On Thursday night, after the TNT double-header, the network aired a sit-down interview between Kobe and Ernie Johnson. The entire thing was great and the entire 7 minute clip is available below. While I wish it were longer — Johnson is one of the best in the business and Kobe always seems to give a good interview — they covered a fair amount of ground in their short time.
Check out the clip after the jump.
Here it is, the full Kobe Bryant interview with Ernie Johnson for @NBAonTNT https://t.co/2ytDSRu1QO
— TurnerSportsPR (@TurnerSportsPR) December 4, 2015
There’s a lot to unpack from these comments, so let’s dig in:
- I don’t think he’s just playing up the idea that his mind has been made up about retiring since last season. As the old saying goes, once you really consider retiring, you probably need to retire. Kobe also not giving himself an out and saying there is “zero” chance he comes back is, for me at least, refreshing. There was no “never say never” stuff like some have done before. He knows he’s done and that’s that.
- When talking about the “best competitors” it does not surprise me Kobe did not mention anyone who came after him. There’s a long list of amazing, all-time great, players who were drafted after Kobe and/or are still active. From Duncan to LeBron to Wade to Dirk to Durant to Westbrook and on down the line. Instead he went with Jordan and Iverson, citing their relentlessness.
- Of all the defensive guys Kobe faced, he said Tony Allen gave him the most trouble. This does not surprise me at all. Allen is the one guy, throughout his career, that Kobe never seemed to “solve”. Allen is not only technically sound, but his smarts, drive, and intensity on that end of the floor are all so high. As much as Bowen, Bell, and other’s were also able to bother him, Kobe eventually found a way to put them on tilt and make so he clearly had an edge. With Allen, I always got the sense, even if Kobe got his numbers, he never solved the puzzle.
- When Kobe discussed his (basketball) influences and the 3 people he’d write a letter to, I found it interesting he did not include Phil Jackson.
- Kobe talking about leadership and the need to understand human nature was the most interesting part of the discussion for me. He’s mentioned this topic a few times in the latter stages of his career, mostly within the context of how him realizing he needed to show teammates he wasn’t a “machine” who did not feel any emotion. I get the sense Kobe went through the early part of his career thinking the work he put in and leading by example would be enough. As he matured, he found out it was not.
- Kobe ranking the 2010 Championship over the Celtics as his favorite is no surprise. I think any Lakers’ fan would answer that question the same way.
- Regardless of what he says now, I do hope we get to see Kobe on TV at some point.
Calvin says
Excellent interview with EJ last night. All this time, Kobe being aloof and cocky was a mask – part of his competitive drive and refusal to show any kind of weakness that opponents might use against him on the court. Lisa Leslie’s explanation was on point. Beneath the armor of competitiveness is a good guy who has learned to appreciate the life lessons from his career. Wise OG Kobe is a cool cat.
P. Ami says
– It is so true about the 2010 championship
– The 2000 win over the Blazers is pretty high up there too, that oop to Shaq is an iconic moment
– 20 years of NBA greatness is hard to encapsulate or contextualize. I’m still in enjoy mode
– My top 5 favorite Kobe teammates
– LO
– Shaq
– Ron
– Fish
– GoldiFox
– Thank God we have #8 immortalized by Chick. Thank God we had #24 to get us through the loss of Chick #Bridges
– Redeem Team was a gorgeous moment for Kobe fans. He was the rock for that team and took over when the team needed him against Spain. He did this on a team chock full of Hall of Famers, all of them in their physical prime, while Kobe’s combination of skill, experience, intelligence and athletic ability met at levels few have embodied #BirthOfVino
I’ll have more, eventually. As a 42 year old man, I have to report that Kobe’s public persona has resonated like few others have. His oddity has been illuminating and entertaining. The ways in which I relate to him have taken me deep into my own identity. His exceptional accomplishments have both shamed me and brought me joy. Kobe is one complicated Mo Fo.
BigCitySid says
-No clue about how many times he scored 40? Really?
DieTryin says
BCS- What earthly difference does it make? That was your takeaway from the interview ?? Really?
KevTheBold says
To be frank, I’m finding all this Kobe retirement smoke to be highly premature and a huge distraction to the season we are dealing with.
After the season ends I’m all in for all the Kobe memories, but now, all it does is delay and distort the development of our future core.
Ryan P says
I am growing more and more skeptical of this season.
Kobe knew he was done before the season and even told several before Byron (including MJ and Dwayne)
I think the FO wanted to see if the lakers were competive, if they were they wouldn’t need a Kobe retirement to sell viewers.
Since we suck (but show some signs of getting better) lets announce the retirement and generate as much buzz as a sorry team can.
Let’s hope for more development of our youth and some more special moments of Kobe (like the two clutch shots vs the Wizards) for the rest of the season.
Chearn says
P. Ami-love the post. Great to see a long time FB&G post. My all-time favorite Kobe championship teammates are 1) D. Fisher; 2) Pau Gasol; 3) Lamar Odom; 4) MWP; 5) Shaq. I based the list on player’s ability to co-exist and accept Kobe’s singularity and purpose in being the Lakers top dog with the, “I eat first mentality.”
As much as we like to pretend that Kobe is from another world, he is human, and as such he wants and needs love just as every other person walking this earth. I never bought the persona many attributed to his demeanor.
Kobe vocalized loudly and often that he didn’t want a farewell tour, probably because as he stated, “he thought everyone hated him.” He was largely able to shut out negativity and vitriol due in part to his Herculean prowess on the court. Leaving the game Bryant devoted 32 years of his life to its fitting and acceptable that Lakers fans in away arenas are integrated with opponent fans to say so long to a player that provided so much joy and pain.
Someday the Lakers will acquire another superstar player, just as they did when Magic retired, and Shaq left the team, but not until the team has endured many fraudulent ones.
david h says
darius: since kobe’s retirement announcement, a large part of the joy in watching the lakers perform in arenas other than staples is to see crowd reactions whenever the retired one does something positive. I get a kick out of seeing kobe and laker fans rise, clap, smile and laugh….it just makes the moment so much more enjoyable for me whether they lose and especially when they win. sadly, the joy won’t last much longer.
tonite, in hotlanta, hope the joy continues…
Go Lakers
BigCitySid says
-@ DieTryin, do you really want me to sound like your echo? Come on guy, you didn’t find that the least bit interesting? I think you did…just didn’t want to say anything about it.
LKK says
Interesting….I’ve always marveled at the fact that Kobe was able to re-establish a working relationship with Phil Jackson after PJ’s tell-all book.
Chearn says
LKK, your right. Detractors often point to Kobe’s relationship with Shaq as a reason for believing he’s disingenuous about winning. Rarely do they speak on Kobe’s ability to put aside any differences he had with Phil Jackson to win championships.
DieTryin says
Big City- Nah I’m pretty sure Kobe knows that number cold and know he’s likely not on your holiday card list. But it wasn’t the most interesting part of the interview for me.
KevTheBold says
Chearn: Regarding your last in the previous thread; I found it logical for the most part and enlightening in parts as well.
Where we differ is regarding Russell, and the perception that he is somehow lacking the drive that makes one a winner.
I believe any intelligent, respectful rookie, or even as we have seen, veteran in his place would do the same, which is to play and act, within the confines of a structure built by the FO, Scott, and it seems more likely now, the League.
To cross the line, even in speech is rewarded with punishment, as Nick will attest to.
This season is designed to milk the last season of the most polarizing and thus media expanding sports persona in the past decade. Billions of dollars to be made, and no one will be allowed to get in the way, especially not a rookie.
Notice their power: Right before the Kobe’s announcement, the internet and this board was buzzing with interesting and pertinent talk about the FO, Scott, Our Kids, and Now?
Sentimental walks down memory lane like a eulogy at a funeral.
Now you may be right, but as of now we don’t know,…too much smoke in the air.
LKK says
Yeah CHearn…
Funny how Phil never really trumpeted the fact that Kobe changed and grew as he got older. I’ve always felt that PJ is responsible for a lot of the public’s poor perception of the Bean.