Bryant has been exposed to many things, because he grew up in Italy, so he can speak Italian. Kobe has played football games, took ballet lessons, and likes bruschetta and bread salad. But after trying various things, he found that basketball is the best for him. Basketball is not a popular sport in Italy. In order to play regularly, the Kobe family installed a basketball hoop in their driveway. Kobe has been deeply influenced by basketball since he was a child. When kids of the same age were still watching cartoons, Kobe had spent a lot of time studying "Magic" Johnson, "Big Bird" Bird and Michael Jordan The basketball video is on. Kobe said: "When you hold a basketball, the feeling is unique. When you hear the sound of a basketball on the hardwood floor, you will be deeply attracted. I am In this way, I can even imagine that scene."
When he was a teenager, Bryant joined the local youth basketball team. Kobe stands out among his peers, his strength is much stronger than others, but he has also been alienated by others. Because of the big difference in strength, Kobe is unwilling to pass the ball to his teammates. When his teammates shout "You pass the ball", Kobe's answer will always only be a "no". Kobe also left the impression of arrogance on other people, but because of the gap in skills, other people can't help him. They usually can only mock Kobe with words like this: "You are very prestigious now. After you arrive in the United States, see what you can do." Although young, Kobe had the idea of entering the NBA very early. When was 12 years old, Kobe participated in a summer league in Philadelphia and . When the organizers asked what they wanted to do in the future, Kobe's answer was "NBA". The Kobe family of returns to Philadelphia every summer, but they don't seem to be able to integrate into the local life. Although Kobe is American, because he has lived in Italy since he was a child, he speaks with an Italian accent, and he believes that European lifestyle is more comfortable than the American lifestyle.
In July 1991, 13-year-old Kobe participated in the summer league in the Sunny Mountain community. Many outstanding young players in Philadelphia gathered here, and Kobe's father Joe was also a star here. The reason why Joe let Kobe participate in this league is because he believes that the way the league plays is very tough, which will greatly help Kobe's future basketball road. After helping Kobe to fill out the registration form, Joe asked Kobe to write his personal information. On the day when the official game started, Kobe came to the scene with the registration form. His registration form was as follows:
Name: Kobe Bean Bryant
Age: 12
Hometown: Philadelphia
Future occupation: NBA
After the basketball leader read the registration form, he asked Kobe: "Is this your real idea?" Kobe nodded without hesitation. Kobe's name is a little strange, coupled with the so big that it seems a little unrealistic dream, so that the staff became interested in him. Kobe wears thick knee pads when he comes on the court. This is normal equipment in Italy, but it seems a bit out of place in the United States. Recalling that scene, Kobe said: "I might look a little strange at the time, just like "Ace Agent"The same as the villain. "Z1z Kobe has lost his dominance in Italy here. He can't break through and score points like he did before. His performance on the court is very struggling. Just like a player with a knee injury, Kobe played 25 games. , But not a single point was accounted for. Z2z said: "I played so badly at the time. The data column was almost empty. The number of field goal attempts, free throws or anything else was almost zero. I was about to collapse, I kept crying after the league, and my tears were almost gone. "Although he was frustrated, Kobe was not discouraged by it. He joined the league again in the summer of the second year. This time his performance has improved a lot. Kobe started scoring goals and did better defensively than before. Okay.
After the 1991-92 season, the Kobe family returned to the United States and he became an eighth-grade student at Balasinweid Junior High School in Philadelphia. It is difficult for to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. In this school White students accounted for 70%, but even in the black community, Kobe does not look very gregarious. No one in the school speaks Italian, except for Kobe, so he doesn't communicate with other people much. Kobe is not that cheerful and unrestrained People, so he often gives people an image of arrogance and coldness. When Kobe was in Italy, he was very special among his peers. Even when he returned to the United States, he still held this idea, and it was stronger than before. 八By the time he was in his grade, the 6-foot-2 Kobe was able to average 30+ points per game, and his performance also attracted a lot of attention. Z2z Lormerion High School coach Greg Donner said : "I understood at the time, he is a very special player. "Z3z Compared with the Sunny Mountain Summer League, the basketball lineup of Balasinweid Junior High is much inferior, but this can't conceal Kobe's brilliance. At that time, Kobe already had experience in official games, and his basketball skills continued Improved, but also began to show strong confidence. Kobe had already averaged 30+ points per game in the varsity team game. The scene where he and other kids were playing basketball was like an adult and a child playing basketball. The performance of Kobe was so much. Na became curious, and then he invited Kobe to participate in the training game of the high school team. 6-foot-9 Joe accompanied Kobe to participate in the game, and Joe's appearance shocked everyone. Donna and his assistant at the time Said: "I'm going, that's'Jelly Bean' Bryant, he is a former NBA player. "Z3z Donna has also participated in the NCAA third-level league. He quickly realized what Kobe is special. Although he is only a junior high school student, he has no fear when facing high school players and even dared to swing his elbow. Kobe played very fiercely, and when he participated in the screens, he moved very much. After only five minutes of the game, Donat said to others: "This guy will be a professional player in the future. "Donagh recalled: "I immediately knew what a special guy Kobe was. He was only 13 years old at the time, but at that time his basic skills were already impeccable. I think he only needs to strengthen his body, and he has done a good job for others. "Z3z Kobe has been firmly established as the main force of the school team in his first year of high school. Although the school team only achieved a 4-20 record in the first year, Bryant's performance of 18 points per game is already very good. Kobe is a pursuit The perfect guy, failure is his most intolerable thing. Even if he just missed a free throw, he would be very angry. Other players may not care too much about mistakes on the court, but Kobe can not tolerate these things happening. Even in training, Kobe will go all out. Donat once rebuked them in training because they didn't play a defensive tactic. Kobe said: "This is our mistake. I must not be like this in the NBA. "Z3z No matter what you do, Kobe will do the best. Once Kobe and other students went to a theme park to play, a girl named Susan Friedlander asked Kobe to help herself win a free throw win game. The next plush doll. Many classmates started booing, but Kobe was not affected by them. He made three consecutive goals and Susan also got a green ivory elephant doll. But Kobe didn’t stop there, he He took out 3 dollars and scored three goals in a row. The stall owner had no choice but to give Kobe another doll to let him leave. Kobe did not participate in these activities for fun, he just simply tried his best to do everything well. It’s just a matter. No matter what kind of dilemma he encounters, Kobe has never flinched.Stride forward with greatness. Over the past two decades, when we look back on Kobe's career, we will find that strong desire is an important reason for his success. But this is not only in the NBA, Kobe developed this trait in high school. Kobe himself admitted that he had no friends in high school, and basketball is the best friend who has always been with him. Bryant was selected by the Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft. Half a month later, the Lakers traded the No. 13 pick with center Divac. A week after the transaction was completed, "Big Shark" O'Neal traveled west to Los Angeles, and the embryonic form of the "OK" combination and the Lakers dynasty had taken shape. Bryant joined the Lakers The Lakers had the No. 24 pick in 1996, and it was almost impossible for them to get Kobe. But at the time, the Lakers' executive vice president of Jerry West, carried out a wonderful operation, and finally they reached a deal with the Hornets, and Kobe was finally able to join the Lakers. Although just joined the team and was unable to participate in training due to a broken wrist, in the training camp of Hawaii , Kobe's arrogance and coldness shocked everyone in the team. In order to increase the cohesion of the team, the then head coach Harris asked everyone to introduce themselves briefly. Z1z O'Neal was the first one. He smiled and nodded to everyone, and then said: "Hello everyone, I'm Shaquille O'Neal, let's cheer for the new season." After , everyone took turns to introduce themselves. "I am Derek Fisher, a rookie. I am from Little Rock, Arkansas, and I am ready to debut." "I am Nick Van Exel, this This is my fourth season with the Lakers." "I am Eddie Jones, from Temple University, I am a Florida native." "Jeromey Corsey, this year is my 13th in the NBA The season is over. It's a wonderful journey." "I'm Cedric Ceballos." Then, it was Kobe's turn. "I am Kobe, Kobe Bryant, and this is my full name. I am from Pennsylvania and graduated from Lormerion High School. I have no opponents there." At this point, Kobe stopped for a while, and then he continued. Speaking of, "You have to understand that no one can give me trouble, I will make it clear first, no one can bully me." The self-introduction of can only be described as embarrassing. David Booth, who performed well in the summer league and was able to participate in the Lakers training camp, said: "Everyone said to him,'Man, don't be nervous, relax.' We can understand him. As a rookie, he wants to make himself in There is a place in the team, but those words are really not appropriate." At the time, the Lakers backup forward Corey Blunt said: "When he introduced himself, he said that these were not good, but he was only 18 at the time. Year-old kid, so we can understand.” Kobe’s first self-introduction seemed embarrassing to everyone, but it was just the beginning. As the training camp continued, Kobe’s arrogance and frivolousness made it even more so. Everyone was shocked. Other players were very humble when they joined the Lakers. Van Exel was very humble when he switched from Cincinnati to the Lakers in 1993. The same was true for Jones when he joined the Lakers in 1995. The same was true for rookies Travis Knight and Fisher, but Kobe was clearly not the case. Kobe is not a humble guy, he is more or less excluded by his teammates because of this. Z1z Ceballos said: "Kobe didn't actually do chores, like buying snacks, helping big guys with bags, we didn't let him do that. O'Neill occasionally teased him, such as asking him to show up in front of everyone. RAP or something. Kobe is completely different from other rookies. Most of the rookies choose to have a good relationship with the veterans, but Kobe doesn't care about these."
Kobe failed to participate in training because of a broken wrist. Now it seems that this may be a good thing. . Many veterans believe that if Kobe participated in training at that time, the entire training might not go on. O'Neal is the undoubted core of the Lakers' offensive. His arrival also means that the Lakers' original main attackers, Van Exel, Jones and Ceballos, need to make sacrifices. If at that time Kobe, who was in his heart, also participated in training , You can imagine what the training scene will become. Kobe wants his teammates to notice him, and he wants others to realizeBecause of his own strength, whether he is watching the game or participating in light training, he is always talking to people around him that he can make a jump shot or twist into a twist to make a layup without losing his balance. O'Neill even gave Kobe the nickname "showboat", which is not a derogatory term, but it is not a good term.
What makes other Lakers team members feel weird is that Kobe seems to have a kind of obsession with Jordan, he is imitating Jordan all the time. In fact, when Kobe was still living in Italy, he watched a lot of Jordan's basketball videos, but Kobe's imitation of Jordan is not limited to basketball, even if it is licking his lips, shrugging his shoulders or the tone and way of speaking, Kobe and Jordan very similar. Compared to the statement that Kobe respects Jordan, he seems to be staring at Jordan all the time, which may be a more accurate description. Knight said: "When Kobe first entered the league, he set his goal to be Jordan. There is no doubt. No matter what, he tried to do things the way Jordan does." The Lakers welcomed the team on October 10, 1996. Coming to their first preseason game, they will face the Nuggets at the Honolulu special event venue. Many people think it will take a while for the Lakers to grind into shape, but the reality is not the case. Z1z O'Neal showed strong dominance in the game. He shot 11 of 13 in 26 minutes, scoring 25 points and 12 rebounds. "Star Gazette" reporter Mike Fitzgerald said: "O'Neal's several dunks shocked the entire arena."
O'Neal scored 6 points in one minute in the second quarter and scored a rebound and a rebound. Block shots. Although Kobe missed due to injury, the Lakers defeated the Nuggets 111-101. Although the outcome of the preseason is not that important, this game allows people to see that the Lakers' running-in is very successful. Van Exel and Jones were willing to hand over the ball to O'Neal, and he helped him open up the space. Ceballos also obediently handed the ball to O'Neal. After the game, the players celebrated in the locker room. O'Neal was very happy. He said: "No one can guard me, I am the strongest." After two preseason games with the Nuggets, the Lakers will come. California's Fresno competes with the Lone Ranger. Kobe, who is 18 years old and 55 days old, will appear in this game. He is also the youngest player in NBA history. Kobe was very nervous before the game. He walked back and forth in the locker room and corridor, and his nervousness was self-evident. Byron Scott comforted Kobe in the warm-up session before the game. Scott told him to let go of his nervousness and enjoy the game with his heart. Scott appreciates Kobe's momentum, but he also understands that Kobe needs to calm down. , Organize your emotions, and can't always think about flying into the sky. In the end, Scott and Kobe said an old but practical saying: "Your moment will come, so be patient before then."
Kobe was just a substitute for the team at that time. He played in the second quarter. At 4 minutes and 11 seconds, the coach Harris was sent on the field. The arena fans expressed great enthusiasm for Kobe, and all members were shouting: "Kobe! Kobe!" Kobe was still a little nervous, he almost let go after receiving the ball for the first time, and then he sorted out his emotions. , Sent an assist for center Sean Lukes. Kobe also lost his shoes during the game (he signed a million-dollar endorsement contract with Adidas at that time, wearing Adidas EQT Elevation sneakers), but he quickly adjusted it and put it on quickly Shoes so as not to be affected. After Kobe started scoring, he made a three-pointer, a turnaround jumper, a dunk and a 16-foot jumper. Kobe, who is getting better at , also began to enjoy the atmosphere on the court. He dribbled a lot in the final stage of the game. Even the gentle-tempered Harris coach began to yell at him: "You are not playing high school league, give me the ball Pass it out!"
Bryant made 4 of 4 shots in this game and scored 10 points. Overall, he played pretty well. Teammates also know that it is very valuable for a high school student to have such a performance in the first NBA level game. In the interview after the game, Van Exel thought Kobe was full of enthusiasm and his shooting looked good. Coach Harris said: "Kobe's overall performance is very good, of course, he also made a few mistakes." O'Neal was also asked about Kobe's performance, he directly chose to sing "I Believe In You And" by Whitney Houston.Me", of course, the lyrics were changed by himself: "I believe that'showboat' is our future..."
Now it seems that the new season of the Lakers is very worth looking forward to. Although only 18 years old, Kobe has no doubt the ability to become a superstar in the NBA. Since then, there has been a battle between him and O'Neal over who is the leader of Los Angeles.
"fighting" storm
At that time, O'Neal was the undoubted core of the Lakers, and the young Kobe needed time to grow up. The failure of in the playoffs was exactly what he had to face on the road to growth. Bryant threw 4 consecutive three-shots in the final moments of G5 in the 1997 Western Conference semifinals. The Jazz also defeated the Lakers, which caused Kobe to be questioned a lot. In the 1998 playoffs, although the Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals, they were still blocked by the Jazz from the Finals. The league suffered the suspension and storm in the 1998-99 season. Although the game was finally restarted, the number of games was reduced to 50. This also makes many players encounter a psychological burden, they become easily anxious, bored or angry.
Just a few weeks after the Lakers were defeated by the Jazz, the league went into a shutdown state. But unlike small cities like Cleveland or Milwaukee, for Los Angeles, even without NBA games, the city is still full of life. Z2z is a reasonable way for fans to watch gossip about players and celebrities even if they are not watching the game. The original 20th Century Fox Television Studio hired Johnson the "Magic" when it was shut down and let him host a talk show called "Magic Moment". Although the show is full of big names and SheilaE.'s band is helping out, the whole show is still a mess. If it were not for the existence of Gabriel Catris, "Magic" Johnson might have become the worst presenter in TV history. Eight weeks later, this terrible show finally stopped airing, and viewers were able to continue watching "The Boat of Love". This host experience of
can be regarded as a big shame to "Magic" Johnson, but compared with the troubles O'Neill has encountered, it is actually nothing. During the shutdown period, O’Neill terminated the cooperation with Reebok, which had been in cooperation for six years. Reebok’s spokesperson Dave Fogelson said that the two sides have reached an agreement that they will not continue to sign a five-year US$15 million cooperation Contract . Although it is a Big Mac on the basketball court, O'Neal's sneaker sales are not good. According to the data of "Sports Marketing Communications", there is no O'Neal name among the top ten most gold-absorbing endorsement stars in the 1998-99 season. O'Neill's popularity in the market is not high enough, for ordinary consumers, his sneakers are not sufficiently attractive.
In addition to business matters, O'Neill was also accused of choking a woman's neck while queuing at the entrance of a Disneyland club. Although 's allegations were dropped shortly afterwards, the shift in public opinion had a huge negative impact on O'Neill. At the same time, O'Neal's own attitude has also brought him a lot of trouble. For many players, playing games can support their families, but O'Neal, because of his wealth, has shown an indifferent look to the suspension. In an interview with an Associated Press reporter from , O'Neill said: "I don't care, anyway, I have money, even if the suspension is closed, I will live a good life." The attitude of
caused him to receive some resistance in the industry. The successive occurrence of these events made O’Neal’s mood at a low point, and a 4646-word long article by "Los Angeles Magazine" columnist Mark Rowland called "Kobe Bryant: City Prince" made O'Neill feel even more Unusual anger. Roland believes that Kobe is Jordan's successor in this article, and he spares no effort to praise Kobe. Roland wrote: "Even by the level of the NBA, Kobe is already an excellent star. And his influence in the market and entertainment is even greater than on the court, and Jordan has not been better than him. An influential business image. Kobe has signed endorsements with companies such as Adidas, Spalding and Sprite, and Nintendo has also launched his exclusive game through cooperation, and his influence will continue to grow. Kobe’s business map is expanding very fast. Jordan has retired and Kobe will become his successor.”
zAlthough 0zplays for the same team, O'Neal doesn't like Kobe very much. Kobe's style of play is relatively unique, and he believes that he is better than everyone else, which makes O'Neal very disgusted. "New York Post" basketball reporter Pete Vicsey wrote in the article: "Kobe is a skilled player. He has a strong sense of competition. He always wants to beat his opponent. This is a good thing. But it is also because In this way, it is difficult for Kobe and other players to have a good chemical reaction. He can't look down on his teammates. When playing games, teammates can only watch him make constant shots alone. This style of play is problematic. Not to mention that there is O'Neal in the Lakers. When he is standing in the penalty area, it is undoubtedly a wise choice to pass the ball to him, which makes people feel that Kobe is not reasonable enough to play. "
For O'Neal, he Positioning himself is the person with the most say in this team, and he hopes everyone will listen to him. "Z5z Los Angeles Times " columnist JA Adand said: "Jerry West and O'Neal both want to control the team, but this is unacceptable for Kobe. He will not be anyone’s brother. "Z3z
O'Neal entered the league six years earlier than Kobe, so he hopes to get along with Kobe in the same way as his elder brother and younger brother, but everyone knows that this result has not been achieved. In an interview with many years later, O’Neill said: “He doesn’t accept my way of getting along, and now I understand why he did that. Everyone’s way of achieving their ideals is different, and the way he chooses is to spend a lot of energy. In basketball. Kobe is the Will Smith in the NBA. He spends 7, 8, 9 hours in training every day. I was not used to this way at the time. Now I can understand it. This is his way of life. "Z3z
As mentioned above, O'Neal at the time could not understand Kobe's way, so his hostility to Kobe is gradually increasing. For Kobe, he only considers basketball. How to get along with O'Neal is not what he cares about, but it also angered O'Neal. Bryant was selected as one of the most beautiful people in the world by People Weekly during the shutdown, and he was also very happy. Kobe's pride also reflects O'Neal's frustration, which is different from when he was in Magic. O'Neal was a big deal when he was in Magic. If he buys a new suit for a rookie, it is a great honor. If he invites others to party at his house, he will certainly not be rejected. But Kobe didn't care about O'Neal at all. The Lakers forward Rick Fox said: "Kobe's influence is gradually increasing, which also means that O'Neal's influence is reduced. He is very dissatisfied with this. We are all Everyone listens to O’Neal, but Kobe is different. He doesn’t care about these things.”
Because the NBA is locked out, many players will go to major stadiums or clubs to play in order to stay in shape or for recreation. Play with some ordinary people. During that time, New York's 92nd Street often saw players from the Z5z Knicks, and the Nets, and Southwestern College in Los Angeles often saw the Lakers and Clippers. Many people come to the arena every day. Sometimes they may be members of the UCLA and USC school teams, sometimes they may be students from the University of California, Irvine or Long Beach State University, or they may be NBA players. But no matter who it is, there is no doubt that high-quality basketball games are being played in the arena every day.
Kobe and O'Neal came to Southwestern Academy for training games at the beginning of 1999. Several other Lakers players and veteran Alden Polynes also came. At this time, the article claimed that "Kobe is the successor of Jordan". Not long after the release, no one knew that Kobe and O'Neal would break out a huge conflict here. Z2z Polinis has been with the Kings for almost five years. He has become a free agent and hopes to join the Lakers. Knowing that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak will attend this training game, Polinisi also chose to participate in this game. He and O'Neal have been friends for many years. Although he has been fighting on the court for many years, Pollynis still hopes to fight alongside O'Neal. He said: "I've been a Lakers fan since I was a kid, so it would be a great honor for me to join them. At the same time, I have a good relationship with O'Neal, and it would be great if I can play with him. Kupchak That day will come too, so I need to show myself to him." After
warmed up and shot, everyone started to group.Kobe and O'Neal were assigned to different teams. Z1z Polinis said: "I and Kobe are on the same team, and O'Neal is on another team." This was originally just an ordinary wild game, but after playing for a while, the atmosphere Gradually something went wrong. O'Neal yelled for a foul every time he missed a goal, he always did.
"Foul! Foul!" After yelling
several times, Kobe couldn't stand him anymore. He said, "Shut your mouth and play hard." "Z3z After a few rounds, Kobe faced O'Neal's defensive low layup and scored the ball. After that, Kobe shouted at O'Neal: "Fuck you, this TM belongs to my team, there is no doubt." Kobe's words made everyone nervous, which is obviously not a joke. Pollynis said: "Kobe is not talking about today's team, he is referring to the entire Lakers." O'Neal was upset: "Dare you say this to me? This team belongs to me." Kobe continued to provoke: "Fuck you, you are not worthy to lead this team, you are not qualified!" O'Neal said: "I will let you leave the Lakers, I will do what I say." Seeing that the situation is not right. A player separated the two of them and the game continued. But something is wrong. The smell of gunpowder in the game is very strong, and contradictions are on the verge of breaking out. Pollynis said: "About one or two rounds later, Kobe scored at the basket again. Then he shouted at O'Neal,'You are a rubbish, you can't prevent me!'" O'Neal applied with the ball Suspended. His eyes became fierce, and he glared at Kobe and said: "You TM say a few more words to try." Kobe did not give in: "Ah, it's yours, you TM......" Kobe hasn't finished speaking yet, O'Neill He gave him a slap, and a "pop" resounded through the arena. Former Lakers player Corey Blunt was also on the scene that day. He said: "O'Neal's palm is very big, so the slap is very loud." Pollynis said: "O'Neal punched again, but didn't hit. With Kobe. That situation was too dangerous. At the time, I was just about the same size as O'Neal, so I rushed up and hugged him. O'Neal kept punching him, but I hugged him, so I didn't hit Kobe. At that time, I felt that my strength was almost exhausted. I hugged O'Neal and shouted,'Hurry up and hug Kobe, I'm serious!' O'Neal was hugged by me, but Kobe didn't. Crazy. O'Neal broke free with an arm behind and hit me by a miss. There was really no reason to go. Fortunately, O'Neal didn't break free at that time, otherwise Kobe would be dead. Don't think I'm exaggerating, I promise At that time, he really wanted to kill Kobe, and every punch he threw made people feel this.” Although there is a big difference in body shape, Kobe is not convinced. He kept saying: "You're so soft! What else do you dare to do besides these? Softie!" Z2z Blunt has been advising Kobe beside him: "Brother, you can shut up, don't add fuel to the fire." After his bodyguard and friend Jerome Crawford arrived, the scene finally calmed down. Later, O'Neal vented his anger towards Kobe in the article: "He thinks he is Jordan, and others can't touch him. When you meet him, he starts calling fouls, which is very annoying. I said to him,'Close you Kupchak was very scared by the sudden incident of . After O’Neill left, Polynis and Kupchak said: “Look at what I just did. You have to Sign me." But it was counterproductive, Pollynis finally only wore the Seattle SuperSonics jersey in the 1998-99 season. Polinis said: "They are incompatible. Both want to be the boss of the team. O'Neal's idea is'This team belongs to me.' Kobe's idea is'I am the boss of the team.' These two can't always work together Yes, there is no doubt about it. Even if they succeed, they will part ways in the end." The contradiction between Kobe and O'Neal has always existed, even when they were defending the championship in 2001, there was still hostility between them. At that time, O'Neal was at the peak of his career, and Kobe was rapidly growing into a super star, and he also believed that he was the boss of the team. lakeThe internal battle The Lakers started a three-game winning streak in the 1999-00 season. They defeated the Pacers in six games in the 2000 Finals and won the championship trophy. Many people believe that the conflict between Kobe and O'Neal will disappear because of the championship. But the facts have proved that their opinions are so wrong. The rift between the two never disappeared for a moment, but it has become bigger and bigger. After winning the championship and FMVP,
As mentioned above, O'Neal wanted to treat Kobe as a little brother, but it was useless and Kobe did not accept this approach. Kobe is an arrogant and unruly person, he despises those who cannot work as hard as him. In other words, he looks down on everyone. On the first day that old guard Isiah Ryder joined the Lakers, Kobe went to him to single out; Mike Pempsey, who the Lakers signed in the free market, was also mercilessly despised and mocked by Kobe; on the court At that time, Kobe was unwilling to follow the arrangement of the triangle tactics and often ignored his teammates in singles. Compared with the hard-training Kobe, O'Neal, who played a lot in the offseason, looked a bit dazzling. After winning the first championship of his career, O'Neal has been immersed in fun for several months. The famous writer Elizabeth Kaye wrote: “When Kobe was doing jump shots in the arena, O’Neal was eating the so-called'Papa Shaq Sandwich', which is a kind of fried shrimp, mayonnaise, and tomato sauce. The name of the food that goes with cheese is O’Neal himself. In addition to enjoying the food, O’Neal also spends a lot of money with his friends in Las Vegas. In order to let his friends serve the table, O’Neal directly gave it to They are ten thousand dollars. They will stay at the gaming table for several hours until O'Neal feels a headache. O'Neal also frequents strip clubs, and he often goes to burger restaurants or fast food restaurants at three in the morning. O'Neal To describe his behavior in one sentence is'repetitive behavior can reflect a person'." The
Lakers had a bad start to the 2000-01 season. They were determined to defend their title and only achieved 6 wins and 4 losses in the first 10 games. Z1z's poor record has filled the team's locker room with a sense of frustration. The conflict between O'Neal and Kobe is also more acute, while some other players chose to escape the dispute. In the Lakers game with Spurs and , Kobe made 31 crazy shots, but the team eventually lost 81-91. After this game, the conflict between the two quickly intensified. O'Neal said in an interview: "We can't play like this, we have to be more flexible. Of course, if someone is willing to pass a few more passes, the situation will definitely be much better. "The famous writer Jeff Pierman said: "Kobe has never been able to reach an agreement with O'Neal. He is different from others. Other people's evaluations of O'Neal are good, but Kobe doesn't think so. He did not share the experience of O'Neal. Asked for help, and did not praise O'Neal's performance on the court. He has never done so." The contradiction between the two
even spread to various media who came to interview. This is true. When reporters are in the team's locker room, they usually interview one of O'Neal and Kobe first, and then continue to interview the other. Most of the time they will interview O'Neal first and then Kobe. O'Neal always pushes things to Kobe in interviews, and then he will say that Kobe plays selfishly and thinks naively. After O'Neill's remarks are recorded by the media, they will tell Kobe about these remarks, and then Kobe will respond. Z2z has never seen this strange way of getting along even for journalists who have experienced many battles. As professional players, the two men with lockers only 15 feet apart should have spoken clearly in person, but they chose to be like naive children. Adande said: "The two of them were really naive at the time, especially O'Neal. He often said,'You know, I won't say much.' O'Neal always talks half of the words and gives the key points. We. Kobe is different. He is very direct. As long as there is a suitable time, he will make it clear."
Writers in various newspapers and periodicals will also be labeled by the outside world, and people will look at their articles.Point defines them as "Followers of O'Neill" or "Followers of Kobe". Z2z "ESPN Magazine" columnist Rick Bucher, he has helped O'Neal write an autobiography, and has been tracking the Lakers games. But only after O'Neal thought that he spoke for Kobe in an article, the private exchange between Bucher and O'Neal ended. Bucher said: "O'Neal thought I was a'Kobe's follower', and then I had no contact with him. I don't know how to say this, I don't want to stand in line, but in O'Neal's view, you must make a choice Either speak for him, or stand on Kobe’s side." Z3z Adand was considered a "follower of O'Neal", he said: "I didn't want to stand in line, but the situation was that I was not forced to I didn’t make a choice. Later, I chose to follow O’Neal. When he has the ball, the Lakers play better. This is a fact. And O’Neal has a more friendly personality. He will talk to me and the time I met him. For a long time, there is no difference in age. Kobe is different, he has a colder personality." "Los Angeles Times" reporter Bill Praschke said: " Kobe is very lonely in the team, except for a personal bodyguard, Kobe There are no supporters. After the interview, I will go to the parking lot with him. This is also my habit. Kobe is a great competitor, he will beat all his opponents, but he appears very aloof when he is off the court. Love to communicate with others. Kobe speaks very sharply, and he will see who you choose to chat with. At that time, it was impossible not to make a choice. Kobe or O’Neal had to choose one. I finally chose O’Neal. He was right. These things are also very sensitive. He will pay close attention to the topics and conversations about Kobe. Fox and I once talked about Kobe in the tunnel, and then O'Neill poked out from the curtain and asked what we were talking about. Both of them That's it. When warming up and shooting, they will see who you interview first, so you have to make a choice." O'Neal has a jealous feeling for Kobe, but Kobe didn't. What Kobe has in mind is very simple, he just wants to beat everyone. For other players, it is also a pleasure to see people frequently guess the minds of Kobe and O'Neal. The outside world always wants to understand what they are thinking, but their guesses and actual situations often differ. To a certain extent, this is also quite interesting. O'Neal likes to point out Kobe's various shortcomings, and some remarks are even exaggerated, but Kobe disagrees with this, which sometimes makes O'Neal feel helpless. After hearing O’Neal’s words, Kobe often just shrugged, and then hugged an indifferent smile, as if saying: "Oh, this is what he said, don’t you think I care about it?" competition Before the start, O'Neal will form a circle with everyone in the game channel. They will do something similar to "playing and pushing" to activate the atmosphere, but Kobe never participates in this, he is not interested in this. The head coach of the Lakers during the three consecutive championships was "Zen Master" Phil Jackson, who chose not to interfere with the conflict between Kobe and O'Neal. The
The harbinger of split
Although the contradiction has never disappeared, the combination of the two has been invincible on the court, winning the championship trophy for three consecutive years. But this team of kings was defeated in the 2002-03 season. O'Neal became more and more negative in the regular season, and Kobe's aversion to him became even stronger. Although the two still hope to continue to hit the championship, the contradiction between the two has indeed affected the entire team. The Lakers were eliminated by the Spurs led by Duncan and in the 2003 Western Conference semifinals. This team needs to make some changes. in order to get the team backChampionship, the Lakers introduced two future Hall of Famers in the summer of 2003-Gary Z5z Payton Z6z and Karl Malone. Sitting on the four superstars, the Lakers once again became the champion's biggest favorite, and their lineup looked even more invincible. However, even with such a wealthy configuration, it cannot prevent the "OK" combination from going their separate ways. The contradiction between the two has intensified in the 2003-04 season and has gone from hostility to hatred.
The Lakers played against the Kings on April 11, 2004. This was a game that couldn't be seen directly, and it also reflected how bad the Lakers were at the time. Before the game, the Lakers had a 54-25 loss, and it looks like they played pretty well. But this is just what it looks like. In fact, the Lakers have been in a very bad state. Payton seems to have been unable to integrate into the triangle offensive system; Bryant had to fly to Colorado for the hearing several times because of the "Eagle County" incident; he could only sit and listen to the accuser in a secret meeting on March 24 Three-hour testimony; the Lakers and Zen Master’s contract renewal negotiations were also stranded midway, and it looks like he is about to leave the Lakers; O’Neal also got into a lawsuit, he was accused of taking $63,000 in compensation but was absent from attending. Promotion activities. The Lakers' bench is also terrible, except for Fisher, almost no player can become a qualified player. Z2z The Lakers stumbled throughout the season. "Los Angeles Times" author Praschke said: "This season's experience is very disappointing."
As Malone and O'Neal have recovered from injuries, the Lakers returned at the end of the season. Let people see hope. Facing the upcoming playoffs, they urgently need to get back to their state. If they can beat the Kings, then they may be able to push the team into a real winning mode. But this is just wishful thinking of the fans. The Lakers have too many problems, and it is even more difficult to solve them.
The last game that Kobe and O'Neal were both Lakers players was the fifth game of the 2004 NBA Finals. They lost to the Pistons and gave way to the championship with a big score of 1-4. The defeat in the finals also heralded the disintegration of the "OK" combination. Although conflicts continue between them, in the eight years of the Lakers partner, the two led the team to the finals four times and won three championship trophies. They are undoubtedly one of the best duo in NBA history.
continued to turn their attention to the game between the Lakers and the Kings, both of the West's mighty powers. The fans had hoped that the two teams could play a fierce game. But the real progress of the game shocked everyone. The Kings started with an 8-0 attack wave. At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers were 15-31 behind by 16 points. But compared to the lagging behind, Kobe's performance is the most angry and incomprehensible. He can be said to have made no contribution on the court.
You can't imagine that Kobe, a guy full of enthusiasm and ambition, didn't make a shot in the first quarter, which puzzled everyone. The other players of the Lakers were also in poor condition. O'Neal made two fouls early in the first quarter. Devin George, Slava Medvedenko and Byron Russell made only one of 11 shots in the first quarter. The ball, but Kobe didn't make his first basket until 5 minutes and 19 seconds of the second quarter. It was a three-pointer. When Kobe made his first shot, the Lakers had fallen behind the Kings by 17 points, which is incredible. In fact, this game has entered garbage time in the first quarter. Praschke said: "This is all someone's'credit', his mind is completely off the court, shooting, breakthrough, command...what Don’t do it.”
The Lakers eventually lost to the Kings 85-102. Bryant made 3 of 13 shots and scored 8 points and 4 assists in this game. But if you watch the game, you’ll understand that his performance is better than the statistics show. It's much worse. Kobe's performance also caused public outrage, and all members of the Lakers were dissatisfied with him. Kobe has been criticized many times by his teammates because of his all-inclusive play and his neglect of his teammates. "Zen Master" only criticized Kobe a few days before the game. A few days later, Kobe used this method to fight everyone out of anger. He seemed to want to tell them what the team would be like if he didn't take care of everything. , but Kobe started to speak loudly in the interview after the game, when asked why he didn't shootWhen Kobe said: "Every time I hold the ball, the Kings double-teams me, so I did that." This extremely absurd remark made his teammates feel that Kobe is unreasonable. Payton understood Kobe’s careful thinking very well, but he still chose to give Kobe a bit of face. Payton said: “I won’t tell Kobe what Kobe thought at the time.” The “Zen Master” still spoke some kind words to deal with the media as always. Said: "I think Kobe has made some progress. He seems to understand the importance of the team. This is very important." Everyone with a discerning eye knows that this is just meaningless polite words, and Kobe doesn't need these.
The day after the Lakers and Kings game ended, the other players' dissatisfaction with Kobe finally broke out. "Los Angeles Times" reporter Tim Brown interviewed several players after the team ended. After guaranteeing absolute anonymity, two players began to complain about Kobe. One said: "We may not be able to forgive Kobe's behavior." Another broke the news that the Lakers even suspected Kobe's mental and spiritual problems. The day after the interview, Brown wrote an 838-word essay called "Kobe and the Lakers are in a deadlock", which completely angered Kobe. Bryant rushed into the training hall on Nash Avenue in El Segundo with a sports edition of the "Los Angeles Times". He questioned every teammate and even smashed the newspaper on their faces. He asked everyone:
"This is what you said?"
"No."
"You said?"
"No."
"You said?"
"No."
Kobe's The behavior completely interrupted the training, and his anger frightened some players. After the Lakers held a team meeting, but Kobe was still chattering, he kept repeating those few words: "If you have anything, please put it on the table to make it clear, whoever said it will stand up for me!"
Silence, everyone said nothing. Finally Malone spoke, he hoped to end this farce. Malone said: "Okay, Kobe. There are two situations now, either someone doesn't want to admit it, or it's a news fabricated by the media. Whatever it is, let this matter go ahead."
but Kobe obviously can't listen. He began to anger Malone and told him to get out of the team. Z2z Malone's attitude also changed, and he unceremoniously responded to Kobe. The smell of gunpowder between the two became stronger and stronger, and only their roars were left in the conference room. The conflict occurred to the end, and the hands-on incident between Kobe and O'Neal in 2001 was about to repeat itself, but this time O'Neal was replaced by Malone, but it was finally stopped in time. To be honest, Kobe was very irrational at that time. If he really wants to fight, facing Malone, Kobe can hardly fight back. Long after the conflict occurred, the players saw the "Zen Master" in the conference room. now and then, the "Zen Master" has been unable to control this group of out-of-control players at this time, and even the accomplished triangle tactical system cannot hold them together. Kobe finally chose to slam the door away, and did not accept media interviews for 11 consecutive days. O'Neal's future is also clouded, and he has questions about continuing to play for the Lakers after the end of the season. Malone has already claimed that this is his last season, Payton is still trying to get back to his form, Fisher is in a bad mood because of too little playing time, and the Lakers at the time are full of chaos. After
they won the last two regular season games and entered the playoffs with a 56-26 record of second in the Western Conference. Although they shoulder the heavy responsibility of regaining the championship, the bad season has exhausted all the players. They just want to draw an end to this season. Then the ending is obvious, either win the championship or the combination is disbanded. Although stumbled into the Finals, the Lakers lost to the Pistons 1-4. Soon after Game 5 of the Finals, Kobe said to his teammates: "I don't want to partner with O'Neal anymore, that's it." Choosing to keep Kobe in the array. Although Kobe Bryant was facing allegations of sexual assault because of the "Eagle County" incident at that time, and may face 20 years in prison. But Buss still decided to keep him. The Lakers did not let the "Zen Master" continue to coach the team and sent O'Neal to the Heat. Two seasons later, O'Neal and Z5z Wade and won the first championship trophy in the history of the Heat.
Kobe continued to create his glory in the Lakers, he suffered an accident at the beginning of 2020 and unfortunately passed away. But Kobe’s achievements will always be remembered by everyone. He is one of the greatest players in the history of the Lakers. He is the Lakers’s scoring leader in team history and helped this team win five championship trophies.
Original: Jeff Pearlman
Compilation: Sunny
