Kobe on (or over) Shaq
February 7th, 2008, 1:22 pm · 7 Comments · posted by KEVIN DING, OCREGISTER.COM
ORLANDO, FLA. — My personal assessment is that Kobe Bryant is so done with all things from the Shaquille O’Neal-Lakers era that he finds it a little annoying that the big man and the juicy topic are coming back around. Bryant wants to move on with his career and move forward with the Lakers, especially now that Andrew Bynum has developed and Pau Gasol has arrived.
Bryant was again incapable of discussing the Suns’ trade for O’Neal when I just asked him about it in a camera-free, relaxed moment after Lakers practice. Even if O’Neal weren’t a former Laker, it’s a newsworthy topic to evaluate Phoenix’s major trade given that the Suns are the team the Lakers are chasing in the Pacific Division.
“I don’t know,” Bryant said. “None of my business. Why are you asking me?”
I reiterated that given his intricate knowledge of O’Neal’s game and Phoenix’s game, it made sense to ask for Bryant’s thoughts “from a basketball perspective.”
“I have no idea,” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re going to do or how they’re going to execute or how they’re going to decide to use him. I have no idea.”
I asked if he was surprised by the trade, and Bryant said: “I was surprised just like everybody else, but I don’t give two thoughts about it.”
Bryant eventually said, “I couldn’t care less,” which was about the end of it. He was actually in a fine mood and perfectly willing to discuss anything else — his around-the-clock treatment of his finger has improved it despite him playing Wednesday; he said he will play Friday — but just remains focused on his team, not Phoenix’s.
“We’ve got a good crew here,” he said. “The important thing is to focus on what we’re doing and what we have to do and just go from there. Whoever we play, we play.”
February 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Good job, Kobe!!
Remember in the 03-04 season when Lakers were having a terrible start to the post-Shaq era and Shaq was living large in Miami? Shaq took every opportunity to attack and ridicule Kobe and the Lakers. Kobe could have been equally cruel when Shaq has been struggling lately, but he took the high road every time. Kudos to Kobe. Shaq, Karma is a b*I*ch.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Excellent reporting, Kevin. Keep up the good work!
February 8th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Not sure whether you can call that “taking the high road”. I’m a huge Kobe fan and believe that people tend to take whatever he says in the wrong way. But I think Kobe saying “I couldn’t care less” is at best indifference. There is a saying that “indifference is worse than hatred” (since with hatred, at least you still care). These are moments where I wish Kobe would in fact take the high road and say something like, “I’m not sure how things will work out but I wish Shaq best of luck.”
February 8th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I don’t care for any of the LA sportswriters for all there Shaq-Kobe write ups. So many headlines stating Shaq and Kobe at it again. They never got it right or where afraid to write the truth. It was Shaq that always open his mouth first. Then Kobe had to defend him self against Shaq low blow attacks. Let’s put you the reader in Kobe’s place. At your work you have a lot mouth that likes all the attention. When some of it go’s your way, he mouth off about you. So what do you do? If your a man, you mouth back but when the la writers place their stories on paper, you never hear that part. Shaq is and always have been a big cry baby that has only won when he had good people around him. He never carried a team by himself.
February 9th, 2008 at 12:20 am
well the fact that shaq was saying bad things about kobe when they are struggling is just the thing that keeps kobe not wishing shaq the best of luck
February 9th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
I wouldn’t wish bad stuff upon Shaq, but I would not wish him the best of luck either. Especially not when best of luck to him means good things for Phoenix Suns. Btw, it is very refreshing to hear the media calling out Shaq.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Nice job for him to not take the bait. Better just to move on and not make any bulletin board material.