Tony Soprano has Dr. Melfi.
The MacManus brothers had each other.
Kobe Byrant has… well, who does he have to call on when in need of a good venting?
On Wednesday, Stephen A. Smith was Kobe’s Dr. Melfi. But unlike the Soprano sessions, which require as much discretion possible, Kobe met with Stephen A. on his public ESPN radio show, in a forum where millions could tune-in, and proceeded to vent.
What had begun as a simple interview for a newspaper column Wednesday quickly became “the interview heard ’round the world,â€? in which arguably the best player in the NBA produced the words Stephen A. could only have hoped to hear and, ultimately, be privileged to help relay to exclusively relaty to the world.
“I would like to be traded. As tough as it is to say that, as tough as it is to come to that conclusion… there’s no other alternative.”
Kobe’s tone was that of a man who felt hurt, betrayed and, in his own words, “misled.”
“It’s tough because, I mean, when you’re with an organization for 11 years, you’ve been a fan of theirs growing up, you just love everything about the organization in terms of the players and the history, the fans, the city. To go through something like this is extremely difficult. Finding out about Shaq’s situation, them promising me one thing in terms of wanting to rebuild right now, and telling Phil Jackson another thing. It’s rough, man. But, I just don’t see how you can rebuild that trust. I just don’t know how you can move forward in that type of situation.”
But Kobe seemed most relieved and optimistic when Stephen A. asked him about his feeling on Shaq believing his story that Lakers owner Jerry Buss, not Bryant, was the person who didn’t want the Big Aristotle back in Los Angeles for the money he was asking.
SAS: When you learned that Shaquille O’Neal was in complete support of you and believed what you had to say, considering y’all history, how did that make you feel?
KB: It made me feel great. Made me feel, vindicated to a certain extent, you know. And it’s a shame that when something like that goes down, it makes you wonder what else was going on. You know what I mean? What else were they telling him? I know what they were telling me about him. what were they telling him about me?
Not to miss out on a quality opportunity to seize some insider thoughts, Stephen A. did his job and asked the right questions –
SAS: What were the kind of things they were saying about him? You know I’m going to ask that question.
KB: It’s stuff like being out of shape, not being able to perform at a high level, not getting their money’s worth out of you, things of that nature.
SAS: So these are the things that the Los Angeles Lakers as an organization was telling you about Shaq as opposed to something you were observing yourself?
KB: Right. I mean, this is — these are the reasons why — part of the reasons why Dr. Buss didn’t want to re-sign him. Now, personally, I mean, I just — I’m going to make my own decisions. I’m going to think for myself. I’m going to sit there and see what they say. I’m going to make my own decisions about, about a person or a situation based off of, you know — based off my own sentiments of them.
The last ramble about making his own decisions and thinking for himself was quite entertaining. It came off more like he was beating around the obvious answer Stephen A. and the rest of us know.
So according to Kobe:
- Jerry Buss called Shaq out of shape, not him.
- Jerry Buss pulled him to the side to reveal his feelings about Shaq
- Kobe is innocent of all Shaq charges, and now feels completely vindicated
This sounds a bit contradictory to back when Shaq and Kobe feuded during their 3-championship run. Kobe was on record saying Shaq was lazy and out of shape (nobody necessarily denied it, either), part of the main reason everyone was quick to point fingers his way when The Big Diesel high-tailed it to Miami. So now, Kobe says it was Buss who thought Diesel was out of shape and not worthy of a fat (pun intended) contract.
The entire situation feels like we are hearing a high school squabble, with plenty of heresay and he-say, she-say accusations.
Sometimes we forget that for as polished a player the 11-year veteran is, Kobe entered the league straight out of high school as a ripe, impressionable young teenager into a grown man’s league. How fast could he have possibly grown up? How tough it would be trying to hang with the likes of grown-ass professional athletes as a youngin yet to experience even a legal drink?
What was most interesting about the interview was how easily it seemed Stephen A., interviewer extraordinairre, coaxed the trade demand out of Kobe, who appeared on the edge and in an emotionally vulnerable state. It was almost Jim Gray-esque.
One could almost say that Stephen A. was guilty of, as they say in the law business, “leading the witness.”
Kobe never seemed completely set in his ways on wanting to be traded until the interview drew longer. Just mere hours after the Stephen A. interview, Kobe confirmed his uncertainty on The Dan Patrick radio show, saying he still wanted to be a Laker. Even later in the day, to another L.A. Times reporter, Mike Bresnahan, Kobe then switched back and spoke of how he wanted to be traded.
Today a new day, what possible direction will the Kobe Coaster take us? Tomorrow? Monday?
These things we hold are true, which could lead to Kobe’s discontent with the Lakers
- The Lakers roster is abysmal. Name another game-changer besides Kobe.
- Mitch Kupchak is a dud. Passing on Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer and Baron Davis will haunt Kobe and Mitch. Neither is looking likely to be a laker for much longer.
- Phil Jackson has yet to find the right pieces to fit into his infamous triangle offense. If Kobe bails, how many minutes until Phil follows suit?
- A Lakers “insider” leaking information puts the front office in high alert. Trust is hard to come by and for possible incoming players, they may not be too drawn to a trickle-down effect.
No matter how many times he says it, Kobe doesn’t come off as completely innocent in shipping off the Big Aristotle. A detailed, documented account of secret meetings with Jerry Buss in hotel rooms still doesn’t completely clear the air.
His breakdown on Stephen A.’s radio show showed that, when it all boils down, Kobe is an emotional guy. For as dedicated as he is to training and yearning to be the best, he still feels the need to be accepted by his peers - Alex Rodriguez style.
Kobe’s last alleged best friend on the Lakers, Caron Butler, was shipped off to Washington in a trade which brought in one of the most under-achieving number 1 picks ever (Kwame “Stop hitting me, MJ!” Brown). Maybe with Butler far away, Kobe just needed someone to talk to. Someone who would allow him to vent.
Deep down, Kobe is still a young man trying to constantly impress all on-lookers. Withh the cameras turned on, fans on-hand and the world watching, he puts on a show. He really may be the best player in the NBA. But when it all stops, and Kobe is left to deal with Kobe, he is just another insecure player — who holds the unique power to make, break and alter a franchise’s future.
Here are links to the two main Kobe interviews:
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