Kobe Bryant has always been associated with the LA Lakers, having dedicated his entire career to the franchise. He has won four titles wearing that purple and gold jersey during his 20 years playing for the Lakers. However, there was a tense moment between the future hall of famer and the organization.
From the beginning, the LA Lakers have been considered one of the top NBA teams. 16 NBA Championships and 10 retired jerseys hang in the rafters, making them an elite team in the NBA. As well as giving NBA the best players and making a mark every season.
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Kobe Bryant might have gone to the Clippers, according to Jeanie Buss
The Los Angeles Times reported that former Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler discussed some of Kobe Bryant’s most controversial stats from his 2004 stories. Lawler stated:
“Kobe turned to [Sterling] and — this is an exact quote that I’ve had repeated to me by multiple people — he said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m a Clipper.’ So he walked out the door and [the Clippers] are all high-fiving each other thinking, ‘By God, we’ve done it,’” Lawler said.
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Kobe re-signed with the Lakers the summer before Lawler thought it was a commitment, as Lawler had envisioned.
The Clippers reportedly thought they had a verbal commitment from Kobe Bryant in 2004 free agency.
Then he re-signed with the Lakers. https://t.co/Ka5q542ij1 pic.twitter.com/H4GIOs6rxR
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) July 24, 2019
Apparently, the controversy arose from his relationship with Shaquille O’Neal and coach Phil Jackson back in 2004. It was revealed in one more interview with the All the Smoke podcast, where Lakers owner and president Jeanie Buss mentioned Bryant could go for a shot with the Clippers as follows:
“You know, I never had that conversation with Kobe, but there was a game where he wore Clippers colors,” Buss explained. “Not even the jersey, he wore like the colors, very subtle. I’m like, I could see [it], he loves challenges and that would have been a huge thing, right? I do think that was something that was very possible.”
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What do you think would have happened if Bryant had switched to the Clippers?
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