When Jeanie Buss needed to press the reset button on the Los Angeles Lakers, she went full Khaleesi mode. She ousted her brother, Jim, as the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations and fired longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak. Then she hired her father’s favorite player of all-time, Magic Johnson, to be the president … [Read more…]
Kobe Bryant played his last NBA game on April 13, 2016. It was the conclusion of a 20-year career — all with the Los Angeles Lakers — that included five championships, two Finals MVPs, two Olympic gold medals, 18 All-Star Game appearances, and one 81-point game. The Black Mamba may have said goodbye to basketball, but … [Read more…]
Basketball players have been referred to as the greatest athletes in the world. In the NBA, you see superbly conditioned athletes soar to the basket and throw down rim-rattling dunks or muscle past two or three defenders. Sometimes we marvel so much at these super beings that we, as fans, wonder how pro basketball players … [Read more…]
Kobe Bryant is one of the most polarizing figures in sports. He’s part Michael Jordan, part Alex Rodriguez. No player in the NBA fills both ends of the spectrum like Kobe Bean Bryant. He plays the hero and the villain better than anyone. When Kobe finally decides to hang up his Nikes, it’ll be a … [Read more…]
We’re a couple of weeks into the NBA season, and some fascinating storylines are already developing. Here are my picks for the top-10 developments and observations on the 2014-15 season so far. 1. The Rookies need time Andrew Wiggins. Jabari Parker. Julius Randle. Marcus Smart. This was supposed to be the rookie class that made … [Read more…]
The look on Kobe Bryant’s face said it best. After dropping a game to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, Bryant walked off the Staples Center court shaking his head and looking dejected. His Lakers fell to 0-5. It is the worst start in Lakers history since the 1957-58 season when the team was still … [Read more…]
Kobe Bryant’s first shot attempt of the 2014-15 NBA season was an airball. It wasn’t the type of result you’d expect from one of the 10 best players in the history of the basketball, but he is human after all. He played just six games last season because of a knee injury, and the year … [Read more…]
The voting process for NBA All-Star games is far from perfect, but usually fans get it right. This year, they struggled a bit. If we’re handing out grades on how the fans did on voting for the starters in the 2014 All-Star Game on Feb. 16 in New Orleans, they should get a D for … [Read more…]
The Black Mamba still has a little venom left in him. Kobe Bryant came into Saturday’s game averaging 28 points per game against the Charlotte franchise (the highest against any team in the League). And he certainly didn’t disappoint as he scored 21 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to an 88-85 win over … [Read more…]
Kobe Bryant signed a two-year extension to stay with the purple and gold on Nov. 25, and the deal was a reported $48.5 million. Kobe had 48 million reasons to be thankful on Thanksgiving. But I have to wonder what the Lakers were thinking. Jim Buss reportedly gave him the offer and Kobe just accepted … [Read more…]