“That Was What Pushed Me Into The NBA”: Lakers Assistant Coach Reveals How He Joined The NBA Just For Kobe Bryant

Not many coaches get an opportunity to work in the NBA. And then there are some who reject the advances of the NBA. Los Angeles Lakers’ assistant coach Phil Handy was one of the few people to initially reject joining the league. While making an appearance on The Boardroom, Handy revealed that he joined the NBA finally in 2012, only because he wanted to work with Kobe Bryant.

Handy said he was happy with his business prior to joining the league. “I had some previous opportunities to get onto the NBA staff but I was really happy with my business. I was happy with being able to work when I want to work and take time off when I don’t want to work.”

But then he wanted to take the next step in his career. “I wanted to be recognized as the best trainers in the game and I had an opportunity to work with a lot of great players. But I hadn’t worked with a player such as Kobe Bryant.”

Handy teams up with Kobe Bryant in 2012

After Phil Jackson left the Lakers, Mike Brown was appointed. So while seeking support staff, Brown approached Handy. “When Mike brown offered me a job with the Lakers, (Kobe) was the selling point. The tipping point for me was ‘if you want to be on that track and you want to be recognized as one of the best trainers in the game, then you have to work with some of the best players to ever play.”

So in 2011, Handy joined the Lakers as a player development coach under Brown. He stayed there until 2013 when he left to join the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he won a title in 2016. After that successful tenure, he joined the Toronto Raptors last season and won a title there as well

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Now he is back with the Lakers and will be keen to win another title. He is working with LeBron James for a second time now and will be hoping he can win another ring with him. The Lakers may have lost two important players in Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo but they will still be fighting to lay their hands on the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.