JamStone
06-20-2008, 10:55 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3453570
Kobe: Young Lakers gained experience in playoffs
Last offseason, Kobe Bryant was unhappy. He wanted the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him and questioned the team's efforts to build a championship-caliber roster.
But now that the Lakers' season has ended with a runner-up finish in the NBA Finals, Bryant says he's satisfied with the team the Lakers have now and with their future prospects, according to Los Angeles-area media reports.
"I'm comfortable with what we have," he said Thursday after an exit interview with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and coach Phil Jackson. "Whatever Mitch decides to do, he decides to do. It's more of a relaxing summer for me because I know we have an opportunity to win. It's exciting.
"We know we got close and came up a little bit short. I'm excited about the opportunity to get back next year if we're fortunate enough and have a different result."
Last season, when the Lakers' season ended with a first-round playoff exit, Bryant was upset and publicly demanded a trade. He questioned whether the team had lived up to its promise to him when he re-signed that it would build a roster capable of winning an NBA title. And he was videotaped criticizing Kupchak and teammate Andrew Bynum.
Bryant was booed during the 2007-08 home opener and a trade seemed likely. But the Lakers, spurred by Bynum and then by midseason acquisition Pau Gasol, finished the season two wins shy of an NBA title, and Bryant won his first league MVP award.
On Thursday, Kobe indicated that he's confident that the Lakers, a relatively young roster, can improve.
"Not to say that the loss doesn't sting, because it does and it will, but I get back up pretty quickly and start thinking about revenge," he said. "I think what it does for us, is it teaches us how to win. The hunger was there, but Boston's experience wore us down a little bit.
"We have a team here that's very good," Bryant continued. "Boston played better, they played more physical than we were. But at the same time, you look around at our roster, they're young kids.
"We managed to do something that I don't think anybody expected us to do. It's a great learning opportunity for them at a young age to come back next year, knowing what to expect, knowing how to perform and what the goal is in mind. We'll be fine."
And Bryant -- who will join Team USA next week in Las Vegas for a minicamp -- said he won't be giving Kupchak any more roster advice.
"You're all trying to see if I'm going to do Mitch's job for him this summer," he said. "I'm not. I leave it up to him. He's done a great job of building this team."
Kobe: Young Lakers gained experience in playoffs
Last offseason, Kobe Bryant was unhappy. He wanted the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him and questioned the team's efforts to build a championship-caliber roster.
But now that the Lakers' season has ended with a runner-up finish in the NBA Finals, Bryant says he's satisfied with the team the Lakers have now and with their future prospects, according to Los Angeles-area media reports.
"I'm comfortable with what we have," he said Thursday after an exit interview with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and coach Phil Jackson. "Whatever Mitch decides to do, he decides to do. It's more of a relaxing summer for me because I know we have an opportunity to win. It's exciting.
"We know we got close and came up a little bit short. I'm excited about the opportunity to get back next year if we're fortunate enough and have a different result."
Last season, when the Lakers' season ended with a first-round playoff exit, Bryant was upset and publicly demanded a trade. He questioned whether the team had lived up to its promise to him when he re-signed that it would build a roster capable of winning an NBA title. And he was videotaped criticizing Kupchak and teammate Andrew Bynum.
Bryant was booed during the 2007-08 home opener and a trade seemed likely. But the Lakers, spurred by Bynum and then by midseason acquisition Pau Gasol, finished the season two wins shy of an NBA title, and Bryant won his first league MVP award.
On Thursday, Kobe indicated that he's confident that the Lakers, a relatively young roster, can improve.
"Not to say that the loss doesn't sting, because it does and it will, but I get back up pretty quickly and start thinking about revenge," he said. "I think what it does for us, is it teaches us how to win. The hunger was there, but Boston's experience wore us down a little bit.
"We have a team here that's very good," Bryant continued. "Boston played better, they played more physical than we were. But at the same time, you look around at our roster, they're young kids.
"We managed to do something that I don't think anybody expected us to do. It's a great learning opportunity for them at a young age to come back next year, knowing what to expect, knowing how to perform and what the goal is in mind. We'll be fine."
And Bryant -- who will join Team USA next week in Las Vegas for a minicamp -- said he won't be giving Kupchak any more roster advice.
"You're all trying to see if I'm going to do Mitch's job for him this summer," he said. "I'm not. I leave it up to him. He's done a great job of building this team."