Timberwolves 

Enter the mind of a predatory animal on the hunt for food. Picture the hours that go by stalking and waiting for the right moment to make the right move to execute the right strike. Imagine all the time that is spent trying to survive and advance, all the skills sharpened by those experiences. 

But there’s something else out there in the wild. Another predator that’s just as big, just as cunning and even more cold-blooded. 

No matter what you do, that animal is marking you as its prey, just like you’ve marked others as your own prey. 

You know this. You know it’s coming. You know it wants blood. 

Ray Allen knew that Kobe had him marked. He learned about that when they met while traveling together to the Rookie Combine in Chicago. Kobe had Allen in his sights, studying him during his career at UConn, clocking the footwork and the instantly-squared-to-the-rim shoulders that Ray used on his jumpshot. Allen even knew how Kobe always felt disrespected about getting selected well after he did in the draft. 

They had their fights in between Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Seattle. All those scraps were meant to lead up to the battles in 2008 and 2010. 

When two alphas meet, it becomes a war of the mind. The bodyblows will land, but the spirit will stand. 

Allen won in ’08, catapulting three-pointer after three-pointer, setting what was then a Finals record for most threes. 

Kobe didn’t stop, though. 

He came back in ’10 and he got revenge for the draft, for all the times that Allen outscored him and beat him, for both the Bucks and Timberwolves thinking that Allen was a better player. 

The hunt was done. 

6. Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics

The Celtics were ready to draft Kobe. ML Carr, who was the director of basketball operations and the coach in 1996, and Red Auerbach, who needs no introduction, had him come to Boston for a workout before the big night on June 26, 1996. It’s no surprise that he bodied the workout. His shot was flowing and his interview was an early indication of the basketball genius he would morph into. 

They wanted to select him with the sixth pick. They saw all of it. They could see his skill level and his intellect and they could see his willingness to learn from older players and teach younger ones. They saw it from the drills that Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson put him through and they saw it from all the tapes they watched of him destroying high schoolers. 

But they didn’t take him. 

Their fear outweighed their interest. 

The Celtics were a bad team in 1996, far from all their glory of the previous three decades. They wanted to pick up a prospect that was pro-ready, somebody they could trust to adjust to the League.

They went with Antoine Walker, who ended up having a good career, averaging over 20 points per game during his time with the Cs. 

Carr and Johnson and Auerbach made the wrong decision, though. 

Bean came back and burned them in 2010 when he led the Lakers to the chip. 

They could’ve had him join the history that includes Russell, Bird and the countless other Hall of Famers that have worn the green. But they got scared. 

7. Lorenzen Wright, Los Angeles Clippers

Lorenzen Wright was tragically murdered in 2010 after a 13-year NBA career in which he averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds per game. 

He and Kobe matched up a handful of times in the League, and like everybody else, he didn’t have the answer. Kobe dropped 45 on his teams a couple of times, as well as multiple games of 25-plus. 

Out of respect for Lorenzen, let’s stick to the franchise that had spent decades in the basement—the Clippers. 

Bill Fitch, the Hall of Famer, was their coach and Elgin Baylor, the Hall of Famer, was their general manager. Even with all that brainpower and basketball history in between them, they didn’t pick up on Kobe’s potential. All they had to do was watch him play.

Here’s what Kobe did to the Clippers in 69 career matchups: 

22.4 points per game

5.1 rebounds per game

4.6 assists per game

1.6 steals per game

47-22 record

He kept the Clippers down, repeatedly making them look like the little brothers. Their “home” games belonged to him. There were more of his jerseys at Clippers home games than there were hot dogs, popcorns and sodas. He was the guest that never left, the neighbor who served as the ultimate reminder of the biggest miss that Baylor and Fitch ever had. 

8. Kerry Kittles, New Jersey Nets

It played out like a soap opera. The New Jersey Nets had made it known; they were ready to draft Kobe. John Calipari had just been named coach and general manager of the Nets and he didn’t hide any of his interest in the youngster. He had multiple private workouts in front of Calipari and his staff, with all of them playing out the same way—he was busting up every full-time Net they brought in to guard him. 

The love was immediate. Calipari and the front office recognized the greatness they were watching and they wanted to capture it in the draft and then set it free on the court.  

That love, unfortunately, wasn’t mutual. 

Bryant didn’t want to play in New Jersey and his agent, Arn Tellem, was going to make sure it didn’t happen. Drama followed from the moment that information became known. Tellem was threatening the Nets, saying that if they picked him, he’d ghost and go back to Italy. Arrivederci, idioti. Just like Calipari, Tellem knew what time it was. This was a special, special talent. 

Rumors flew for weeks. He said this and then he said that. But wait, then they said something else.

Oh, the storylines! Oh, the narratives! Oh, the lies! Oh, the truths?

The only people that know whether or not Kobe would’ve actually gone to the Boot aren’t giving up the informazione. Maybe he wouldn’t have. Maybe his dynasty would’ve been in East Rutherford, New Jersey, rather than in Los Angeles, California. Maybe he and Jason Kidd would have gotten to link up. 

Tellem’s plan worked. Calipari went with Kerry Kittles, a talented shooting guard out of Villanova. He had a nice eight-year career, calmly and efficiently averaging 14 points a game.  

The ghost came back to torment New Jersey in 2002. Swiftly, with no sympathy, Kob and the Show swept Kittles and the Nets in the Finals. It wasn’t even close. He was still #8, reigning down on those helpless defenders with towering poster dunks and the flashiest windmills. 

The love that never was hurts the deepest. 

9. Samaki Walker, Dallas Mavericks

Samaki Walker wound up on the Lakers for their 2002 championship season against the Nets. His head-to-head with Kobe isn’t on the same level (22.5 ppg vs 5.9 ppg) so let’s rewind to December 20, 2005 to show the Dallas Mavericks a souvenir they received for passing on Kobe in favor of Walker. 

It was a 75-degree day in Los Angeles. “Run It!” by Chris Brown was blasting on the radio every other moment. Kids were flocking to movie theaters to catch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. “Gold Digger” was still getting airtime and so was “Disco Inferno.”

Kobe was scorching the League then too. From November 2 to December 19, he was out there getting 30 and 40-balls with consistency. Tearing people up with so much ferocity that it was no way he couldn’t be considered the best ballplayer on the planet. 

Three-pointers, midrange, dunks, lays were dropping with such such style and grace that double-teams and triple-teams couldn’t stop him. This was Prime Kobe. 

The Mavericks were in town and they were good that season, carrying an 18-6 record in the matchup. 

They weren’t good enough, though. 

Kobe scored 62 points in three quarters. He played 32 minutes, took 31 shots and outscored the visitors by himself. They wrapped up the third with a total of 61 points. 

It was all island-work. Nobody else around, just Kobe, the triple-threat position and pain. The water was too deep for any Maverick that came to Kobe Island. None of them could swim safely. He sunk ‘em all and then called it a night, allowing them to only lose by 22.  

Samaki Walker was long gone by then. Kobe wasn’t. 

Nobody was talking about those movies or songs on December 21. They were just talking about Kobe. 

10. Erick Dampier, Indiana Pacers

The knock on Kobe coming out of high school was about strength, both mentally and physically. The doubters all sang in unison; Is he strong enough to guard Michael and Reggie and Payton and Mitch and all the other PGs and SGs that will take him to the block? Then the chorus of those songs went like; Can he handle an 82-game season? He’s never played that many games before.

When he hardcore-failed against Utah in the 1997 playoffs, with those four straight airballs, that song of doubt rocked the nation. 

We told you, we told you.  

The Pacers didn’t want any part of the high school kid during the draft. They had their own shooting guard. He was the best three-pointer shooter ever at that point, an ironclad lock for the Hall of Fame. They were an old-school organization with a roster full of veterans. Didn’t matter how much talent the kid had, they weren’t about to draft somebody that had just gone to prom. 

So they went with Erick Dampier, a rock solid center that played three seasons at Mississippi State. 

And then they watched Kobe shoot the Lakers out of the 1997 playoffs. 

And then against the Pacers in Game 4 of the 2000 Finals, after Shaquille O’Neal fouled out, they watched Kobe shoot the Lakers into a huge road win. 

There were just over two minutes remaining in overtime. Kobe shook the shit outta Reggie Miller near the left side of the circle. A left-to-right cross that he threw between his legs sent Miller wobbling backwards. One bucket. A stare-down pull-up over Mark Jackson followed about 30 seconds later. Two buckets. Then when Brian Shaw went streaking from left to right down the lane and missed an awkward hook shot, Kobe sprang up off the floor and tipped in the miss with his right hand. Three buckets. Gametime. 

They weren’t singing that song of doubt anymore. It would be just a couple of games after that Kobe would win his first NBA championship. 

11. Todd Fuller, Golden State Warriors

To be real, it didn’t work out for Todd Fuller in the NBA. Things happen that way sometimes. He was nice at NC State and then his NBA career only lasted five seasons. Most of those years were spent on the bench. He might’ve been lacking in basketball skill or maybe he wasn’t able to mentally comprehend and then physically adjust to the way ball is played in the League.

Kobe never let the Warriors forget being so close to getting him and choosing Todd damn Fuller instead. He went 51-16 against them in his 20 seasons. He gave them a 50-piece combo in 2000 and treated them to nine different 40-point performances and 17 other outings with at least 30 points. He had even had a game in their building where he dished out 14 assists. Yeah, that guy making that many passes.

He never had to see them in the postseason and he only ever played against Fuller a combined 12 times. Ain’t hard to tell how those games went.

12. Vitaly Potapenko, Cleveland Cavaliers

On the night that Kobe set the record for the most three-pointers made in a game (it’s since been broken by Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry), he connected from distance 12 times and had three huge dunks. His primary defender was Desmond Mason but the Seattle SuperSonics threw everybody at him. Kenny Anderson tried. Rashard Lewis did, too. Vladimir Radmanovic also contested a few shots.

Bean was firing in a few different ways. Shaq got double-teamed a couple of times and hit him for some off-the-catch shots. He had some fall after he set up his own dribbles. He, of course, shot a bunch of them out of the triple-threat.

It was 2003, though. Dudes weren’t shooting three-pointers at will yet. The game still operated inside-out. Shaq got his post touches and Kobe ran the offense from the wing. So launching 18 missiles was exceptionally rare, even for the best guard in the League.

Because the crowd wasn’t used to that type of volume shooting, they were hanging on every attempt, sonically following the trajectory of every shot.

Their collective voice would rise in pitch each time he put one up and then it would crash down in unison when they dropped.

He had ten of them already in the books with 2:33 left in the third. He was on the right wing, Mason standing in front of him. He took a beat to stay there, without dribbling, holding the pumpkin in his right hand. Mason took a huge swipe at the ball, leading Kobe to rip through a right-to-left screen. He took one left-handed dribble and hopped into a shot off two feet, met with a right-handed contest from one of the Sonics’ big men.

With his follow-through up for an extra moment, Kobe laced a triple in the eye of Vitaly Potapenko, the man selected right before him in the 1996 Draft.

Life comes at you fast, Vitaly. There’s your defining moment in NBA history.

13. Charlotte Hornets

They had him. They really, really, really had him. They could’ve had Kobe Bryant playing for the team that Michael Jordan would one day own. That could’ve been real life.

Jerry West, who was running the purple and gold in ‘96, had a plan to make sure that the Hornets’ draft pick would become the Lakers’ rookie.

“Kobe Bryant, through his agent, they were trying to direct him here to us,” West said shortly after Kobe passed. “So Kobe wanted to come back again and workout for us. So Arn called me and said, ‘He’s in town, he wants to workout.’ I brought Michael Cooper in, one of the great defenders we’ve had in our League. Well, after 10 minutes, I said, ‘Stop this.’ He was embarrassing Michael.”

West didn’t stop working until he orchestrated a trade that sent Vlade Divac to Charlotte. It became official on July 11 of that year.

Then the Logo used that cap space to sign the Diesel, which in turn established the best guard/big tandem to ever play basketball.

For their part, the Hornets got Divac and some playoff appearances in the years that followed. And they also get to go down in history as unlucky #13, the last team that lost out on Kobe Bean Bryant.

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Photos via Getty.

The post The Biggest Miss Ever: The Teams That Passed On Drafting Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

His drive and relentless work ethic led him to accomplish incredible things on and off the court. He was a five-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist who retired from the game as one of the greatest to ever do it. In his second act, Bryant had already become an Oscar-winning filmmaker, a published author of multiple books and an extremely successful businessman. He enjoyed more free time to spend with his family and took up coaching his daughter Gigi’s AAU team, the Mambas.

To honor the unwavering tenacity of a legend, Spalding is releasing a limited edition basketball that was designed with the help of Bryant before his tragic passing.

The first of the “Kobe x Spalding 94” line (the “24K Black Mamba”) dropped in 2019 and represented Bryant’s transformation into the fiercest competitor on the hardwood. The second of the series, the 94 Series Silver, celebrates another of Mamba’s transformations—from “a player with unmatched focus and determination, to a loving husband, father, coach, entrepreneur, philanthropist and author,” per Spalding.

The product is grey and silver with a snakeskin pattern, a nod to the fact that Kobe continued to shed his “player” skin and attack brand new challenges. It comes out June 15th on Spalding.com.

See additional photos and close-ups below:

Overall, Spalding says the basketball is “dedicated to Kobe’s mission and to everyone in the process of transforming into a champion in whatever they do.”

The hope is that it continues to inspire people around the world, pushing us all to embrace the Mamba mentality that led Kobe to such greatness.

—

In recognition of Bryant’s incredible legacy, Spalding has made a donation to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.

The post Spalding To Release New Limited Edition Basketball Honoring Kobe appeared first on SLAM.

While guesting on a recent episode of “Inside The Green Room,” Jeremy Lin recalls how a straight-faced Kobe told his teammates, “I just came by to say bye to some of you bums who are going to get traded tomorrow.”

Ironically, the Lakers didn’t make any trades before the deadline. (Starting at 19:42):

“He walks in, and everyone’s like, Ohhh. Carlos Boozer’s like, ‘Kobe, good to see you bro. We haven’t seen you in a bit. How come you came today?’

“He was just stone-faced. He was like, ‘I just came by to say bye to some of you bums who are going to get traded tomorrow.'” […]

“I remember one of my teammates was just like, ‘I lost all motivation to practice.’ It was funny because we couldn’t tell if he was serious. We couldn’t tell if he was joking.

“If I were to guess, he was probably more on the end of serious. But I don’t think he was all the way serious either because after that, people that talked to him caught up with him. So it wasn’t like hostile. But it was so him.”

RELATED: Pau Gasol Got ‘Really Emotional’ Rewatching Kobe Bryant Clinch 2010 Title

The post Jeremy Lin: Kobe Came To Lakers Practice To Say Goodbye To ‘Bums’ 👋🏿 appeared first on SLAM.

“I can’t say enough about the Spaniard,” Kobe said in front of the STAPLES Center crowd. “That guy is unbelievable and just a hell of a player. We wouldn’t have won it without him.”

Ten years later, Gasol said that he got a bit choked up while rewatching the late Bryant acknowledge him after the victory. Speaking to Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times, Gasol said, “With him being gone, I got really emotional.”

“I got emotional too, especially towards the end and hearing Kobe speak when he got the MVP trophy and how he acknowledged me,” Gasol recalled. “With him being gone, I got really emotional. It just really meant a lot to me.

“It’s one of those things with time that you learn to appreciate things and value things more, what you have gone through, what you have achieved, people you have had in your life, people you have shared special things with.”

RELATED: Kobe Bryant Says ‘L.A. Didn’t Really Appreciate’ Pau Gasol

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Instead, the Pistons humiliated a Los Angeles squad that featured four future Hall of Famers in a 4-1 beatdown, and Billups walked away with Finals MVP honors.

Mr. Big Shot adds that he was confident heading into the title round matchup when the Purple and Gold emerged from the Western Conference.

Per Bleacher Report (via ESPN):

“If you look at the names on the back of the jerseys, yeah, they should have swept us,” Billups said. “They really should have.”

However, he pointed out, “styles make fights, and our style against theirs was superior even in the regular season when we played them.”

He averaged 21.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals throughout the series behind 50.9 percent shooting from the field and 47.1 percent shooting from three-point range.

“When [Los Angeles] beat Minnesota, I was happy,” Billups said. “Because I felt like there was no way the Lakers could beat us.”

Related Larry Brown: Detroit Would Have ‘Many More’ Titles With Carmelo Anthony

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“And I was the rap version of him,” adds West, who was devastated by Bryant’s untimely death in late January.

Ye is now determined to honor The Black Mamba’s championship-or-bust mentality with his newfound approach to life.

Per GQ:

When Kanye West shows up for breakfast in the central cabin at the ranch he recently bought near Cody, Wyoming, I ask how he’s doing. “Not good,” he says, turning to look at me. Not good? How come? “Because,” he says, “Kobe was one of my best friends.”

Of course. It’s the morning of January 29 — 72 hours after Bryant’s shocking death.

West: “One thing I thought was really amazing is that we were able to find a groove with the photographs today even as out of it as I was with the loss of Kobe. We were able to just go to the court and play ball. There’s one street that I drive to go from either my office or my home to the property where the domes were built. [Editor’s note: The street is Las Virgenes Road, the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight other people just four days prior.] So now there’s no way for me not to be as determined as Kobe every time I drive down that street. It’s game time. There’s no move that we can’t make, or that we’ll wait to make. Everyone in our life is now a member of the Lakers on one of Kobe’s championship teams. The way that Kobe would say that we all have to come together and win this championship is the way I look at life now. To an infinite, other level.

“This is a game changer for me. He was the basketball version of me, and I was the rap version of him, and that’s facts! We got the commercials that prove it. No one else can say this. We came up at the same time, together. And now it’s like, yeah, I might have had a reputation for screaming about things—but I’m not taking any mess for an answer now. We’re about to build a paradigm shift for humanity. We ain’t playing with ’em. We bringing home the trophies.”

Related Vanessa Bryant: Hall of Fame Induction ‘Peak’ of Kobe Bryant’s Career

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“The factor is me, and my free-throw shooting,” says O’Neal.

The Diesel adds that he would have “killed” any big man Chicago threw at him.

Per Bleacher Report (via ESPN):

“‘Cause I would’ve killed Luc Longley, Bill Wennington, [Bill] Cartwright,” O’Neal said.

“The factor is me, and my free-throw shooting.”

Shaq then questioned which team Phil Jackson would be coaching, as he guided both teams. [ESPN’s Ariel] Helwani answered that Jackson would be with the Bulls since he coached in Chicago first.

“So he would’ve tried the Hack-a-Shaq thing,” Shaq responded. “I still would average like 28, 29, but the key would’ve been free throws. With me, it’s always 50-50. If I would’ve been on, we win. If I would’ve been off, we lose.”

Related Michael Jordan: ‘Winning Has a Price’

The post Shaquille O’Neal: Lakers Would ‘Easily’ Beat Michael Jordan’s Bulls appeared first on SLAM.

Shaquille O’Neal offered his new Laker teammate a cool $10,000 “in one dollar bills” to start a fight with Kobe Bryant, according to Rider.

Rider wisely turned Shaq’s offer down, and went on to collect an NBA championship ring that season.

Per The Miami Herald (via “All the Smoke”):

“When I first get to the Lakers, Shaq tells me ‘If you and Kobe get into it, it’s 10 G’s in the locker,” Rider said on the “All the Smoke” podcast. “This is three days into practice… I’m like ‘Man, come on, you playing, man.’ [He said] ‘There’s 10 G’s in one dollar bills, man. If you ever get into it and you handle your business, grab that.’”

Luckily, nothing ever materialized of Shaq’s rather generous offer and the Lakers would go on to win their second of three straight championships. While Shaq and Kobe were able to repair their fractured relationship prior to Bryant’s untimely passing in January 2020, Rider’s story shows just how toxic things had gotten between the duo.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Rider added.

“I’m coming to the Lakers, I’m like ‘Man, these boys are crazy, bro… But this my thing: I would’ve been off the team so fast if somebody laid a hand on that man.”

Related Shaquille O’Neal: 2002 NBA Finals Were ‘Boring’

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Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter, Giannia, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26.

Bryant was 41 and in the first year of eligibility for the HOF.

Per ESPN and the Lakers’ team website:

Speaking with her daughter Natalia by her side, Vanessa Bryant said, “It’s an incredible accomplishment and honor, and we’re extremely proud of him. Every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a steppingstone to be here.”

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant were married for 19 years. They had four daughters: Natalia is 17, Bianka is 3 and Capri is 9 months.

“No amount of words can fully describe what Kobe Bryant meant to the Los Angeles Lakers,” said Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss. “Kobe was not only a proven winner and a champion, he gave everything he had to the game of basketball. His fierce competitiveness, work ethic and drive were unmatched. Those qualities helped Kobe lead us to five titles – and have now brought him to the Hall of Fame, where he will be enshrined with the greatest to have ever played the game. No one deserves it more.”

“Kobe was always one to downplay his professional accomplishments – MVPs, NBA championships, gold medals, Oscars, and on and on and on,” said Lakers Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. “But all of us can trust that this Basketball Hall of Fame honor is one Kobe would, and will, deeply appreciate. The highest of congratulations to you, dear friend. This one is so well deserved — for all the hard work, sweat and toil. Now, a part of you will live in the Hall with the rest of the all-time greats, where your legend and spirit will continue to grow forever.”

Related Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnet HOF-Bound

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In this SLAM series, veteran/retired players share some of the best, funniest and most unforgettable stories from their careers.

—

Throughout an incredible basketball journey, guard Monta Ellis has broken records, put on legendary performances for historic teams, been a consistently unstoppable scorer, shared the court and gone head-to-head with future Hall of Famers and much, much more.

Ellis starred for the “We Believe” Warriors and reached the playoffs with every NBA franchise he suited up for (Golden State, Milwaukee, Dallas, Indiana). Over his 12 seasons in the League, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Monta dropped 40+ on nine different occasions, including a 48-point game against the Thunder in 2007—the same year he won the Most Improved Player award.

Here, Ellis tells the memorable stories from his career:

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SLAM: Describe your greatest or proudest moment on a basketball court.

Monta Ellis: That’s tough because I have a couple. I know, for one, my biggest thing was breaking the record when I was in high school to become the No. 1 scorer in JPS (Jackson Public Schools) and then I became No. 2 all time [in the state of Mississippi]. But I would have to say, man, my first game-winner in the NBA against the New Jersey Nets. The game was tight. I forgot who shot that ball in the corner, I think it was Vince Carter, and we ended up getting the rebound. Baron got the rebound and we thought Don Nelson was going to call a timeout, but he didn’t. So Baron pushed the ball and I ran the wing and it was, like, a three-on-two. But he was more to the left side and J-Kidd had to [make the stop], so he had to play between me and Baron. He decided to stop Baron and Baron kicked me the ball, and I ended up shooting it and hitting the game-winner. That was the year that I won Most Improved. I would have to say that one right there.

SLAM: Is that a surreal experience? Growing up, I’m sure you acted out scenarios like that in the driveway. When it finally happens, does it live up to that hype? 

ME: Yeah, man. I had done it numerous times even in high school. But it’s different when you do it in front of 18-20,000 people. I was in the Bay Area. When I say those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of, those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of. For me to hit that shot in that building in front of those fans, it was crazy. That time went crazy. From then on, they embraced me. That was my moment right there.

SLAM: What’s your best “We Believe” Warriors story?

ME: The one that people really don’t talk about is, that year [2007], [head coach] Don Nelson even came out in the paper and wrote us off. He said we weren’t going to make the playoffs, and we might as well start getting ready for next year and seeing what we could get in the Draft and whatnot. We had a lot of veteran guys on the team, and me being a young guy and hungry, we took that to heart. We all came together as a team then. I think we ended up winning 18 of the last 22 or something like that to end up getting into the playoffs as the 8-seed. With that run that we made, it was crazy.

We didn’t like that [Don said that]. So we all came together as a team and we just went out there and played. Off the court, you weren’t going to see one without seeing the other 12 or 13 guys. We go to dinner. Whatever we did, we were always together. It carried over to the basketball court. When we were on the basketball court, no matter if the times got tough or anything, we were always able to stay together. We had heated moments. We had heated situations. But nobody ever got personal with it. Nobody ever took it to heart. Everybody was like, Alright, we’re just trying to get better. We saw that. We saw everybody getting better. We saw the team getting better. So we just stuck with it.

SLAM: Can you talk about that ensuing first-round series against Dallas, when you guys pulled off the upset?

ME: The thing was with that series, Don Nelson and Mark Cuban had a personal thing going on at the time. Don Nelson coached his ass off that game. He told us exactly what was going to happen. He told us every move that Dirk was going to make. He told us everything that Jason Terry was going to do. Everything. When we knew we had them was when we first came to Game 1 and they switched their lineup to try to match up with us. We knew we had them then. From there on, we just ran the table.

SLAM: Who was the funniest teammate you ever had?

ME: Baron Davis, by far. I’ll tell you this, when it comes to BD, don’t ever bet him to do anything. Don’t ever dare him to do anything. Don’t ever crank up an idea where you even think that it might cross his mind because he’ll do it [laughs].

SLAM: Is there one thing you remember specifically that someone dared him to do?

ME: One day, we had a [nationally televised] game. We were on a run and everybody was talking about us or whatever. He knew the camera was going to be on. They had him put this outfit on—a cowboy outfit—with the cowboy hat, the boots, the belt, everything. They bet him to do it. Like, I bet you won’t do this. They fixed the outfit up. It was crazy. I don’t know when in the world anybody would’ve worn it. BD wore it. 

SLAM: Who told him to wear it?

ME: Al [Harrington], Jack [Stephen Jackson], Matt [Barnes] and J-Rich. 

SLAM: How did people react to it? 

ME: We didn’t do nothing but laugh. We were like, Man, he’s crazy. It was one of those outfits. Like, man, ain’t nobody supposed to come out of the house like that. He did that for a televised game.

SLAM: What’s the best prank in the NBA you ever saw?

ME: When I came in, they just did the norm, like put popcorn in your car. One day, they got Ike Diogu. We got drafted the same time. I think J-Rich asked him to do something and he didn’t do it, so he came out of practice and they had taken his rims off his truck, and they put his car on top of his rims. He came outside and he just had his car on top of his rims [laughs]. Those are the only pranks I ever saw. I ain’t never seen anything beyond that. I’ve seen more of the popcorn than anything.

SLAM: What’s the most unique pregame ritual you ever saw in the League?

ME: Now young guys do a lot of crazy stuff. When I came around, the only person that we said that had a crazy ritual was Ray Allen. He used to run miles and then he’d come out 3-4 hours before [the game]. And then Kobe, too. But other than that, on my team, I ain’t never had a teammate do any crazy ritual.

SLAM: Did you have a specific ritual? 

ME: Nah, I mean, because sometimes I’d go out and warm up, sometimes I wouldn’t. And then we had an extra gym, a practice facility, when I was in Dallas—I never went on the court then. I worked out in the back and then just went out and played.

SLAM: Stephen Curry has talked about an encouraging call he got from you when he was struggling during his second year in the League. What do you remember about that?

ME: I know what you’re talking about. I had just got traded to Milwaukee. The fans were upset. Then they had this Chris Mullin night, where they retired the jersey or whatever, and they booed the owner. I think that kind of got to him because everybody was talking about me more than anything. A lot of people were saying they would’ve taken me over him. Being young, sometimes that’ll get to you. And I understood it. So I just called him and told him, Don’t worry about all of that, man. Just keep working hard. You’re in a great situation, it’s your team. There are going to be critics. You’re going to have people that are going to say what they’re going to want to say. Once you turn it around, I guarantee they are all going to be on your bandwagon. I just told him to keep working hard, man, and play basketball how he knows and stop overthinking it. Just play. As players, you get in that mode sometimes. I get that. 

SLAM: Who would you say is the toughest player you ever faced one-on-one, either in a game or in practice?

ME: I used to have some good one-on-ones in practice with BD and all of those guys. In a game, it was Kobe. Oh my goodness. He hit crazy tough shots. He was always on the attack. He was in kill mode. If he ever laid back, don’t ever get comfortable with it. It’s like, he’s just waiting his turn. If you say something crazy, if he feels any kind of excitement, he turns up. It was unbelievable to guard him.

SLAM: Was that kind of the rule—don’t talk to Kobe on the court because that’ll get him going?

ME: I mean, if you want to. You better be able to back it up.

SLAM: Do you remember any specific times you played against him? 

ME: Oh, man. 2011. Me and him were going back and forth. He had like 30 something. I had like 40 something or close to that. They ended up winning because he hit a clutch shot at the end. And he hit it on me. There were two or three, maybe four possessions where he came down and scored, I came down and scored, he came back down and scored, I came back down and scored. We were going back and forth like that, for like 4-5 minutes straight.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

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Beal has poured in 108 points for Washington over the last two games—both losses—but is taking no pleasure in the gaudy numbers.

The 26-year-old became the first player since Kobe Bryant in March 2007 to record 50-point performances on back-to-back nights.

Per The WaPo:

“I’m a winner, so you can throw those 55 out with the last 53,” Beal said after becoming the first player in NBA history to score at least 50 points on consecutive days and have his team lose both games.

“Bradley, he’s a monster right now,” Wizards Coach Scott Brooks said Tuesday during an interview with the Sports Junkies on 106.7 the Fan. “He’s been on a tear pretty much all season, but lately he’s been really special.”

After Monday’s loss, Beal reflected on what he has learned from the various tributes to Bryant since the Lakers legend died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26.

“It’s not about how many points I score. It’s not about how many all-star games I make. It’s not about how many all-NBA teams I make. Because at the end of the day, when I’m gone from here, you guys aren’t going to remember that, nor are you going to care,” he told reporters. “I feel like that’s how we feel with Kobe. I feel like the impact that you leave on others and your teammates and everybody around you is what’s most important. So I think that’s what I take to heart the most and carry that for the rest of my life.”

Related ‘It’s Disrespectful’: Bradley Beal Laments All-Star Snub

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Garnett says he and Bryant had a special relationship, and the blockbuster deal nearly came together for the Lakers.

Ultimately, the Timberwolves sent KG to Boston where he won his lone NBA title with the Celtics in 2008.

Per NESN:

“I’m just being honest with everybody, I wanted to link with Kob (Kobe Bryant),” Garnett told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the “All The Smoke” podcast. “Kob’ and I had a different connect. When Kob’ and (Shaquille O’Neal) went on their little thing, a lot of people went with Shaq. A lot of people didn’t even (expletive) with Kob’. I’m one of the very few that just stayed with him.

“I was a neutral guy anyway. I show everybody love. But Kob’ respect dogs,” Garnett continued. “Well, I tried to link with him, and I couldn’t get him on the line.”

The fact Garnett couldn’t get in touch with Bryant caused things to change.

“So, I had to make a decision coming down,” Garnett said. “Danny Ainge flew in and he just got right to it, showed the vision. You ever have somebody talk to you and as they’re talking to you, you can see what they’re seeing? That’s how he (Ainge) was painting it. He was a Picasso,” Garnett said. “And this is Danny Ainge’s greatness, him being able to lure you in. His charming (expletive).

“So, I just sat on it and like, ‘No, I’m going to Beantown,’” Garnett said.

Related Doc Rivers: Kevin Garnett the ‘Greatest Superstar Role Player Ever’

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The award, previously known as the Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP Award, will honor Bryant permanently.

Bryant played in 18 NBA All-Star Games over the course of his 20-year career and won the MVP in a record-tying four of those contests. It’s presumed that he would have earned 19 nods straight had it not been for the lockout shortened 1998-99 campaign that didn’t include an All-Star Weekend.

“Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game,” Adam Silver said in a statement. “He always relished the opportunity to compete with the best of the best and perform at the highest level for millions of fans around the world.“

The NBA has also elected to honor Bryant by using his jersey number, 24, as the constant that makes up the target game score in the revised All-Star Game format.

The post League Renames All-Star MVP Award After Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

Howard is “still in shock” over Bryant’s untimely passing, and regrets never having had the opportunity to let him know how much he appreciated him.

“It doesn’t seem real that it happened,” Howard said.

Per ESPN:

“He was going to do something for me in the dunk contest, which is kind of heartbreaking,” Howard said Tuesday following the Lakers’ 129-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center. “It’s been on my mind every day. Man, I can’t believe it. I’m still in shock. It hurts. It’s tough. I just never thought that somebody like that would be gone.

“And it’s something that, you know, I just tell people, if you have any bitterness or anger, whatever, strife towards anybody, let it go. Let them know how you feel. Get those feelings out. Let them know because you never know what could happen. Life comes and goes just like that. For me, it’s super sad because I really wanted to tell him how much I appreciate everything he’s done, all the things he’s said. Even at the time that we were on the same team, we didn’t understand each other.

“But I saw a different Kobe, and I even saw a change in myself. And I’m pretty sure he saw it. I just wanted to be able to tell him how I felt about him, and I never got the chance to. That was really the most heartbreaking part. Every day it’s been on my mind. It’s something that I’ve just got to deal with, just show the fans in this city that I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Howard told ESPN that both Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and Howard’s agent, Charles Briscoe, got word prior to the tragedy that took the lives of Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others on Jan. 26 that Bryant would indeed be joining him at All-Star Weekend.

“I probably have cried as hard as I have in a while, the death of Kobe,” Howard said. “It wasn’t because we were close, close friends, it’s just like, man, I just never thought that it’d be Kobe.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Dwight Howard ‘Ready for this Next Time Around

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James had his own five-year-old daughter in mind when he made the pick.

Bron says the Los Angeles Lakers are slowly regaining their championship focus following the tragic death of Bryant and eight others in a helicopter crash last week.

Per The LA Times:

“Today was the start of a new week,” James said. “We got a great workout, great practice today. We continue to focus on what needs to be done to continue to win ball games and get better and be as great as we can be. So it was a good day for us today.”

During the past week, the Lakers experienced something together that no one outside their locker room could understand. Their bond, already strong, grew tighter through the experience.

“There is no way any individual can do it on their own,” James said. “The week that we had. The week that we’ve all had. You have to lean on somebody in order to gain strength. That’s the only reason we’re all able to get through it together.”

Related Frank Vogel: Kobe Bryant Tragedy Brought the Lakers Closer

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Toronto took the lead halfway through the first quarter and would not trail for the rest of the game.

Fred VanVleet dropped 16 points with 9 dimes and 8 boards. Pascal Siakam added a game-high 30 points.

Toronto has now won 10 straight games. Detroit has lost 5 straight.

Bulls 118 (19-32), Nets 133 (21-26)

Kyrie Irving needed just 23 shots to drop 54 points as he led the Nets to a much-needed victory.

Putting on an inspired performance in memory of his friend and mentor Kobe Bryant, Kyrie did not miss in the first half en route to his second 50-plus point game of the season.

Mavs 121 (29-19), Rockets 128 (30-18)

Houston built an 18-point lead late in the third quarter against the Luka Doncic-less Mavs and held on for the win.

James Harden dropped a game-high 35 points with 16 boards, 6 dimes and 4 steals. Russell Westbrook added 32 points with 9 dimes and 3 steals.

Grizzlies 111 (24-25), Pelicans 139 (20-29)

New Orleans, finally with its core players healthy, blew the game open during the third quarter, outscoring the Grizzlies by 17 points.

Jrue Holiday dropped 18 points with 6 dimes and 3 steals. Zion Williamson added game-high 24 points.

Nuggets 127 (34-15), Bucks 115 (41-7)

Denver shot 22-44 from three as they snapped the Bucks’ 9-game winning streak.

Will Barton dropped a team-high 24 points (6-9 3FG) with 8 dimes and 7 boards.

Thunder 111 (30-20), Suns 107 (20-28)

Down 7 with 4:10 remaining, the Thunder battled back for another important road victory.

Chris Paul dropped 20 points with 10 dimes and 3 steals. Danilo Gallinari added a game-high 27 points.

Blazers 127 (22-27), Lakers 119 (36-11)

Portland thwarted the Lakers on an emotional night that paid tribute to fallen legend Kobe Bryant.

Damian Lillard continued his scorching hot play, dropping 23 of his game-high 48 points in the third quarter. Hassan Whiteside added 30 points with 12 boards and 5 blocks.

The post Post Up: Lakers Honor Kobe in First Game Since Fatal Helicopter Crash 💜 appeared first on SLAM.

Then confirming reports started to come in. It was, in fact, true.

Everyone in the gym was glued to their phones in disbelief. As I walked out, I received a call from an aunt, who was hysterical as soon as I picked up. She kept asking if it was true. I confirmed.

Then more text messages came in. Despite the news still being recent, it took me a minute to fully grasp what was going on. As I saw every major media outlet covering it on TV, I broke down. I tried to gather myself, but the tears kept falling. I realized that I had lost my version of Michael Jordan.

I was born in 1990, and I’d be lying if I said I remember watching Mike or Magic in their primes. But I do remember watching this charismatic 17-year-old kid from Philadelphia begin his 20-year career in the city I was born and raised in. Regardless which section of the city you claim, folks all over the Greater L.A. area bleed purple and gold. 8 and 24 were more than numbers to us.

Whether you were a zealot or a casual—everyone knew the type of weight Kobe Bryant’s name held here. I shared a story on Twitter that Sunday about my grandma, who emigrated from Ecuador to Los Angeles and worked as a custodian at LAX for over 20 years.

She always told me that she’d see this man coming through the terminal that fit the description of Kobe. He was “El Kovi” to her, and while I never questioned or called her bluff, it was moments like those that spoke to how influential he was. One time, in 2000, we took two buses from her apartment on 77th & Western to the Glendale Galleria to buy the adidas Kobe 1s from Foot Locker.

When we approached the register, she was short $17. As she pleaded with the employee, I walked out to the front of the store, holding back tears. I didn’t expect that she’d come out with the shoes because her grandson wanted “los zapatos de Kovi” (the shoes of Kobe).

A few years ago, I wrote a manifesto about L.A. and towards the middle, I included how “championship parades on Figueroa were like big family gatherings.” Whether it was during the three-peat era or back-to-back titles in ‘09 and ‘10, fans of all walks of the city filled the streets in purple and gold, cheering for the hometown team and especially for Bryant, who was royalty to us.

If there’s one thing about L.A., it’s that we love hard. That was always evident with Kobe Bryant fans. Whatever way you showed your support—arguing with those who badmouthed him; inking your skin with 8s, 24s and portraits; decorating your vehicles with custom license plates and/or decals; or even going to the extent of naming your children after him—people devoted their allegiance to the fullest in L.A.

Now, those same fans along with generations of new ones have gathered at STAPLES Center and L.A. Live to pay their respects, reminisce on their favorite memories, chant “M-V-P,” crumble up pieces of paper and yell “Kobe!” while shooting into a trash can to honor the player that brought us five titles.

There was something about Kobe that everyone in the city gravitated to. His will to be great was second to none. He was the epitome of meticulous. This kid from Southeast L.A. loved everything Kobe Bryant stood for. I take pride in being born and raised in L.A. I take pride in being able to say I witnessed his career unfold in my backyard and saw him become one of the most prominent athletes to ever play in the City of Angels.

The “Mamba Mentality” was a mantra that far exceeded the hardwood. No matter the craft, it meant to honor the process in anyone’s respective field and give nothing short of a 110 percent effort. Like every other kid, I would emulate everything about Kobe while hooping—fadeaways, turnarounds, the armbands, leg sleeves, certain pivots. I even tied my sneakers the same way he did.

Through the ups and the downs, I, along with others here, had a front-row seat for it all. We felt the losses and triumphed during the victories.

I loved No. 8 with the afro and No. 24 with the bald head; loved adidas Kobe, when he was a sneaker free agent and seeing every one of his signature sneakers with Nike; loved when he was one of the most hated NBA players because he used that as fuel for his scoring barrages; loved watching games on NBC, KCAL-9 and Fox Sports West, as well as playoff series matchups against Portland, Sacramento, Denver, Utah and Phoenix; loved that menacing, under-biting stare he gave when he was locked in; loved when he outscored Dallas by himself in three quarters; when he had 81 against Toronto, 61 at The Garden, the two made free throws after rupturing his Achilles tendon and, most importantly, his 60-point sendoff into retirement in April of 2016.

When there was the possibility of him signing with the Clippers in 2004, I sat in front of our family TV and let out a sigh of relief when he instead re-signed with the Lakers. I did the same thing three years later when he demanded a trade to Chicago but ended up staying.

The Finals losses to the Pistons and Celtics still make me feel some type of way. When I first got into journalism, I realized I had to put the fandom aside. But there was still a special place I kept for Kobe tucked away. I first got interview time with the Black Mamba during the release of the Kobe A.D. I was dead center, and I’ll never forget the focus he gave me before he responded.

It was there that I realized I was living a dream: a kid from a blue-collar city in L.A. that was writing for his favorite magazine and interviewing a childhood idol—a position that I’ve never taken for granted.

Growing up, my mother always told me that we were on borrowed time. And while that is true, Kobe wasn’t supposed to go out like this. Nah. He was transitioning into a new role, walking away from the game on his own terms and planting the seeds for his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who also left the world too soon. Dad Kobe became my favorite version.

There was a satisfaction I got from seeing Kobe and Gigi sitting courtside together at WNBA, NBA, college and HS games. That made my heart warm. I couldn’t wait until we gave Gigi her own SLAM cover and to see her in college and eventually in the W.

Shortly after midnight on Monday, I approached the on-ramp to the 110 North freeway and saw the InterContinental and U.S. Bank Tower in DTLA lit up in purple and gold to honor Kobe Bryant, just a few blocks from the arena where he cemented his legacy.

—

Drew Ruiz is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @DrewRuiz90.

Photos via Getty.

The post Thank You, Mamba: Lifelong L.A. Native Reflects on Kobe’s Impact appeared first on SLAM.

The team, which held its first practice Wednesday since the tragedy, put out a statement along with owner Jeanie Buss and Kobe’s widow Vanessa all put out statements following the tragedy.

Bryant, 41, perished in a helicopter crash Sunday morning along with his 13-year-old daugher Gianna and seven others.

Per The LA Times:

“He was the most feared man in the league for an entire generation,” Vogel said from the team’s practice facilities in El Segundo. “The influence is profound league-wide, basketball community-wide, world-wide, Lakers family-wide and his influence will be felt forever.”

Above Vogel and to his right, a pair of overhead lights had been fixed onto the numbers 8 and 24, the numbers Bryant wore during his 20-year career with the Lakers. They’d been lit since the night before, and the team plans to light them for at least the rest of the season.

“It’s something that’s touched my family being the father of daughters,” Vogel said. “It’s been very emotional and something that brings us together. As well as the Lakers family. I’m around the people that were closest to Kobe throughout his time here.”

Vogel said he plans to follow the leads of [LeBron] James and Anthony Davis, who had a close relationship with Bryant since he entered the NBA, on how the team proceeds from here: “It’s a deeply saddening time for all of us.”

Related LeBron James: ‘God Gave Me Wide Shoulders for a Reason’

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Some people define eternity as a life that has no end. But others look at it as what exists outside time—another plane that’s reserved for only the few.

A place where the ball never stops bouncing. 

Kobe said he fell in love at six, which is when he moved to Italy. In solitude, he picked up the ball. He found a piece of something that compelled him, something that called to him. He said it made him feel alive.

That’s the way he made us feel. It was exhilarating when we watched him and we saw him fly. We were just kids, falling in love with the game through him. He was our teacher. He was on his way to the cosmos and we were hitched to the rocket ship. His game, his movements, his energy… Contagious. Intoxicating. Addicting. The bounce he walked with led into the explosion he dunked with. The explosion he dunked with bled into the blasts that he would shoot his jumpers with. That was all just the pathway to the inferno raging inside of him, his scorching, searing devotion to winning. 

His infatuation with victory infected us. We expected it from him. 

He delivered. 

We followed. 

He would shoot 1,000 shots a day. We would do the same, no matter what our “shots” were. We’ve grown up a little since we watched him three-peat and then go back-to-back. We’ve got jobs now, we’ve got families. But we’re attacking each and every day with those 1,000 shots loaded and ready to go. That’s the mentality he shared with us—win. 

And then we saw him evolve. He went from dunking on everyone stupid enough to challenge him to something else. He reached basketball genius-level. He dominated mentally. His footwork became methodical. His fadeaway became unstoppable. His IQ became unquestionable.

He became a basketball master. 

But his greatest evolution happened off the court, where he blossomed into a true father. He was already a father-figure to so many of us but the time he invested in his daughters was the truest testament to his character. That was where he showed the most growth. And that’s why this hurts so much.

We can all admit how upset we are, how many tears we’ve cried since Sunday. This isn’t about sadness, though.

This is about appreciation. Celebration. We should all understand and acknowledge how lucky we’ve been to get to see Kobe become Kobe. We were there the whole time, while he used basketball as the vehicle to educate us on how to realize our potential, whether as a ballplayer, a writer, a doctor, a chef, a photographer, a husband, wife, son or daughter. 

People have been saying that he influenced an entire generation. And that’s an absolute fact. It was our generation. Kobe belongs to all of us. We all have a story about how he impacted us, from the time we were little to this exact day. We could go back through those moments that now echo in basketball history. Or we could just remember the feelings that ran through us during those plays. We got to be in the presence of one of the game’s most potently devastating forces. That’s a blessing. 

Kobe, we’ll be moving for you from here on out, using everything you taught us. The quotes, the highlights, the memories, they will never, ever fade. We’ll see you and Gigi up there, where the ball never stops bouncing. 

Thanks for everything, Bean. Love.

The post Eternal: The Kobe Bryant Story appeared first on SLAM.

James vowed to take on an even bigger leadership role for the grieving organization.

Kobe had very recently been in touch with LeBron, congratulating him for becoming the NBA’s all-time third leading scorer hours before he perished along with eight others in a helicopter crash.

Per The Athletic:

For more than 10 minutes, Lakers players, staff members and executives, including owner Jeanie Buss, sat rapt as James shared stories from his battles with Bryant as opponents and their time as teammates in a pair of Olympics. The group was gathered in an event suite overlooking the team’s practice court, directly across the gym from where the Lakers championship trophies could be seen in Buss’ office window.

“God gave me wide shoulders for a reason,” James said, according to multiple people who were present.

The lunch served as the first formal team gathering since the Lakers learned of Bryant’s death while they were on a flight home from Philadelphia. The Lakers legend was on a helicopter that crashed in a hillside in Calabasas, killing all nine people aboard, including Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna.

The Lakers will slowly get back to the business of basketball. And in time, that may start to feel like the most significant thing again. At least sometimes.

“It’s never going to feel normal,” one Lakers official said. “It won’t.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘Awesome’ LeBron James Will Surpass Him on Scoring List

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The All-Star big fella, who was inspired by Bryant to pick up a basketball, finished with 24 points in the Philadelphia Sixers’ 115-104 win against the visiting Golden State Warriors.

Embiid, perhaps appropriately, also grabbed eight defensive rebounds.

Per The AP:

“That was the turning point in my life,” Embiid said. “It was watching Kobe. After watching, I just wanted to be like him.”

Embiid and the rest of the Sixers wore No. 24 and No. 8 Bryant jerseys in warmups in honor of the Los Angeles Lakers star, who was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash. Embiid was granted permission from Hall of Famer Bobby Jones to wear the retired No. 24 instead of his usual 21 for his first game since he tore a ligament in a finger in his left hand.

“It was tough but that’s how you honor him, you go out there and you do your best,” Embiid said. “You work hard and you play through stuff.”

Related Joel Embiid: ‘I’m Never Going to Be the Kind of Traditional Big Like Shaq’

The post Joel Embiid Wears No. 24 Jersey in Kobe Bryant’s Honor appeared first on SLAM.

West told Bryant he shouldn’t join a team owned, at the time, by the despicable Donald Sterling.

The Clips had an initial shot at nabbing a 17-year-old Kobe, but told him they were the wrong fit following a legendary pre-draft workout in 1996.

Per Bleacher Report and The LA Times:

“I remember when he was going to leave the Lakers, and I’ve never really mentioned this to anyone, he was going to come and sign with the Clippers, who I’m now involved with as a consultant. And I told him, ‘Kobe, under no circumstances can you do this,'” West said on Inside the NBA.

“And he was mad at everyone, the Lakers, the owner, everyone else. I said ‘Kobe you can’t go play with the Clippers. You can’t play for that owner, period.’ We had two conversations about it.”

In a “long talk” with Bryant after the workout, [Bill] Fitch said he shared with Bryant how impressed he was by what he’d seen, and also concerns about the organization as it was run by former owner Donald Sterling.

“He knew where we were coming from,” Fitch said. “He knew the Clippers were in need of a lot of help and were in dire need of a lot of things, including ownership. We had a lot of long talks about what he should do and where he should go and I said, ‘I can take you and you can play 48 minutes a game with anybody I got here, but it’s not going to be the career I want for you.’

“He benefited from us not taking him and money-wise he probably got more getting drafted where he did than he would have gotten out of Donald Sterling. I didn’t want him to have to go through all the things we were going through there.”

Related Jerry West Wanted Tracy McGrady to Join Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal

The post Jerry West Told Kobe Bryant Not to Join the LA Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

“I still can’t believe it,” O’Neal told his “NBA on TNT” colleagues.

The big fella offered his condolences to the family of his friend and former Lakers teammate, and said the two legends will forever be linked.

Per The AP and ESPN :

“The fact that we lost probably the world’s greatest Laker, the world’s greatest basketball player is just — listen, people are going to say take your time and get better, but this is going to be hard for me,” O’Neal said. “I already don’t sleep anyway, but I’ll figure it out.”

O’Neal was working out with family members when he got the news and hoped it wasn’t true.

“I never could have imagined nothing like this,” he said. “I was thinking the other day I’ve never seen anything like this. All the basketball idols that I grew up (watching), I see them. They’re old.”

O’Neal, who said he spent the past few days watching video highlights of Bryant and himself, noted that in his eyes, there never will be a better center-guard duo in NBA history than Bryant and himself.

“When Kobe came, I sat him down and said, what do you want to be?” O’Neal said. “At 17, he said, ‘I am going to be the best player in the world, and off the court, I am going to be bigger than Will Smith.’ You know me, I’m like, slow down, slow down … it was fun. Our names will always be linked. We talk about who’s this and who’s that. I truly believe that we will be the most dominant big, little one-two punch ever. I still can’t believe it.”

Related Shaq Says He and Kobe Would Beat LeBron and Anthony Davis

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Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas on Sunday morning. Bryant was 41.

For two decades we witnessed the greatness of Kobe on the floor. Drafted 13th overall in 1996, he spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, five-time champion and the 2008 MVP. He was named to 15 All-NBA teams and won two gold medals as a member of Team USA. Both of his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, were retired by the Lakers in 2017.

Bryant recorded 33,643 points throughout his remarkable 20-year run, which ranks fourth in NBA history. LeBron James passed Bryant on the all-time scoring list on Saturday night, less than 24 hours prior to Bryant’s death.

Regarded as one of the fiercest competitors and hardest workers ever to play the game, Bryant was an inspiration to people across the globe. His unique approach to all endeavors—coined the “Mamba mentality”—led him to accomplish remarkable things. He chased goals relentlessly. He pushed himself to the furthest possible limits, playing through injuries and constantly defying the odds. His confidence was unshakable. He was the embodiment of passion, determination and perseverance.

Following his retirement from the NBA in 2016, Bryant pursued new ventures with the same level of intensity that he brought to basketball. He coached Gianna’s AAU team (The Mambas), published multiple books and won an Oscar for his animated short, Dear Basketball.

Bryant’s many peers and passionate fans took to social media to react to the devastating development and express their deepest condolences:

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released this statement:

“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals. But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”

And from Michael Jordan:

“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing. Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe—he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply—and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball.”

There was a gathering outside the Staples Center, where the Grammy awards were held on Sunday night, shortly after the news broke. Inside the building, two bright lights shined on Kobe’s numbers hanging from the rafters during the music celebration.

Though the mood in arenas was somber, games were still played. Teams honored Bryant’s legacy with various, powerful tributes, such as this:

Players and coaches were clearly emotional, still struggling to process the sudden heartbreak.

Bryant was extremely devoted to his family and is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and three daughters—Natalia (17), Bianka (3) and Capri (seven months).

Our thoughts and best wishes are with everyone affected by this inconceivable tragedy.

Mamba Forever. 

The post The Basketball World Mourns the Death of Kobe and His Daughter Gianna appeared first on SLAM.

Cuban joined the massive outpouring of grief from the sports world and far beyond after Bryant and his daughter Gianna perished, along with seven other people.

Bryant, 41, spent his entire 20-year career in Los Angeles, wearing both Nos. 8 and 24 for the Lakers.

Per The Forth Worth Star-Telegram:

“We are shocked and saddened by the devastating news of the passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. Kobe was an ambassador for our game, a decorated legend and a global icon. Above all, he was a loving and dedicated father,” Cuban said in the release.

“Kobe’s legacy transcends basketball, and our organization has decided that the number 24 will never again be worn by a Dallas Maverick.”

This is especially rare for a player who never wore a Mavericks jersey.

“Our hearts go out to all the lives lost and the families impacted by this terrible tragedy. We send our thoughts and prayers to Vanessa and the family, the Lakers organization and Kobe Bryant fans everywhere.”

The post Mark Cuban: ‘Number 24 Will Never Again Be Worn By a Dallas Maverick’ appeared first on SLAM.

Update #2, 3:59 pm: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that Kobe and Gianna Bryant were heading to a travel basketball game, along with another parent and player.

Update #1, 3:46 pm: TMZ is now reporting that Gianna Bryant was on board.

A report out of TMZ claims that Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash. The TMZ account states that the future Hall of Famer died in the crash, along with everybody else on board, early Sunday morning.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports writes that Los Angeles authorities are confirming the crash that reportedly had Bryant on board. The LA County Sheriff’s verified Twitter account details a crash with five people confirmed deceased but does not name any passengers.

ABC7 Eyewitness News’ Curt Sandoval has additionally confirmed that it was Bryant, as has ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and the Los Angeles Lakers themselves.

There was initial speculation that Bryant’s daughters may have been on board but that has been neither confirmed nor denied (Edit: As outlined above, Gianna Bryant is confirmed to have been on board). It has been confirmed that Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, was not on board.

NBA games scheduled for today, at this stage, have not been cancelled.

The helicopter had been travelling through dense fog in Calabasas. The crash itself triggered a brush fire.

The post Kobe Bryant Has Died In Helicopter Crash appeared first on SLAM.

And the big fella wants Laker Nation to help him recruit his former teammate.

Howard, 34, says he approached the League about taking part in the popular midseason event.

Per ESPN:

“I’m trying to get Kobe,” Howard said after the Lakers’ 100-92 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday. “So if I can get all the Laker fans to lobby to get Kobe to help me in the dunk contest, that’d be really good. That’d be awesome.”

Bryant and Howard’s lone season together on the Lakers in 2012-13 was tumultuous and drama-filled, but Howard — a late offseason signing after DeMarcus Cousins suffered a serious knee injury — has been embraced by L.A. as a key reserve player on the Lakers’ ascension back to the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.

“Have I asked him? Not yet,” he said. “Just got to get the fans behind me first. Setting the table. Need you guys. ‘Hey, Kobe, can you get in the dunk contest with Dwight?’ That’d be great.”

Howard revealed that he wasn’t actually asked to be in the dunk contest; it was the other way around.

“I reached out myself and told them I wanted to be in it, so it was like, ‘Oh, really?’ I was like, ‘Yeah,'” Howard said. “So here it is. I think I’m the oldest dunker in the dunk contest ever.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Dwight Howard ‘Going to Make a Hell of an Impact’ for the Lakers

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The Black Mamba says King James is especially motivated to prove to his critics that he’s nowhere near “washed up.”

Bryant adds that it would be “juvenile” to be anything but happy with James being on the verge of overtaking him for third place on the League’s all-time scoring list.

Per USA Today:

“I don’t know if people want that or want to have this kind of contentious thing where you don’t want records to be broken or people there to surpass you,” Bryant told USA TODAY Sports. “You should be happy for the person that comes after you to be able to surpass things that you’ve done. It’s kind of juvenile to think or to behave any other way.”

In his 17th NBA season, the 35-year-old has averaged 25.2 points on 49.1 percent shooting and a league-leading 11.0 assists.

He also has logged a league-leading nine triple doubles, which only trails Magic Johnson’s franchise-record 13 for a single season. This happened a year after missing 27 games because of a sore left groin and missing the postseason for the first time in 13 years.

“He’s coming in this year with a chip on his shoulder obviously because of what everybody was saying that he’s washed up,” Bryant said. “When I first came into the league, the average age was like 33 or 32. Now that you’re 35, [the narrative], is ‘You’re washed up and you’re dying.’ It’s kind of silly. But I think he’s doing a fantastic job.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘Awesome’ LeBron James Will Surpass Him on Scoring List

The post Kobe Bryant: LeBron James Playing With a ‘Chip on His Shoulder’ appeared first on SLAM.

Citing three stars of the women’s game, Bryant says WNBA hoopers “could certainly keep up” with their male counterparts.

The Black Mamba has attended numerous WNBA games with his dauther Gianna who is “hellbent” on attending and playing for the University of Connecticut.

Per CNN:

The LA Lakers legend said: “I think there are a couple of players who could play in the NBA right now honestly.

“There’s a lot of players with a lot of skill that could do it.”

Bryant went on to name three WNBA stars who he believes could make the jump into the men’s league.

“Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Elena Della Donne. There’s a lot of great players out there so they could certainly keep up with them,” he said.

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘Awesome’ LeBron James Will Surpass Him on Scoring List

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“I think it’s awesome,” says The Black Mamba, who pumped in 33,643 points over the course of a 20-year Hall of Fame career.

Bryant fondly recalls the “love and respect” he got from Michael Jordan when he passed MJ, adding that he admires the work LeBron has put in over the years.

Per The Athletic:

“It’s great,” Bryant said. “I think it’s great for him. I mean, the amount of work he’s put in over his career, consistency, I think it’s awesome.”

Jordan texted Bryant to congratulate him. That message remains Bryant’s favorite memory from that night, and the sentiment behind it is something he will pay forward to James.

“That was the most important thing,” Bryant said last week.

“That was cool. Because it’s such a brotherhood, such an amount of respect between us as players, and you know the amount of work and consistency you have to put in over time so it’s nothing but love and respect.”

Related ‘I Do See it’: LeBron James Eyes NBA’s All-Time Scoring Record

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They were, after all, the only Western Conference foe to eliminate the Purple and Gold from the postseason when Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were both starters—1999 and 2003, the latter halting a potential four-peat.

Los Angeles and San Antonio dominated throughout The Black Mamba’s 20-year career, with each franchise winning five titles.

Per News 4 San Antonio (via the “All the Smoke” podcast):

“San Antonio was tough. They were tough and when the playoffs came around, it wasn’t like Shaq and I weren’t on the same page,” Bryant told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.

“We just got beat. The bigger question should be, ‘How many would we have won if the Spurs weren’t the Spurs?’ We would have ran the table for a decade.

“The talent, the coaching, everything in San Antonio was kind of a perfect storm. If they weren’t in the picture we probably would have run 10 in a row.”

Related Shaq Says He and Kobe Would Beat LeBron and Anthony Davis

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O’Neal, to no one’s surprise, picked himself and Bryant as the superior superstar duo.

Jimmy Fallon: “In your prime, do you think you can beat LeBron and AD? You and Kobe.”

O’Neal: “Do I think or do I know? I like having this conversation because of course, it can never be answered, but yes. The answer is yes. Hell yes. Hell yes. Of course. Because there’s only one contributing factor — who is going to guard me?”

Speaking of endless debates, Magic Johnson says James could overtake Michael Jordan as the NBA’s greatest player ever by winning “two or three” more titles.

Per Business Insider:

“For him to really catch Michael, it’s that next two or three championships,” Johnson said. “If he could get a couple more championships, then he’ll be probably the greatest that’s ever played.”

At the 29th Annual Achilles Gala in New York City, Johnson described James as “a special player” and said the four-time NBA MVP is “playing as well as I’ve ever seen him play” in his 17th year in the league.

“For me on my books right now, I would say Michael [Jordan] was the freakiest player in the game,” Johnson said. “He was the greatest to play on the floor because I couldn’t jump as high… But Michael going 6-0 in the NBA finals, oh man. That’s awesome.

“I went to the finals nine times in 12 years, but we only won five,” he added. “But I’ll take those five, trust me. As long as it was two more than Larry [Bird], that’s all I care about.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘It Was Important That I Win Championships’ Without Shaquille O’Neal

The post Shaq Says He and Kobe Would Beat LeBron and Anthony Davis appeared first on SLAM.

“I do see it,” says James, who was named The Associated Press male athlete of the decade.

The 35-year-old future Hall of Famer has poured in 33,347 points over 17 seasons, and is on pace to lead the NBA in assists for the first time.

Per The AP:

“You add another 10 years of learning and adversity, pitfalls, good, great, bad, and any smart person who wants to grow will learn from all those experiences,” James, who turns 35 Monday, told the AP. “A decade ago, I just turned 25. I’m about to be 35 and I’m just in a better (place) in my life and have a better understanding of what I want to get out of life.”

Including playoffs, no one in the NBA scored more points than James in the last 10 years. He started the decade 124th on the league’s all-time scoring list. He’s now about to pass Kobe Bryant for No. 3. No. 2 Karl Malone and No. 1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are within reach.

“I would be lying if I said I don’t see it,” James said. “Obviously I’m not trying to say, ‘OK, well if I play this amount of time, if I average this’ … I’m not doing that because I’ve never done that with my career. I’ve always just kind of let it happen. Whatever happens, happens. But I see it. I do see it.”

Related ‘An Alien’: Giannis Antetokounmpo Marvels at LeBron James

The post ‘I Do See it’: LeBron James Eyes NBA’s All-Time Scoring Record appeared first on SLAM.

The 2011 League MVP marvels that Bryant “didn’t change his game at all” for two decades.

Rose, 31, has focused on modestly adapting his style of play to stay relevant in the ever-evolving NBA.

Per The Detroit News:

Rose, 31, has tried to maintain his key strengths, speed and quickness, while working to add new pieces to his game.

“I’m not a jump shooter — I’m just a scorer. Whatever you give me, I’ll take it. I knew that having a jump shot prolongs your career. The older you get, you adapt to the game and that’s all I’m trying to do now,” he said. “If the game goes back to all lay-ups and midrange, I want to be able to do what Kobe (Bryant) did. He’s my example and the guy I look to and make sure I don’t change my game all the way.

“He didn’t change his game at all, but he was able to play 20 years and still be effective. That’s amazing to me. There aren’t too many people in NBA history, besides the greats, who can do that. I want to be considered one of them.”

Related ‘I’m Born to Do This Sh*t’: Derrick Rose Relishes Game-Winner vs Pelicans

The post Derrick Rose: ‘I Want to Be Able to Do What Kobe Did’ appeared first on SLAM.

—

SLAM: What’s the best piece of advice you have for the next generation of players?

DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, I always try to see myself as a student of the game. It sounds silly, but never think that you’ve made it. Somebody else is working out in the gym. Always try to get better. Listen and learn. Watch your veterans. And just always, every summer, try to add something new to your game and never stay the same player. That’s how I always looked at it. I never wanted to be satisfied. I always wanted to be the best player I could be. It’s really all about hard work and putting the time in. To be consistently good for a long, long time takes a lot of work.

DWYANE WADE: The advice I give my son [Zaire] is, find out who you are and what it is you want to accomplish. Have somebody to look at as inspiration, but be your true self. Once you find out who your true self is, now the real work starts. Now the work that you got to put in, the advice that you need to take, the inspiration that you need to grab from—those are all the things that come with it. But I’ll say the biggest thing is, find out what’s your purpose. What’s the reason you’re playing this game for? Try to find that out. For me, it was different from someone next to me or someone on this side. For me, I played for different reasons than a lot of guys or vice versa. So find out what that is first and then you can get to the rest. 

[On his motivation]: For me, the way I grew up was my first motivation. Every little boy’s dream is to make sure that their mother can live an amazing life and they can buy their mom that big house. The way I grew up, it was about hopefully I can get my family out of the struggle—be the difference, be somebody that my mom and dad can be proud of. And then from there, it went to me in college having my son at 19 years old. Once I had Zaire, he became my sole purpose to really do something special, really do something different and be different than the people that I grew up around in a sense. Every step of the way, it’s just being different things or people or situations that motivated me a little bit more, a little different.

WALT “CLYDE” FRAZIER: The best piece of advice I can give is what my mother gave me, man. I remember when I first signed a big contract with the Knicks, everybody was telling me what kind of car I should drive, what I should do, wanted to borrow money, everything. I was so confused. I go to my mom, she says, ‘Son, just be yourself.’ Everywhere I go, I’m just being myself. So just be yourself, and from experience you’ll learn the nuances of what to do, how to play the game. Hopefully guys will have the opportunity that I had, to go to a team that has a Willis Reed, that has a [Dave] DeBusschere, a [Bill] Bradley, a Dick Barnett. All these guys had such a tremendous impact on me, man. I just followed their example. I didn’t really have to do anything. I just sat and I watched them. Barnett didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink. Today, I weigh almost the same because I used to watch him and how he extended his career 3-4 more years. Willis Reed—”The Captain”—how he had the most tenacious work ethic. Nobody ever outworked him. His professionalism off the court, how he dealt with the fans. So if you ever come to the Garden, you see me signing autographs, I’m laughing, I’m smiling. I learned all of that. And then I had a coach, Red Holzman, who also instilled that in me. The confidence and how to handle the city. Red was like a surrogate father to me. When I was driving the Rolls Royce and had all the suits, he would always say, ‘Clyde, you saving any money? Remember you got to save for a rainy day.’ I had all the best influences on the team. It was a blessing. I was in the right place at the right time and everything just fell in place for me.

GARY PAYTON: The only thing I can give them is, they have to respect those who came before them and who paved the way for them. A lot of these young guys don’t respect like a Dr. J or a Jerry West or guys like that because they’ve never seen them. They see LeBron, Kobe, Stephen Curry and they think their games are the ultimate games. None of them have seen Kareem. None of them have seen Wilt Chamberlain. So I tell them, man, if you go back and look at videos, the stuff that you’re doing, we were doing that early in the ’60s and ’70s. Just because you think that you’re young and y’all doing different stuff and it moves on, that doesn’t mean we weren’t 21 neither. So give respect to the OGs and pay homage. Every time I see a George Gervin or a Dr. J, or anybody who came before me and I watched coming up, I respect them. I get up and I go over there and I give them homage. Because it wouldn’t have started if I hadn’t been watching them. I just tell these young guys, they think that they know everything but they don’t. It’s all about the OGs that came before you.

And absolutely [they can learn something from watching their games]. And they can learn stuff about life: What [the OGs] went through before they were making big time money like that, because they weren’t making no money; what you should understand about struggling and about how to help other people and help your community. 

KOBE BRYANT: Be consistent. That’s the most important part. Be consistent with your work.

[On how he coaches his daughter’s AAU team]: I draw a lot from Phil [Jackson]. Phil’s coaching philosophies and my coaching philosophies were put into the Wizenard series [Kobe’s recently released book series]. It’s one where you don’t give directions so much as ask questions. You want to get players thinking on their own and figuring things out on their own. We don’t have sets. We don’t have plays. We have ideas. Within those ideas, the players are responsible themselves for figuring out what is the best idea to use at what time and why. When you have players that can think, particularly at a really early age, and you start teaching them that at 11, 12 years old, then when they get to 17, 18 years old—how are they going to be processing the game then? It’s really fun to watch them work through those ideas. 

ALLEN IVERSON: Play every game like it’s your last.

[On constructive criticism]: I wish I understood constructive criticism when I was younger, but I was just so young and stupid and didn’t know any better. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell these young guys. Like, Bro, there’s people out here that really love you and they are trying to tell you the right things. You have to listen to them. You have to. Because Allen Iverson was an asshole and didn’t listen until he got older and was like, Oh, OK, this is how life is supposed to be. I don’t want young dudes to not get the message before they take a bullet. That’s why I’m trying to preach.

STEPHON MARBURY: Try to absorb as much as you can absorb. Basically take everything in [from coaches and players] and apply what you think are the best things that fit for your game. Add it. And the things that don’t fit, don’t subtract it. Just leave it there because you grow as a player, and some of the things that people teach you over the course of time, you don’t get it right then and there but some information is so much more advanced that you’re just not ready at that time so you kind of throw it out the window. For me, what I did, I listened to everybody and tried to take something from everybody. Even the coaches. Even like Larry Brown. It’s so funny, I think about Larry Brown sometimes when I’m coaching [Marbury is head coach of the CBA’s Beijing Royal Fighters], about some of the things he used to say to me and I apply some of that stuff to my coaching method. Some of the things, things that I learned from different players, just adding a variety of different things to your game over the course of time and never deleting anything. It’s like a computer, right? It holds and stores all of the information. You just got to try to keep that database full and never delete anything, because you never know when you’re going to need it again.

I’m still learning the game and I played over 22 years. You learn so many different things, sometimes you learn things from your players, from watching certain things that they do on the court and how you can help them become better. Things that you thought you would’ve done it one way and then you see it can be done another way. The process of learning takes place every second. You are never fully downloaded, never 100% complete because the process is always in continuance.

JASON WILLIAMS: Just try to stay focused and keep improving every day. And don’t get too down on yourself if you’re not getting the minutes that you need.

[For point guards and passers specifically]: Passing was vital in my outlook of the game, but in today’s game, a guard has to get like 30 to be successful. But still, if you get on the right team—everybody can’t score, so…It’s got to be within. I think there’s a good passer and a willing passer. Those are different things. Steph Curry is a good passer, but he’s not looking to pass first or second, he’s trying to score. Whereas a willing passer is trying to pass, pass and then has to shoot it eventually because they’re not guarding him—that type of thing.

SLAM: How has the game evolved from when you first entered the NBA?

DIRK: The NBA when I first got there, every 4 or 5 was big and strong. They were rebounders and screen-setters. Then the NBA changed some of the rules—they brought in the back-down rule and put in the zone and the game changed. Now every big man has to be able to shoot—at least the 4s can all shoot threes now. The League has gotten smaller, faster, more skilled. Even some of the 5s now can pick-and-pop and stretch you to the three-point line. So it’s been amazing to watch the skill level, especially from the bigs, get so much better from when I first got in the League. 

J-WILL: I think it’s at an all-time high, if you ask me. I’m a huge fan of the NBA game, I like to see all of the offense and stuff like that. Defense is overrated to me, always has been. Defense don’t win championships to me, bro. It helps—don’t get me wrong. But somebody got to score to win, right? It’s whoever got the most points. 

I like the game where it is, but I think too many people want to score. [Not enough] people want to do the dirty job or really understand their roles when it comes to whatever it is on the team. Everybody wants to get buckets. But it’s exciting for a fan.

MARBURY: The physical play is not the same as it was when I was playing. Now you can’t really touch nobody. I played against guys like Derek Harper, obviously Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and those guys. Terry Cummings, Oakley, Patrick Ewing, those guys fouled differently. From us growing up playing against those guys—Charles Barkley, Olajuwon—you have a different understanding about the game and how it’s played. Now it’s completely different as far as the physical play.

Before, it’d be a fight and then guys would finish playing and go out after. Now it’s not like that. You got more guys hugging each other before the game. I’m not saying I’m opposed to it, it’s just, I don’t know how you can be my friend and be hugging and laughing and joking with me and we’re about to go play against each other. You might catch an elbow in the face and then after that, I don’t know how that works. That’s a little different for me. The era, it completely changed to like friends playing against friends. It wasn’t really like that—when Iverson and myself, whenever we got on the court to play against each other, it was a war. I think now it’s a little bit different. It’s not the same as it was back in the day. I don’t think you will ever see Michael Jordan going to shake Isaiah Thomas’ hand before the game, hugging and all of that. I don’t think those things were going on. When you grow up seeing that, that’s basically what you emulate. From guys doing their handshake and all of the things they do, the camaraderie things, it’s cool if that’s what’s going on and creating positive energy. But that wasn’t how it was when I was growing up and watching basketball.

I’m down with the era changing. I can flow with how things change and how things evolve. For me, it’s just different. That’s all. Now you can’t really touch nobody. I’m looking at today’s game and I’m like, What would we have averaged? … The game isn’t different as far as how you play basketball. It’s different in the rules and the rules allow you to play different. It’s more entertaining now.

SLAM: How do you envision the game continuing to change? Where does it go from here?

DIRK: That’s a good question because now we have Steph Curry pulling up from half-court and making every shot. I’m not really sure where this game is going to grow, if they’re going to put in a four-point shot or—I have no idea. But it’s been already amazing to see where guys are making shots from now and the athleticism. On Instagram and Twitter, you have videos from all these high school kids now jumping out of the gym and dunking. It’s hard to see where it can get even more athletic, more skilled, but I’m sure there are ways for it to grow even more. 

KOBE: I think it just goes the opposite [way]—it goes back to midrange. I’m just kind of sitting here waiting for all these statistical people to figure out how to make midrange sound appealing after all these years of making it sound not appealing. Because it’s coming. 

CLYDE: I think this is it. I don’t see any more changes that could happen. This is what it’s going to be now. When I came in, you always had to have a great center and a great backcourt man. Frazier, Reed. Monroe, Unseld. Jabbar, Robinson. West, Chamberlain. That was the essence of the game. You had to have that big guy and a guard to succeed. Michael came in and now Curry is taking it to a different level. So this is the evolution that I think you’re going to see now. Like a video game. Guys running and dunking and the threes and this is what the fans want. The fans want this basketball. To me, it’s more entertainment today. Early on, I was appalled with the traveling, the euro-step, the carrying of the ball, you can’t touch [players] anymore. All the different things that they’ve done to create scoring. People want to see high scoring and action and that’s what basketball is symbolic of. I don’t think that’s going to change now. This is what you’re going to see.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos by Cameron Look, Jeffrey Salter, Atiba Jefferson and via Getty Images.

Additional reporting by Max Resetar and Tzvi Twersky.

The post Kobe, Wade, Dirk, AI and More Legends Pass On Advice to the Next Gen appeared first on SLAM.

James finished with 12 assists and seven rebounds, and was “just trying to put on a show” for Kobe Bryant, who sat courtside with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Maria “Gigi” Bryant.

Trae Young paced Atlanta with 31 points, and called the Lakers “one of the best defensive teams in the league.”

Per The LA Times:

“That’s one of the greatest players to ever play this game, take time out of his day on a Sunday,” James said.

“He’s got one of the greatest female players that’s about to come up sitting next to him in Gigi. So I’m just trying to put on a show for him and give him a reason like, ‘OK, we might come to another game.’”

Bryant added spice to an otherwise quotidian night for the Lakers. They beat a team they were supposed to beat at home, just like they have been for most of the season. With Sunday’s 122-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks (4-9), the Lakers improved to 11-2, their best record since the 2010-11 season.

“It’s just dope,” James said. “It’s just so surreal for me just a kid from Akron to be able to have a guy like Kobe just take time out of his day. Even at this point in my career it’s still special.”

Related ‘I Like My Rings the Hard Way’: Kobe Bryant Wouldn’t Return for Guaranteed Title

The post LeBron James Was ‘Just Trying to Put on a Show’ for Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

Tobias Harris put up a team-high 27 points in the win and all of the Sixers’ starters (excluding Josh Richardson) finished in double figures. James Ennis (14 points) and Furkan Kormaz (13 points) combined for 27 bench points.

Kings 100 (5-7), Celtics (10-2)

Buddy Hield caught fire from behind the arc, knocking down 7 3-pointers en route to a 35-point performance, as the Kings snapped the Celtics’ 10-game winning streak at home.

Magic 125 (6-7), Wizards 121 (3-8)

Markelle Fultz scored a career-high 19 points in front of his home crowd and got the game-winning steal and bucket. Nikola Vucevic put 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the win.

Nuggets 131 (9-3), Grizzlies 114 (5-8)

Jamal Murray went off against the Memphis, scoring 39 points in 31 minutes. Paul Millsapt was the Nuggets’ second-leading scorer with 23 points.

Pelicans 108 (4-9), Warriors 100 (2-12)

Jrue Holiday had a near triple-double (22 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds) in NOLA. Rookie Jaxson Hayes finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds – his first double-double of his NBA career – and this block that sent the ball into the stands.

Lakers 122 (11-2), Hawks 101 (4-9)

With Kobe courtside, the Washed King put up a double-double (33 points and 12 assists). The Lakers opened up the game 17-2 and controlled the game the entire night. Anthony Davis finished the night with 14 points and 5 rebounds.

The post Post Up: LeBron James Puts Up 33 & 12 Against Atlanta in L.A. 👑 appeared first on SLAM.

Gigi and her Mamba squad showed out with pops courtside. Which is more entertaining: Kobe coaching or playing!?

The post MAMBA JUNIOR? Kobe Bryant’s Daughter Gigi has GAME! 🐍 appeared first on SLAM.

“I like my rings the hard way,” Bryant said on the “Ledlow & Parker” podcast.

The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer is perfectly content (and very busy) in his retirement from basketball.

Per The LA Times:

Injuries defined this NBA season before it even began. Kevin Durant (ruptured Achilles) and Klay Thompson (torn anterior cruciate ligament) were essentially shelved for this season in June, and their former Warriors teammate DeMarcus Cousins (torn ACL) joined them on the sideline soon after signing with the Lakers.

“The place where the league is at right now is awesome,” Bryant said.

“K.D.’s injury literally changed the landscape of the game, and now you have a lot of duos that are in different places. There are a lot of great story lines to follow and there are a lot of questions you don’t know the answers to, which creates an interesting season. It’s like watching a good film. You don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s a hell of a time for L.A.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘It Was Important That I Win Championships’ Without Shaquille O’Neal

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“I’m happy for him,” says Bryant, adding that Howard has a greater appreciation for the game now with basketball mortality fast-approaching.

Kobe looks back and wonders what the 2012-13 Lakers could have done in the playoffs had he not torn his Achilles tendon near the end of the season.

Per The LA Times:

“I’m happy for him because sometimes we don’t realize how much we love the game and miss the game until that window starts closing or it’s closed,” Bryant said.

“Then you’re like, ‘Oh damn, I really miss playing the game. I want another opportunity to show what I can do.’ Sometimes you don’t know if that opportunity will ever come again. For him, I really believe he’s appreciative of the opportunity and I think he’s going to make a hell of an impact because of the new appreciation he has for playing the game.”

After going 17-25 through the first 42 games, the [2012-13] Lakers went 28-12 and finished the regular season with a record of 45-37, earning the seventh seed in the playoffs. However, without Bryant they were swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.

“In all fairness, the second half of the season when I tore my Achilles, we had the best record in the league,” Bryant said. “We had to make things more contentious than I wanted to, but the object is to win. Unfortunately, I tore my Achilles and that sidetracked everything, but that second half of the season there wasn’t a team in the Western Conference that wanted to play us when we were healthy. Maybe things would’ve been different with Dwight if we were healthy and had made a run. Who knows?”

Related Dwight Howard: ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About it, I Just Want to Be About it’

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Bryant says Leonard and new Clippers teammate Paul George both “relish the challenge of taking on something new.”

Kobe adds that James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers are obviously no slouches themselves, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling Staples Center rivalry.

Per The LA Times:

“I’ve known them both for a very long time, and they’re both tough, very inquisitive,” Bryant said. “I remember sitting with Kawhi during All-Star weekend when he was a rookie. We were at a Nike suite and he came by and sat next to me and starting peppering me with questions about the game and summer regimens. It was the same with P.G.

“They’re so competitive on both ends of the floor. It’s not a tit-for-tat thing where you score and I score. They don’t believe in that. It’s ‘You can’t stop me and I will shut you down.’ That’s a different mentality. Not a lot of players have that.”

George and Leonard grew up in Southern California, looking up to Bryant and watching the Lakers win championships.

“I’m sure Kawhi wants to take the challenge of winning independent of playing with LeBron,” Bryant said. “Maybe that was the same for P.G. I think they relish the challenge of taking on something new. I don’t think it was a slight at the Lakers. It was more about circumstances and what was already here in L.A. and on the Lakers, and they wanted to take the challenge of building something new.

“But the Lakers did OK. I saw a lot of Lakers fans were very disappointed, and rightfully so, that they didn’t get Kawhi. But you did get Anthony Davis. The Lakers have two freaks of nature. They’re going to be fine. It’s a hell of a time to be in L.A.”

Related Kawhi Leonard ‘Feeling Way Better Than I Was at the Start of Last Season’

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“Kobe didn’t teach me anything bad,” Tatum told reporters.

The 21-year-old is determined to shoot more three-pointers, layups and free-throws this season, but has no plans to abandon the mid-range jumper.

Per The Boston Globe:

“I’m still going to shoot the midrange,” he said. “I’ve seen all the people talking about the de-Kobeing. Kobe didn’t teach me anything bad. Everything we talked about and he showed me was great.

“Last year, with the jump I didn’t make that everybody expected, it was not his fault. He’s one of the greatest ever, so everything he taught me was — I’m very grateful, and it helped me. I’ve got to take responsibility for how I played last year not being as big of a jump that people thought. But I’m still going to shoot midrange.”

Tatum acknowledged that last season did not go as expected, but he said the responsibility for that falls on him.

“That’s why I’m excited for this year,” he said. “But Kobe didn’t teach me bad habits. I didn’t say that.”

Related Jayson Tatum to ‘Shoot More Threes, and Layups, and Free Throws’

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Which has to be music to Boston Celtics fans’ ears, who grew irritated with the 21-year-old’s poor mimicry of Kobe Bryant‘s mid-range brilliance last season.

Tatum says he has come to realize that he was “making the game tougher” that it needed to be during a disappointing second-year in the NBA.

Per ESPN:

“[I was] making the game tougher than I probably should have,” Tatum said last week.

He’d dribble into difficult midrange shots, including fadeaways. Those were shots Kobe Bryant, who worked with Tatum in the summer of 2018, made a living taking — and making. But the NBA has since evolved into a league hyper-focused on shots at the rim and beyond the arc — and, last year, Tatum didn’t take enough of either.

“Last year was kind of funky in all aspects,” Tatum said. “I understand that. I acknowledge that, and I’m just trying to be better this year.”

His struggles offered Tatum a vision of what he needed to do to take his game to another level.

“Focus on getting to the basket much more,” Tatum said. “Shoot more 3s, and layups, and free throws.”

Related Jayson Tatum: ‘I Want to Be One of the Best’

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Bryant says he didn’t want critics to use his partnership with O’Neal⁠—with whom he won three consecutive titles⁠—against him when assessing his career.

Kobe adds that his two rings sans Shaq (to say nothing of his utter domination) showed a “glimpse” of what he could do on his own.

Per The Players’ Tribune:

“Here is the thing. I get chastised a lot for being selfish, saying we just got to fit into a team, it’s about winning championships,” said Bryant on the Knuckleheads with Quentin Richardson & Darius Miles podcast. “I get it, I’m doing it, right? We won three straight. I got it. But I also knew that when my career’s over they’re going to chastise me for the same thing: ‘Oh well, you’re only great because you played with Shaq.’ I’m like, ‘Whoa, hold up. You can’t have it both ways, bro?’ You know?

“So it was important for me and Shaq to go separate ways because I didn’t want people to use that against me — they still do — but it was important that I win championships without him.

“And you get a glimpse of what I could have done individually had I not played with him. See what I’m saying? So that was a big driving factor. It was like, ‘Hold on, don’t get it fucked up now.’ Like, I’m doing this thing, I’m playing with Shaq, it’s like — take [Michael Jordan] put him with Wilt [Chamberlain] — Shaq was a force of nature, right? So you’ve kind of take a back seat.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Shaquille O’Neal ‘Lazy’ Comments Tongue-in-Cheek

The post Kobe Bryant: ‘It Was Important That I Win Championships’ Without Shaquille O’Neal appeared first on SLAM.

“Now, the game is truly global,” Kobe told SLAM earlier that day.

He’s a major reason why.

Bryant grew up and developed his skills in Italy—his father, Joe, played pro there—before moving permanently to the United States at the age of 13. His eventual success in the NBA inspired countless others to pursue basketball, from Los Angeles all the way to Beijing. Since retiring in 2016, Kobe has continued his efforts to spread the sport globally, taking on the role of ambassador for the World Cup. 

Having competed with and against so many international players, Kobe knew it wouldn’t be an easy road for USA this year. Back in March, prior to rosters being finalized, he spoke to SLAM and a few other reporters about the tournament and cautioned that they were not a lock to win gold.  

“We made the assumption in ’06 [when USA won the bronze at the FIBA championship] and prior to that, that some of these players aren’t in the NBA, so they must not be very good,” he said. “When I came in ’08, it was like, Listen, that’s not it. There are plenty of players that are insanely good that choose not to come play in the NBA, so let’s understand that.“

The 2019 silver medal went to Argentina, a team with no current NBA guys on its roster. Spain, led by Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, claimed gold.

“Put the best players that you think are going to make the best U.S. team out on the floor, we are still going to have challenges,” Bryant added during a recent press conference, alluding to the fact that many superstars from the US declined the opportunity to participate this summer.

“It’s not going to be a cakewalk. The days of the ’92 Barcelona Dream Team are gone.”

We sat down with Kobe while he was out in China to further discuss the expansion of basketball, memories from Italy and more.

—

SLAM: Describe your role as global ambassador and why you wanted to be involved in the World Cup.    

KB: Well, growing up overseas, I’m basically an international kid. I learned how to play the game on an international level before I got back to the States. When I was growing up over here, the game wasn’t as global as it is now, so I had to get up and record games super, super early and listen to [Italian coach] Dan Peterson break down the game and all sorts of stuff. Now, the game is truly global. So it’s an honor for me to come back at this stage in my career and help expand the game even further.

SLAM: What are your early memories of playing basketball in Italy and how did that upbringing influence your game?

KB: Some of my early memories are playing Minibasket. I think that really helped mold me because we played on smaller courts and smaller rims at a really early age and that taught us how to shoot the ball correctly and how to be fundamentally sound. Every week in practice, we wouldn’t scrimmage ever. It was all fundamentals. Passing, screening, moving off the ball, shooting. All the basics. And if we did scrimmage, we’d scrimmage full court no dribbles allowed. So that set the foundation for me for how I came to understand the game and how I now teach the game.

SLAM: What’s your style of coaching and who are the people you drew from? [Kobe coaches his daughter Gigi’s AAU team]

KB: I draw a lot from Phil [Jackson]. Phil’s coaching philosophies and my coaching philosophies were put into the Wizenard series. If you want to learn a lot about how Phil used to do things and how I do things now, I put a lot of that into the Wizenard book. It’s one where you don’t give directions so much as ask questions. You want to get players thinking on their own and figuring things out on their own. We don’t have sets. We don’t have plays. We have ideas. Within those ideas, the players are responsible themselves for figuring out what is the best idea to use at what time and why. When you have players that can think, particularly at a really early age, and you start teaching them that at 11, 12 years old, then when they get to 17, 18 years old—how are they going to be processing the game then? It’s really fun to watch them work through those ideas. 

SLAM: Can you talk about your performance in the 2008 gold medal game against Spain? [Kobe scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to help USA defeat Spain in the ’08 Olympics]

KB: It was a great game. There was a lot of hype around the game. Spain was one of those teams that we couldn’t really blow out because they were too fundamentally sound. They understood how to use the clock and minimize possessions. So as a result, they were always in striking distance. I just had to bide my time because I knew they were going to be there in the fourth quarter. Just kind of laid in the weeds a little bit and then in the fourth quarter, tried to create some separation at the right time where I felt like they couldn’t get it back. And that’s how I paced that game out. 

SLAM: Whether it was in international competitions or the NBA, who were the toughest guys you faced head-to-head during your career? 

KB: There were a lot of them when I first came into the League. Having to deal with John Stockton was tough. Dealing with Gary Payton was tough. Clyde Drexler was tough. Michael [Jordan] was tough. Then you kind of transition out of that, because I’ve seen so many generations. AI was tough. McGrady was tough. Durant, Melo. All these guys. I feel like I’ve seen so many generations that my list could go on for a long time. 

SLAM: You’ve obviously witnessed the game change quite a bit through the years, especially moving out to the three-point line. What do you see as the next evolution of basketball? 

KB: I think it just goes the opposite [way]. It goes back to midrange. I’m just kind of sitting here waiting for all these statistical people to figure out how to make midrange sound appealing after all these years of making it sound not appealing. Because it’s coming. 

SLAM: What’s the best advice you can give to young players coming up in the League?

KB: Be consistent. That’s the most important part. Be consistent with your work.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via FIBA and Getty.

The post Kobe Bryant Talks FIBA World Cup, Growing Up in Italy, Coaching Style and More appeared first on SLAM.

Things are no longer a “cakewalk” according to Bryant, who points out that his own 2008 Olympic quad had to sweat out its Gold Medal victory.

The Black Mamba adds that global hoops competition will only become more fierce in the coming years, and that Team USA must “respect everybody.”

Per The Athletic:

“Put the best players that you think are going to make the best U.S. team out on the floor, we are still going to have challenges,” Bryant said Friday in Beijing, between World Cup semifinal games. “It’s not going to be a cakewalk. The days of the ’92 Barcelona Dream Team are gone.”

Bryant, 41, was a two-time Olympic gold medalist and an anchor for the 2008 “Redeem Team,” which came here to Beijing and avenged a spate of American hoop embarrassments at the 2002 and ’06 World Cups and 2004 Olympics.

“That was a hell of a team we had,” Bryant said. “We still needed a real late push to beat Spain in that gold medal match.”

This summer, All-Star-caliber players James Harden, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Kevin Love, Bradley Beal and Andre Drummond backed out of commitments to play at the World Cup. LeBron [James], Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving were never in the mix.

“It’s not a matter of the rest of the world catching up to the U.S., it’s that the rest of the world has been caught up for quite some time,” Bryant said. “And it’s to the point now where us in the U.S. are gonna win some, we’re gonna lose some. And that’s just how it goes.”

Related Kobe Bryant Hung His Olympic Gold Medal in Pau Gasol’s Locker

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Capturing the benefits of league play while honoring tournament culture, the first annual Mamba Cup will feature a series of 11 tournaments from September to March. Kobe himself will attend the Championship Tournament on the weekend of March 21-22.

The Cup will be hosted across Anaheim, Ladera Ranch and Thousand Oaks, CA. Kobe’s own Team Mamba, featuring daughter Gigi Bryant, will also be participating.

Registration is now open: MambaCup.com.

Renowned grassroots organization  Open Gym Premier (OGP) is joining Mamba Sports Events, the activation wing of Mamba Sports Academy (MSA), as a partner in the First Annual Mamba Cup.

OGP, which has been active in Southern California since 2011 and hosts over 70 yearly events, focuses on first class experiences and skills development for coaches, players, and teams. The Mamba Cup, which is the brainchild of MSA and partner Kobe Bryant, will take that ethos and apply it to a six-month long gauntlet of league-esque tournaments. 

The Cup, open to all youth basketball teams ranging from Grades 2 through 8, culminates in a Bryant-attended Championship Tournament on March 21-22, 2020. 

The Cup will be hosted across Anaheim, Ladera Ranch and Thousand Oaks, CA. Team Mamba, led by Coach Bryant, will be participating. 

RELATED: MAMBA 101: Welcome to Kobe Bryant’s Next Chapter

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Bryant says Howard will “do whatever is necessary” to help the Purple and Gold in their NBA title chase.

“I think he’s ready for this next time around to do whatever is necessary to help this team be successful, and I think he’ll do it,” Bryant said.

[…]

“Get better,” Bryant said of his advice to Howard. “I think a lot of times as professionals you start the season without the intention of getting better as the season progresses. You always continue to work on your weaknesses as the season progresses.”

Head coach Frank Vogel is confident the big man is willing to become a role player.

Per NBA.com:

Where is Dwight Howard at physically and mentally? Do you have a sense for what he wants to accomplish now and for his legacy with however much longer he hopes to play?

Vogel: “I think he’s excited about this opportunity with the Lakers. It’s very different from the first time he came through. Then, he was a mega-star coming in with two other mega-stars [Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash]. This time around, he’s had a few teams where they haven’t had great success. And he’s at a different point, age-wise, in his career. So he’s excited just to be part of something, in any way he can help. He knows it’s going to be more of a role player type of role.”

And that’s acceptable to him?

Vogel: “It’s definitely acceptable. He’s excited about it. And he has the ability to be one of the best at it in the league. He’s going to be concentrating on that. I’ll be defining what we’ll expecting of him, in terms of defending and rebounding and screen-setting and lob-catching and all those things. He’s willing to accept any role that I lay out in front of him. We’ve had a great start to our relationship. He’s in a great place mentally.”

Related Dwight Howard Thanks Kobe Bryant for Calling Him ‘Soft’

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Bryant said it was said largely in jest, and more of a “compliment” to O’Neal’s sheer dominance.

The big fella naturally pushed back once the story went viral, saying his work ethic spoke for itself.

Per TMZ:

“Here’s the thing, it was really a compliment,” Bryant said. “People missed the whole first half of that in which I said he was the most dominant player I’ve ever seen and I felt like he could’ve been the greatest of all time.

“So, people kind of missed that part of it — they caught onto the lazy part,” the Lakers icon added. “But, that was like, I kinda said that tongue-in-cheek. We weren’t going to win 12 rings.”

Kobe said he actually had to text the Big Diesel after the comments went viral, saying, “No hard feelings, I still got love for you.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Shaquille O’Neal Would Be the G.O.A.T. if He Worked Harder

The post Kobe Bryant: Shaquille O’Neal ‘Lazy’ Comments Tongue-in-Cheek appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant says healthy NBA players have a duty to perform for paying customers “every single night.”

For The Black Mamba, the refusal to sit out games (even when his body was screaming for him to do so) was a simple matter of competitive pride.

Per ClutchPoints:

“What the hell is that?” Bryant said, referring to load management. “I don’t know what that is. That’s crazy.

“You’ve got a lot of people paying their hard-earned money to watch you perform. It’s your job to be in shape. It’s your job to perform at that level every single night. And as a competitor, I’m not duckin’ shit. Like, it’s not, ‘Oh, my back hurts. I’m sore. We gotta play Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors tonight.’

“We had a game against Toronto in 2000, and Vince was tearing the league up. My back was jacked. But the perception of that, Kobe is missing a game against Toronto and Vince Carter …

“Man, my back was really having spasms. But people would have looked at me like, ‘Oh, he’s duckin’ Vince.’ Excuse me? No, I don’t think so.

“So I would be in the layup line like, ‘Okay, there are a lot of days when you can rest and recover. Today ain’t one of them. He’s gonna have to see me today.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘The Only Time I Took a Game Off is When I Couldn’t Walk’

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O’Neal adds that Bryant’s comments were an attempt to “stay relevant somehow.”

Kobe stresses that he has “no beef” with Shaq, and that it’s “all love” between the two legends who won three consecutive NBA titles together in Los Angeles.

Per The AP:

Kobe Bryant downplayed talk of a reignited feud with Shaquille O’Neal, saying Thursday there is “nothing new” that has been said lately between the former teammates.

“I think people are making it like we’re going back and forth about it, but there’s nothing to go back and forth about,” Bryant said.

“There’s nothing that has been said that hasn’t been said before. It’s nothing new.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Shaquille O’Neal Would Be the G.O.A.T. if He Worked Harder

The post Shaquille O’Neal: ‘My Work Ethic Speaks for Itself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant adds that he would have a dozen championships (instead of the three rings they won together in Los Angeles) had O’Neal worked harder.

Kobe and Shaq have grown closer during their respective retirements, and The Black Mamba never shies away from sharing his unvarnished opinion with The Diesel.

Per TMZ:

“He’s be the greatest of all time,” Bryant said. “He’d be the first to tell you that.”

“I wish he was in the gym—I would’ve had 12 f*cking rings!”

Kobe says he’s not saying anything publicly he hasn’t already said to Shaq in private.

“Me and Shaq sit down all the time and I say, ‘Dude if your lazy ass was in shape …'”

UPDATE: Shaq, as one might expect, fired back at Kobe, who in turns says “there is no beef” between the two legends.

Related Shaquille O’Neal: Kobe Bryant Disrespected in G.O.A.T. Debate

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Young, 20, has made the midrange a focus of his offseason training.

Trae says he’s determined to “speed up the process” of turning the Atlanta Hawks into a winning team.

Per The Athletic:

“I think for (the Hawks), we heard a lot about the rebuilding and all about (how) it’s going to take a while for us to get back to winning and doing big things, but we just want to speed up the process,” Young said. “Obviously, we want to be in the playoffs. I think for us, watching the playoffs this year — especially for me — it hurt. Like, I wanted to play; I wanted to keep playing. So for me, that’s what I’ve been focusing on this summer, is how I can help my team, how I can build that camaraderie with this young team to help us get there and speed up the process that everybody is talking about.”

A typical workout for Young with [personal on-court trainer Alex] Bazzell consists of a lot of ball-screen work, isolation looks and touch finishes (runners and floaters) around the rim. The biggest addition Young has been adding to his repertoire this offseason has been a midrange game. Young and Bazzell have taken parts of what make Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and Young’s favorite player, Steve Nash, so successful and have applied elements of their midrange game to his.

“We have talked a lot about keeping the defense honest,” Bazzell said. “Him being able to stretch the floor from 30 to 35 feet obviously makes it tough for defenses, and his quickness to get to the rim adds another element, but now we need to prepare for when teams try to take things away. The goal is for the Hawks to make the playoffs and in the next two to three years to make a run in the playoffs. I told him that the level of intensity on defense in the playoffs isn’t going to allow him to get to the rim or shoot 3s with ease. It’s just not how it works, so he has to add to his game.”

The plan is for Young, after he’s finished with his Team USA training camp obligations at the start of August, to travel to Newport Beach, Calif., before he has to report back to Atlanta on Aug. 19 and work on his midrange game with Kobe Bryant. Last summer, Bryant worked with Boston’s Jayson Tatum before the start of his sophomore season. Twenty-two percent of Tatum’s shot attempts this past season were considered long 2-point shots, ranking him in the 95th percentile.

Related Trae Young Was ‘Thinking’ Too Much During Early-Season Struggles

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The big fella initially hated Bryant for the remark, which went viral, but says they “were on two different levels mentally.”

Howard, 33, adds that he was “ignorant” to the level of maturity The Black Mamba expected of him.

Per Complex (via FS1‘s “Fair Game with Kristine Leahy”):

“I just think we were on two different levels mentally,” Howard said. “He hadn’t never seen a person like me. Someone who could enjoy basketball but at the same time not be so [serious]. That’s not me.”

Howard’s jovial personality didn’t fit with Kobe’s laser-focused mentality, which led to Dwight being traded from the Lakers after just one season.

“I kinda hated him for saying that because I looked at it the wrong way,” Howard said when he recounted Kobe’s comment. “I think he was more so talking about my mentality…not how I am on the court. And I didn’t realize that because all the noise surrounding him saying I was soft. And I hated him. I hated him for that moment.”

Yet, now that he’s removed from the situation, Dwight says that he understands why Kobe was so rigid.

“Everybody reaches different levels of maturity at different times,” Howard told Leahy. “I think at that time I was ignorant to the level that he was at. So I appreciate you, Kobe. Thank you for saying I was soft. I didn’t realize what you meant until now.”

Related Kobe Bryant Says Dwight Howard Couldn’t Handle His ‘Combative Nature’

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Or so believes Dwight Howard.

Evidently, the big fella was able to look past his less-than-fruitful partnership with Bryant in Los Angeles, and gave him the ultimate props.

Per Lakers Nation (via The No Chill Podcast):

With Dwyane Wade calling them the two best shooting guards of all time ahead of himself, Dwight Howard compared the two players.

“Like I told you earlier, I think he’s better than Jordan and I only say that because I feel like everything Jordan did, he did it better.”

The post Dwight Howard: Kobe Bryant ‘Better’ Than Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

Antetokounmpo, citing famously anti-social legends such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Michael Jordan, says he doesn’t want anything possibly holding him back on the floor.

The Greek Freak is hell-bent on maintaining his competitive edge, friendships be damned.

Per ESPN:

“I don’t know, was Kobe ever close with his [opponents],” Antetokounmpo said.

“Was Kevin Garnett ever close with the guys he played against? Was Jordan?

“I think it’s just being competitive. If I know I’m going to play against them and I’m going to see them in the playoffs or see them for many more years to come, I try to stay away and not build a lot of relationships, because I know that when I get on the court I’m going to go 100 percent. Maybe if I have a good relationship with somebody he might expect me to go 50 percent or take it easy on him. I don’t want anything holding me back out there and play.”

Related Kobe Bryant: Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘Just Scratching the Surface’

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