News 'n Views - Feb 2016: Lakers believe they can meld new offensive set with Kobe’s presence

[lakersfreak]

Russell, Clarkson play like stars on rise in Rising Stars Challenge
by Ben Bolch - latimes.com

D'Angelo Russell would prefer his subsequent All-Star weekends be centered around Sundays.

Playing in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night was great and everything, but the Lakers' rookie point guard sounded eager to move on to something more substantive.

"Top young guys doesn't really mean anything," Russell said. "The main event is where everybody wants to be, so I'm just trying to get to that point."

Russell and fellow Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson certainly looked like two of the NBA's top young players while helping the U.S. team hold off the World team, 157-154, at the Air Canada Centre.

Russell scored 22 points on nine-for-15 shooting to go with seven assists in a game featuring little defense, and Clarkson was strong across the board with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The biggest drama might have come when Clarkson interrupted a halftime television interview, tapping teammate Devin Booker on the chest with the back of his hand to make a prediction.

"Three-point champion," Clarkson said of the Phoenix guard, a participant in the long-range shooting contest Saturday. "I'm calling it."

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[lakersfreak]

Young Lakers D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson enjoy a rare win in Rising Stars Challenge
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson are used to opponents putting up big numbers.

But Friday night there was a twist. In the Rising Stars Challenge the young Lakers were able to match it, helping the USA team to a 157-154 win over a team comprised of international players.

No, Lakers coach Byron Scott would not have approved of the defense in the Rising Stars Challenge, an opening salvo to All-Star Weekend. That’s not really the point.

“That game is more of a confidence-builder,” Russell said. “It’s not something that you can really get too high on or too low. It doesn’t mean too much. Know that the real games in the season are totally different. There’s no 150-point games in the real season.”

Russell finished with 22 points and seven assists, while Clarkson finished with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Second-year Minnesota guard Zach LaVine was named Most Valuable Player after scoring 30 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

In the week building up to the showcase for first- and second-year players, Clarkson and Russell said they didn’t know what to expect.

“We were just having fun,” Clarkson said. “Just living it and the experience of the game.”

Russell he will use the experience as motivation to stay ahead of the young players he played with at Air Canada Centre.

“It’s been a great experience all around,” Russell said. “The task (is) just sticking and being the cream of the crop as one of those (top) guys. … The top young guys doesn’t really mean anything. The main event is where everybody wants to be.”

That will be Sunday’s All-Star Game, and Kobe Bryant will be the Lakers lone representative.

Clarkson will participate Saturday night in the Skills Challenge.

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[lakersfreak]

NBA All-Star Rising Stars Challenge Final Score: Team USA beats the World squad in high-flying 157-154 showcase
by Drew Garrison - silverscreenandroll.com

It was non-stop scoring for the youngsters, with the Team USA rookies having just enough firepower to walk away victorious.

All-Star weekend is officially underway with the youth of the NBA putting on a show to set the tone. Team USA ended the night with an exclamation point of a dunk from Jabari Parker in a 157-154 win over the World squad. Zach LaVine started his festivities off on the right foot, taking home Rising Star MVP honors one night before he looks to defend his slam dunk championship. LaVine scored 30 points with seven rebounds and four assists.

Jordan Clarkson was on fire early, draining four threes in the first six minutes of the game. He also helped open up the can of highlight reel dunks with a long touchdown pass to LaVine that ended with a nice smash. It was clear from the opening stretch the youngsters just wanted to get out and stretch their legs a bit, with each team exchanging dunk after dunk. The rookies and sophomores were all smiles as they launched All-Star weekend with a high-scoring game.

D'Angelo Russell checked in for his teammate in the middle of the first half and kept the purple and golden touch from outside rolling. He immediately drained a three from the top of the arc, looking locked in among his young peers. Team USA got moving with the ball in Russell's hands, and in the blink of an eye D'Angelo had 13 points and seven assists, dropping dimes left and right in his stretch of burn int eh first half. The Los Angeles Lakers' backcourt duo was balling, ending the night with a combined 47 points and 12 assists. There may have been more attempted lob passes from Clarkson in this one game than we've seen all season from him with the Lakers.

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[lakersfreak]

TDIKH: February 13, 2001
by nba.com

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal took turns dismantling the New Jersey Nets, but it was the younger star who provided the deciding bucket.

Tied in overtime, Bryant went straight to the hoop and drew contact while connecting on a layup with 4.8 seconds left. The three-point play pushed Los Angeles to a 113-110 victory.

Bryant racked up 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while O’Neal poured in 32 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five blocks. But Stephon Marbury’s 50-point, 12-assist explosion kept the Nets alive past regulation.

Bryant scored nine straight for L.A. to notch a 104-98 lead with a minute left. But Marbury — who scored 19 in the fourth — countered with back-to-back 3-pointers to force the extra period.

The scorching Net stayed hot in overtime, hitting the first basket of the added five minutes. New Jersey maintained a cushion until Tyronn Lue’s layup with 37 second to go tied it at 110.

Bryant’s old-fashioned three-point play sealed it for the Lakers shortly after, as L.A. beat its future head coach, Byron Scott, who was on the other sideline for the Nets.

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant reminisces about career at NBA All-Star weekend
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

Every move Kobe Bryant made sparked hysteria. His presence caused several to chant his name.

Usually the Lakers’ star creates this atmosphere after he scores a basket. This time, Bryant sparked a stir amid the estimated 150 journalists, both real and imagined, that surrounded him during media availability on Friday as part of NBA All-Star weekend.

Bryant’s press conference started with alleged reporters clapping upon his arrival. Bryant answered questions in English, Spanish and Italian. A few international media members greeted Bryant with gifts. One Toronto-based reporter handed Bryant a personalized “Thank you” card. A Japanese reporter gave Bryant a piece of artwork that depicted Bryant as a samurai.

Somewhere in between, Bryant talked the fans selecting him for his 18th and final All-Star game during his 20th NBA season on Sunday at Air Canada Centre.

“I’m looking around the room and seeing guys that I’m playing with that are tearing the league up that were 4 in my first All-Star game,” Bryant said. “How many players can say they played 20 years and actually have seen the game go through three or four generations?”

Bryant can. Yet, he joked he will play only 10 minutes as a starter for the Western Conference, mindful that he has nursed soreness in recent weeks in his right shoulder.

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[lakersfreak]

No matter what language, Kobe Bryant scores with All-Star media
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

Kobe Bryant was cheered as he sat down Friday.

Not by fans, but media – though in Bryant’s first public appearance of All-Star Weekend it was tough to distinguish between the two. Reporters, many from international outlets, had packed around Bryant’s table for more than an hour before he arrived, just to be close to the retiring superstar.

During a 25-minute news conference, Bryant was handed at least three gifts, including a portrait of him as a Japanese wizard.

The media portion of All-Star Weekend is always, let’s say, less rigid when it comes to traditional standards of journalistic decorum. Add in Bryant appearing in his final All-Star Game, and it was akin to a rock star arriving on stage.

Bryant appeared relaxed, in a gray suit and a black turtleneck – “It’s cold!” Bryant said, when asked about his feelings about Toronto, where Saturday’s high temperature is predicted to be 3 degrees.

Bryant answered at least a dozen questions in either Spanish or Italian – always a hit with international reporters.

“Do you mind saying something in Spanish?” asked a late arriver.

“You must have just got here,” Bryant said, “because I’ve been speaking in Spanish for the last 20 minutes.”

Then there was the usual barrage of requests for geographically specific greetings.

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[lakersfreak]

Jordan brand pays tribute to Kobe Bryant
by news.nike.com

Tradition mandates that when one of the greats of a generation retires, the world comes out to recognize their accomplishments and pay tribute to the way they played the game.

With this custom in mind, the Jordan Brand honored Kobe Bryant and his career in a way that only the legendary brand could do. At a ceremony tonight in Toronto, it presented the player with a one-of-a-kind gift: a full set of the Air Jordan line (I through XXX) in brilliant white. The set was highlighted by the Air Jordan III and Air Jordan VIII, which Bryant wore during the 2002-03 season, in the white, purple and gold colors that have defined Bryant’s career.

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant stresses teammates should not intentionally set him up for MVP award
by Mark Medina - insidesocal.com

The legacy grew every time Kobe Bryant shot the ball. Bryant’s game-winning shots showed his desire both to seize the moment and perform under pressure. Bryant’s misses revealed how his approach bordered on confidence and stubbornness.

So when Bryant makes his 18th and final NBA All-Star appearance on Sunday at Air Canada Centre, the perfect last chapter for the Lakers’ 37-year-old would arguably play out this way. Bryant picks up his fifth All-Star MVP award to break Bob Pettit’s record. Bryant scores a lot of points to ensure he remains for now the league-leading scorer in NBA All-Star history. Bryant makes a game-winning shot and his teammates lift him up.

Sounds like quite the storybook ending, no? Bryant apparently doesn’t think so.

“My storybook ending would be to enjoy this experience and help these young guys get there,” said Bryant, who repeated he would to play somewhere around 10 minutes as opposed to the 27.71 minutes he averaged in 14 All-Star appearances. “I’ve had good experiences and I’ve had MVP’s here. These opportunities don’t come around often for the young guys. It’s important for them to take advantage of the moment while it’s here. I’m here to help them.”

Yet, Bryant did not sound thrilled about the idea that his Western Conference teammates could hep him. Bryant reported dismissively questioning Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry after the NBA’s reigning MVP told him, “I have a lot of assists for you.”

“I said, ‘No. What are you doing? You’re a shooter. You grew up watching me. What the hell are you talking about that you want to pass me the ball at an All-Star game. Are you crazy?”

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[lakersfreak]

Isaiah Thomas Calls Kobe Bryant ‘Greatest Player Of My Generation’
by Dan Duangdao - lakersnation.com

With NBA All-Star Weekend in progress, Kobe Bryant will make his 18th and final appearance for the Western Conference on Sunday. Since the five-time champion has played through multiple eras from Michael Jordan to Stephen Curry, his peers have talked about how much he has impacted the game of basketball.

One of his peers is Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, who will be making his first All-Star appearance and is a long-time Lakers fan. With Thomas only being nine years old when Bryant made his first appearance in New York, he had the following to say via Lakers.com:

Some #KobeBryant praise from a Celtic: Isaiah Thomas calls the Mamba "the greatest player of my generation."

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[lakersfreak]

Dwyane Wade Calls Kobe Bryant ‘One Of My Heroes’
by Dan Duangdao - lakersnation.com

After Michael Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, Kobe Bryant established himself as the face of the NBA. However, during his 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, there were numerous players who have challenged to take his place.

One of these players was Dwyane Wade, who quickly became a rival when Shaquille O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004. While Wade is considered a top-five shooting guard of all-time, he had high praise for Bryant according to Lakers.com:

Dwyane Wade on #KobeBryant: "Having a relationship with one of my heroes, one of my role models as a basketball player, meant a lot."

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[lakersfreak]

TDIKH: February 14, 2002
by nba.com

Lakers fans found new love for Kobe Bryant on Valentine’s Day, as he turned a seven-point, fourth-quarter Seattle lead into a Lakers victory.

He scored a dozen of his 23 points in the final period to lead Los Angeles to a 92-87 win in Washington.

Bryant also added 10 assists and seven rebounds to counter strong performances from Brent Barry (21 points) and Gary Payton (17 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds).

Bryant hit from 18 feet out to tie the game at 76 and assisted Devean George on his go-ahead 3-pointer with one minute left.

From there, Bryant did it himself, scoring the Lakers’ final four points to ice victory.

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[lakersfreak]

Jordan Clarkson tell's D'Angelo Russell 'don't say anything crazy' when asked about playing time
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Veteran move by Clarkson

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott has taken criticism both locally and nationally for numerous things this season, from his usage of Kobe Bryant to how poor the team is both offensively and defensively. Perhaps the biggest gripe about Scott, however, has been his treatment of D'Angelo Russell. The coach has criticized the 19-year old rookie in the media on a seemingly weekly basis off the floor, and on the floor has limited his minutes at times and brought him off of the bench.

After participating in the Rising Stars game on Friday night in Toronto as part of the NBA's All-Star Weekend, Jordan Clarkson and Russell were asked about how it felt to play with more freedom in a game that featured little defense and in which both guards had the greenest of green lights. Clarkson gave a canned answer, but when it was Russell's turn to answer, he paused for a few seconds before Clarkson whispered under his breathe "don't say anything crazy," and then gave a similar answer to Clarkson (the question comes at the 3:40 mark of the video, with Clarkson's whisper coming around the 4:11 mark. H/T to Sheen Lee of Lakers Outsiders for catching this):

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[lakersfreak]

Russell Westbrook says he's not interested in joining the Lakers as a free agent
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Not a #FutureLaker, apparently

There have been plenty of rumors about Oklahoma City All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook potentially having interest in the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, in 2016 for Durant and 2017 for Westbrook. Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical recently reported that the Lakers have "little, if any" chance to sign Durant in free agency this summer, and now Westbrook has shut down that option for the time being as well.

Westbrook is amidst the best season of his career with averages of 24.1 points, 10 assists, and 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor. When the superstar was asked about his interest in potentially coming home to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers during his Saturday morning media availability at All-Star weekend, he sounded less than enthused, telling reporters "Nah, I like where I am right now. Oklahoma City is a great place for me," according to Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman. Slater captured the whole exchange on his Twitter account:

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[lakersfreak]

Pop D's Up Kobe (video)
by Brayden Neubauer - poundingtherock.com

Man Up Pop

Kobe Bryant is not one to shy away from a challenge, and apparently, neither is Coach Popovich.

The two of them went at each other at the West All-Starts practice on Saturday when Pop decided to D up the 18 time All Star:

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[lakersfreak]

Jordan Clarkson loses Taco Bell Skills Competition
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Not Clarkson's best showing

Jordan Clarkson lost in the first round of the Taco Bell Skills competition on All-Star Saturday night in Toronto. Clarkson was the Lakers only participant in the evening's events, and lost to C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.

Clarkson got off to a slow start, showing possible signs of fatigue from how much running he had to do in the up and down Rising Stars challenge on Friday night, but made up ground on McCollum with his speed. However, Clarkson conceded a layup to McCollum once he caught him, choosing sportsmanship over the opportunity to boast the most superior Taco Bell Skills.

While Clarkson losing the competition is marginally disappointing given that he was the Lakers' only representative on the night, one could argue that his somewhat lethargic play was in the true Taco Bell spirit.

Here is video of the event, in case you missed it:

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant opens up about storied NBA All-Star history
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

Practice stopped abruptly. Then, players, coaches and fans watched something on the Ricoh Coliseum scoreboard that has caught everybody’s attention for almost two decades.

Highlights of Kobe Bryant’s All-Star performances played on a loop. They showed how Bryant collected four All-Star MVPs to tie Bob Pettit for a league record. They showed how Bryant set an NBA All-Star-record 280 points.

When Bryant plays his final All-Star game on Sunday at Air Canada Centre, will the Lakers’ 37-year-old star provide another highlight?

“My storybook ending would be to enjoy this experience and help these young guys,” said Bryant, who wants to play around 10 minutes. “It’s important for them to take advantage of the moment.”

Hence, Bryant did not sound thrilled when Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry told him, “I have a lot of assists for you.”

“I said, ‘No. What are you doing? You’re a shooter,” Bryant said. “You grew up watching me. What the hell are you talking about that you want to pass me the ball at an All-Star game? Are you crazy?”

It also remains crazy to fathom how Bryant’s NBA All-Star history marked defining moments of his 20-year NBA career.

“He has so many great memories and there’s so much great footage,” Cleveland forward LeBron James said. “I don’t know how you guys will able to mix, match and put together his legacy.”

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[lakersfreak]

Larry Nance, Jr. hints he wants to be in the dunk contest next year
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Leaping Larry is coming for LaVine

Jordan Clarkson's loss in the skills challenge may have been the only appearance by a member of the purple and gold during the Saturday Night events of All-Star weekend, but it sounds like leaping Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance, Jr. is planning to change that next season. The dunk contest was the most exciting event of the night, with Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic facing off in a memorable showcase of two of the league's premiere athletes that had to be seen to be believed.

Nance, Jr. saw, and he apparently believes that he could go toe-to-toe with LaVine and Gordon's feats of athleticism as well. The NBA reached out to the high-flying Lakers rookie about participating this year, but Nance, Jr. ultimately chose to bow out due to lingering knee issues that have kept him sidelined for six of the team's last nine games. If he's healthy next year, it looks like he will throw his hat in the ring (figuratively, but maybe literally too with how many props are used in these contests in recent years):

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[lakersfreak]

Westbrook made night about him instead of Kobe
by espn.go.com

Video

[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant Honored at All-Star Game with Pre-Game Ceremony (Video)
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Two video packages, a Magic Johnson intro, and Kobe Bryant speaking were used for Kobe’s All-Star Game tribute in the arena

Before the coverage of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game ever started focusing on what was happening in the arena, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant was already getting tribute packages. However, that was only the half of what the NBA and the Air Canada Centre had in store for No. 24 in his final All-Star appearance.

Kobe first received a special player introduction with a little more show than the other 23 players in the contest, but that was just the start of it. After they showed one tribute to Kobe that chronicled his career, the Air Canada Centre then brought out Magic Johnson to introduce another video package that featured Kobe’s peers speaking about how much he meant to them and the NBA as a whole.

At the conclusion of that, Magic introduced Kobe who came out and gave a short, touching speech before the tip-off of the All-Star Game.

Watch the whole ceremony here:

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[lakersfreak]

All-Star Competition Tweets Respect for Bryant
by Joey Ramirez - nba.com

Following Kobe Bryant’s final All-Star Game, several teams took to Twitter to express their respect for the Lakers legend.

Meanwhile, the players from those teams were able to directly convey their gratitude to Bryant, as shown via social media.

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant's final NBA All-Star game turns into a love fest as West rolls to historic 196-173 victory
by Ben Bolch - latimes.com

Someone actually tried to defend Kobe Bryant in his final All-Star game, refusing to step aside and yield one last magical moment. Well, sort of.

LeBron James lightheartedly slapped the court as Bryant dribbled on the perimeter in the second quarter, commencing a one-on-one, bring-it-on battle that ended with Bryant's turnaround jumper bouncing off the front of the rim. It also resulted in smiles from both players.

"When you get that opportunity versus a great man," James said, "you just have fun with it."

Playfulness was as plentiful as points during the NBA's highest-scoring All-Star game Sunday at the Air Canada Centre, the West's 196-173 victory making Bryant a winner even though he was far from the best player on the court.

The Lakers star finished with 10 points on four-for-11 shooting to go with seven assists and six rebounds in 26 minutes. He checked out for the last time with 1 minute 6 seconds left, pausing to hug his teammates and wave to the fans before tapping his heart, saluting the crowd and clapping his hands high above his head.

"I had a blast playing with those guys," Bryant said of his teammates, "laughing and joking with them on the bench."

This was Bryant's 15th All-Star game, and the 20-year NBA veteran finished with a record-tying four All-Star most-valuable-player awards and 290 points, the latter figure ranking second all-time after James' 13 points allowed him to overtake Bryant on the scoring list.

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant Bids His Final Farewell To All-Star Game In Toronto
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com

Kobe Bryant made sure that his final appearance in the NBA All-Star game was as special and celebrated as it should be.

Regardless of what people might go and try to say about Kobe Bryant, there is absolutely no denying that he handled his final All-Star appearance with class.

Los Angeles remains at a dismal point in it’s time with the Lakers, as the team continues to grudgingly push through another historically bad season.

And even though the team has done what it can to focus on their younger talent, the farewell tour has served as a strong reminder that it’s often harder to depart at the perfect time rather than leave something you love prematurely.

While things may not be getting for the Lakers anytime soon, it surely is a bitter time for Kobe Bryant to start saying good bye to a game he loves more than any of us will probably ever understand.

While Russell Westbrook ran away with the hearts of voters en route to his second consecutive MVP honor in the event, Kobe Bryant was honored with multiple tributes over the course of the special evening in Toronto.

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant playfully trash talks Pau Gasol in final All-Star Game (video)
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Hopefully your Valentine loves you as much as Kobe loves Pau.

be Bryant has appeared to enjoy his final All-Star game. From getting videobombed by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to making his first basket of the night, Kobe has looked like a kid just having fun rather than a 37-year old playing for the final time in the exhibition.

Nowhere was this joyousness more evident than when Kobe gleefully bantered with his former teammate Pau Gasol. The two were smiling and laughing it up when Kobe was "mic'd up," with Bryant telling his teammates to let him post-up Pau:

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[lakersfreak]

D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson address Kobe Bryant teammate experience
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

The cheers represent the soundtrack to Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour. The endless video tributes provide the highlights. Bryant’s nostalgia as he reflects on his accomplished 20-year NBA career tells the story.

But Bryant has gone through this while playing with a roster that were mostly toddlers when he first entered the NBA. That issue becomes more complicated amid Bryant’s fluctuating health and commanding offensive presence both with scoring and handling the ball.

“Honestly, it’s hard,” Lakers rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell said during NBA All-Star weekend. “He’s a guy that’s earned every shot he’s taken and earned every minute he’s given. So you feel like being a rookie, but you feel like you’ve worked to be in his position so early. But you’ve just got to be patient.”

Relative to the rest of his career, Bryant has shown more patience. He smiles after he makes mistakes. He encourages teammates after they make their own. Although Bryant said the losing still eats at him, the Lakers’ 37-year-old star still appears happy afterwards.

“He eased up on us a little bit because it’s his last year,” Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson said. “But he pushes us every day.”

Bryant ripped into the team last month in Portland after doing little to stop Damian Lillard (36 points) and CJ McCollum (28 points). Bryant even singled out Russell and Julius Randle by name. Since then, Bryant has admitted he has instructed Russell not to allow his fluctuating role and external criticism to compromise his work ethic and focus. Russell has declined to address that issue, but he addressed in general terms what it’s like playing with him.

“You got to see it firsthand. Game days he’s so focused you can’t really knock him off, distract him or anything like that,” Russell said. “He’s always focused … It’s something we can definitely take and add.”

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[lakersfreak]

Kobe Bryant wants to stay involved with the NBA after he retires
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

But in what capacity?

The main storyline of the Los Angeles Lakers 2015-16 season has been the impending retirement of Kobe Bryant. The legendary Lakers wing will hang up his Nike's for good upon the conclusion of the Lakers' 82nd and final game of the year, and while much time has been spent discussing his legacy as well as his level of play during his last season, it is still unknown exactly how he will spend the rest of his life.

Bryant has previously said he wants to be involved with storytelling, and literally laughed at the idea of becoming a coach, but beyond that it is still unknown what his plans are for retirement. Those interested were given a little bit more clarity by NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Saturday, who during his press conference on the state of the league revealed that Bryant had spoken with him about staying involved with the NBA "after he takes some time to decompress," according to Bill Oram of the O.C. Register.

Being involved with the NBA could mean anything, from owning a team (which Bryant has previously expressed an interest in), or becoming an NBA analyst or general manager, or even just making appearances at league events.

Whatever Bryant chooses to do, it stands to reason Silver would be open to it, given how effusively he praised the future Hall of Famer on Saturday:

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