Vexed by Rookie Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant?s Father Once Went on Unfiltered Rant After Controversial Trade

The late Kobe Bryant was undoubtedly basketball?s most diligent and focused student. He was a Laker legend and a five-time NBA champion. The Black Mamba left a unique legacy behind. A legacy that transcended the game of basketball and inspired millions of common folk across the world to be honest, work hard, and dream big. However, not many people know his father was a former Philadelphia 76ers player in the 1970s.

During his time with the 76ers, Kobe Bryant?s father went on an unfiltered rant about a rookie Magic Johnson.

Joe Bryant?s Rant

A 21-year-old Joe Bryant entered the league in 1975 after getting drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 14th overall pick in the 1st round of the NBA draft. However, he struggled to make an impact and was sidelined on the bench as the 8th or 9th player on the team hierarchy.?

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After spending 4 years in Philadelphia, the 76ers traded Joe Bryant to the L.A Clippers (then S.D. Clippers) for a first-round pick. The same year he was traded, a young Magic Johnson entered the NBA as the 1st round 1st pick by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Magic went on to shine bright straight from his rookie year and the Lakers organization gave him all the freedom on and off the court. When Joe Bryant was randomly interviewed by two reporters outside a motel in Lancaster, Pensselvaiya, and Magic Johnson came up in the conversation, a frustrated Joe Bryant did not hold back.

He stated, ?He comes into the league with all that stuff, and they call it magic. I?ve been doing it all these years and they call it ?schoolyard.??

After Joe Bryant was traded to the Clippers, he welcomed the change and even stated, ?Sixers will look bad in the deal. I mean I can play defense, I can play offense, and there are not too many players who can go both ways, I have the ability and the capability to do that??

Joe Bryant?s Legacy

Everyone knows how Magic Johnson?s NBA career turned out. Despite retiring early because of his unfortunate health problems, he was a five-time NBA champion, a ten-time NBA All-Star, and an Olympic Gold medalist.?

Magic?s list of individual achievements is endless, but Joe Bryant did not have such a decorated career. In his 8-year-long NBA career, he never won an NBA championship. He averaged 8.5 points per game and 4 rebounds per game and was a decent ?role? player off the bench.

However, Joe Bryant?s greatest achievement was probably raising his son Kobe Bryant. Kobe went on to make the ?Bryant? name world famous and is one of the most loved and inspiring players in NBA history!

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What are your thoughts on Joe Bryant?s rant? Let us know in the comments below!