“Think I Can Get Through to Kobe”: 4x NBA Champion Helped Kobe Bryant Connect With Teammates Despite Playing Just 1 Season With the Lakers

Kobe Bryant is among the elite list of generational NBA players. He stayed with the Los Angeles Lakers his whole career and won five championship rings. However, it was not easy for the two-time Finals MVP to bond with his teammates when he first came to LA. And four-time NBA champion John Salley helped Kobe to connect with his teammates during his single-season stint with the Lakers in 1999-2000. 

Kurt Rambis was replaced by Phil Jackson as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. The Lakers were finding it very hard to get close to the championship and had not won since 1990. Meanwhile, Kobe came to the Lakers in 1996. He was an immediate sensation in the league, but the Lakers were still struggling.

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The Lakers lacked the on-court chemistry between Kobe and his young teammates. The Black Mamba was 20 years old when Salley came to the Lakers during his last NBA season. He observed that Bryant’s teammates could not bond with the young star.

John Salley opens up about his friendship with Kobe Bryant

Recently, John Salley shared his experience as Kobe Bryant‘s teammate during an episode of Byron Scott’s podcast ‘Off The Dribble’. The 58-year-old revealed that he approached coach Phil Jackson and had a conversation about Kobe and the team. Salley said, “I live five doors from Shaq, and we got a good relationship. And I really think I can get through to Kobe.”  

Further, the former Lakers star stated that he could see Bryant’s uniqueness as he had an experience it before as Michael Jordan‘s teammate. However, Kobe’s teammates felt he was trying to be selfish.

Salley reached out to Kobe and they started to hang out together. Kobe and Salley went out to studios, TGI Friday’s, and watched game tapes. John helped Bryant’s teammates to understand him and create a chemistry that led to a championship victory in 2000. 

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After that, the Lakers team won three back-to-back championships between 2000-2002. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were undoubtedly the foundation of this success. Their on-court understanding helped the duo break through tough opponents and keep winning. Unfortunately, the two came to an impasse in 2002, and the Lakers subsequently had to trade Shaq to the Miami Heat in the end.