On Sunday, Kobe Bryant took it upon himself to usher his teammates into the new NBA season through his own unique initiation rite: Crushing the youngbloods who dare challenge him on the hardwood. During an intersquad preseason scrimmage — where stakes are low, actually, where stakes could not be lower — the Los Angeles Lakers’ never-reticent Nick Young and Lou Williams reportedly began to chirp at the really (really) competitive Bryant, with their “white team” in the lead ;over his “purple team.” Young, who’s been with the Lakers for a couple years now, should’ve known better. For Williams, ;let’s just call it a learning experience. It may&#…
On Sunday, Kobe Bryant took it upon himself to usher his teammates into the new NBA season through his own unique initiation rite: Crushing the youngbloods who dare challenge him on the hardwood.
During an intersquad preseason scrimmage — where stakes are low, actually, where stakes could not be lower — the Los Angeles Lakers’ never-reticent Nick Young and Lou Williams reportedly began to chirp at the really (really) competitive Bryant, with their “white team” in the lead ;over his “purple team.”
Young, who’s been with the Lakers for a couple years now, should’ve known better. For Williams, ;let’s just call it a learning experience.
It may’ve been during practice, it may’ve been during the preseason, but Bryant responded to the trash talk by going full on No. 8-Kobe on the opposing team. Per Lakers.com, Bryant proceeded to toss up his trademark turnaround jumper from his right shoulder — swish — and his left shoulder — splash — before converting on a four-point play ;– game.
“[S]omebody said something to Kobe … [and four threes] later, you can see the score now,” rookie Larry Nance Jr. said after practice. “I think we’ve learned from that mistake: Don’t poke the bear.”
That “bear” is a 37-year-old, 17-time All-Star, who’s just days away from his 20th season in the league. He went on his historic 2006 offensive tear ;– most notably tallying 81 points in a single game — when most of his current teammates were in their adolescence: Nick Young was sitting at 20 years old, Lou Williams was a teenager and Larry Nance Jr. had just become a teenager, turning 13 a few weeks earlier.
Lakers veteran Metta World Peace — who played with Bryant for four years during his first stint in Los Angeles — confirmed the white team’s mistake.
“[Provoking him] was the wrong thing to do,” ;he told the media.
This practice story is vintage Bryant — and it’s exactly what Lakers fans want to see from their superstar on the brink of the new year.
Ah, the youth. Will they ever learn?
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Kobe Bryant Went Full Mamba On Trash-Talking Lakers Teammates
