| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Iron Mamba
Star Player
Joined: 01 Mar 2012
Posts: 2139
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:25 pm Post subject: Kobe having FUN with the Kids: D'Angelo, Julius, Jordan |
|
|
Lakers' Kids Helping Kobe Find Joy in the Little Things Amid Season Gone Wrong
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2615222-lakers-kids-helping-kobe-find-joy-in-the-little-things-amid-season-gone-wrong
| Quote: | When Bryant hit a game-clinching three-pointer Thursday in New Orleans, you never saw the fierce Black Mamba look so outwardly blissful about making a clutch shot.
The real reason Bryant was so amused by that dagger shot was he needed it to bounce back after just getting dunked on by New Orleans' Ryan Anderson (And it's also worth noting that Anderson's dunk happened shortly after Russell had the backbone to chastise Bryant for not stepping into the lane with proper help defense on a previous play).
The conversation about being dunked on arose after Bryant had mocked Randle for being dunked on by the Clippers' Lance Stephenson the week before. So in light of Anderson's dunk on Bryant, Randle suggested Bryant do as Randle did: Randle changed his identity by dying his hair lighter.
Bryant predictably scoffed at that, which is when Randle dropped the hammer punch line:
"Oh, that's right," Randle ribbed Bryant. "You can't grow hair anymore."
No, his teammates don't see Bryant every day, but they do know him and love him in a very real way.
Clarkson echoed a similar sentiment as he dressed slowly late that night in New Orleans, unmoved by the fact that there was almost no one left in there.
Clarkson said he knew he didn't have to hurry because "the old man"—gesturing to the training room where Bryant was still holed up—would definitely take longer to recover from the game.
Russell, meanwhile, had been super proud that night how Bryant "told everybody to move" a couple times in the game so Russell could put the newfound post moves he's so excited about to good use.
"He trusts me," Russell said. "That's the best thing about it."
No one keeps it as loose as the 19-year-old Russell, who heard the arena music during his pregame shooting workout Monday and broke into impromptu dance moves behind the three-point arc.
After a December game in Minnesota, Russell had gleefully leapt up to land on Bryant's shoulder from behind during Bryant's postgame on-court TV interview. You might recall Bryant was none too pleased last year with how Jordan Hill and Nick Young got carried away with that sort of situation, but this time Bryant just smiled and rolled with the fun.
Before that New Orleans game Thursday, Russell stood next to a seated Bryant, waiting for him to be introduced with the starting lineup and the crowd to roar.
Bryant slapped Russell's hand and moved on to join the rest of the team on the court. Russell just stood there after his hand got slapped—and wore an exaggerated, sarcastic grin as he held his aloft, right palm spread open, as if he couldn't believe his hand had been touched by the great one.
Russell carried that prized hand aloft all the way out to the huddle to share the fun.
Fun has been a constant for Bryant this season—in part because the kids make it impossible for him to linger too long on his dark side.
And all around him there are young, cheerful teammates to reassure him:
It's OK to have fun with this.
|
_________________
Endgame
Hail Hydra |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Vancouver Fan
Franchise Player
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Posts: 17740
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Love it.
_________________
Music is my medicine |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
K28
Franchise Player
Joined: 29 Nov 2012
Posts: 10038
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Kobe should just coach them the rest of the season. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nash Vegas
Star Player
Joined: 01 Sep 2012
Posts: 7239
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | The real reason Bryant was so amused by that dagger shot was he needed it to bounce back after just getting dunked on by New Orleans' Ryan Anderson (And it's also worth noting that Anderson's dunk happened shortly after Russell had the backbone to chastise Bryant for not stepping into the lane with proper help defense on a previous play).
|
Our rookie has a backbone, and even had the smarts to realize the defensive issue on the previous play, nice!
Wish he could say that to Byron.
_________________
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
22
Franchise Player
Joined: 05 Apr 2013
Posts: 17063
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pmacla
Star Player
Joined: 31 Aug 2012
Posts: 7849
Location: Los Angeles, CA
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 1:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Nash Vegas wrote: | | Quote: | The real reason Bryant was so amused by that dagger shot was he needed it to bounce back after just getting dunked on by New Orleans' Ryan Anderson (And it's also worth noting that Anderson's dunk happened shortly after Russell had the backbone to chastise Bryant for not stepping into the lane with proper help defense on a previous play).
|
Our rookie has a backbone, and even had the smarts to realize the defensive issue on the previous play, nice!
Wish he could say that to Byron. |
he is too young to speak to Byron |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Megaton
Retired Number
Joined: 18 Feb 2015
Posts: 25648
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GoldenThroat
Moderator
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
Posts: 37474
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 2:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | The real reason Bryant was so amused by that dagger shot was he needed it to bounce back after just getting dunked on by New Orleans' Ryan Anderson (And it's also worth noting that Anderson's dunk happened shortly after Russell had the backbone to chastise Bryant for not stepping into the lane with proper help defense on a previous play). |
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
KBH
Franchise Player
Joined: 13 Sep 2008
Posts: 12171
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 2:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| That was a great read. And I'm pleased to know Russ already feels confident enough to call out, of all people, Kobe for missing a rotation. That's a good sign of things to come for him as a leader. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lakersgirl
Franchise Player
Joined: 04 Jan 2013
Posts: 11860
Location: Los Angeles, CA
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 2:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Megaton wrote: |  |
| GoldenThroat wrote: | | Quote: | | The real reason Bryant was so amused by that dagger shot was he needed it to bounce back after just getting dunked on by New Orleans' Ryan Anderson (And it's also worth noting that Anderson's dunk happened shortly after Russell had the backbone to chastise Bryant for not stepping into the lane with proper help defense on a previous play). |
|
_________________
http://tinyurl.com/zhjax5w 
Pau Gasol is nice |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PLATNUM
Star Player
Joined: 17 Dec 2002
Posts: 7191
Location: L.A.
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
DLo is special. Can't wait til he has a decent coach.
_________________
"Dread it, run from it... destiny arrives all the same." |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dablackmamba
Starting Rotation
Joined: 04 May 2009
Posts: 427
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I dig it.
_________________
Hold the door. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MojoRisin
Starting Rotation
Joined: 06 May 2002
Posts: 579
Location: Gilbert, AZ
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It will be interesting to see if anything comes from this "bonding" year with Kobe.
_________________
LA Sports Fans Forum
Last edited by MojoRisin on Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TooMuchMajicBuss
Franchise Player
Joined: 17 Sep 2008
Posts: 21080
Location: In a white room, with black curtains near the station
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Good read. I feel a lot better about the team knowing that even in a tough year like this they can keep it together in the locker room instead of turning on each other.
So that's why Randle dyed his hair? Because of the ribbing he got when Stephenson dunked on him?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
FromMagicToKobe
Starting Rotation
Joined: 03 Nov 2015
Posts: 667
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
DLO is a leader out there man
and you know Kobe respects the hell out of D'Angelo for calling him out on his defense. The 19 year old is more brave than everyone else on the coaching staff/team |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Gatekeeper
Star Player
Joined: 11 Jan 2012
Posts: 5103
Location: Southland Native
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Legacy
Star Player
Joined: 17 Sep 2005
Posts: 7054
Location: So. Californ-I-A
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Kobe has fun with kids to much. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
defense
Retired Number
Joined: 12 Jan 2010
Posts: 39544
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm glad they haven't imploded. They came close earlier in the season. This season has been a mockery. It's great that they keep fighting. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
12
Star Player
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
Posts: 8617
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| These guys aren't old enough to have fun with Kobe. He doesn't care what they think. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
venturalakersfan
Retired Number
Joined: 14 Apr 2001
Posts: 144474
Location: The Gold Coast
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| K28 wrote: | | Kobe should just coach them the rest of the season. |
And next season.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lonzo-Lite
Star Player
Joined: 17 May 2011
Posts: 5090
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 7:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
| 12 wrote: | | These guys aren't old enough to have fun with Kobe. He doesn't care what they think. |
_________________
Tacos |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lakers#1Team
Retired Number
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 36378
Location: Nomad
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 7:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| K28 wrote: | | Kobe should just coach them the rest of the season. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
