Thought this was a nice article. Some crazy quotes:
CLIPPERS :
The one rubbing Bryant the rawest implicates Dave Cowens, then the Hornets’ coach. At some point soon after the Hornets selected Bryant with the No. 13 pick, the two had a private phone conversation that went something like this.
Cowens: “You know what the deal is, right?
Kobe: “Yes, I do.”
Cowens: “Well, that’s good, because we don’t need you anyway.”
Kobe is as stupefied and infuriated now as he was then.
Originally Posted by
hen again, by then, Bryant should have been accustomed to being disillusioned by Hall of Fame players. Twice he worked out for Clippers’ GM Elgin Baylor … and coach Bill Fitch. After the second, the two dream weavers invited Bryant to lunch.
“They told me it was the two best workouts they’d ever seen,” he said. “That’s it, I figured, I was going be a Clipper and play in L.A. I was pumped!”
Before Bryant had finished his fantasy, his magic carpet ride crashed. Out of nowhere, Baylor and Fitch flipped the switch.
“Your skill level is off the charts. Your athleticism is exceptional. And your energy and enthusiasm are remarkable,” they gushed. “But we can’t draft you.”
Huh? What! Why not?
“Because people out here won’t think we’re serious if we draft a high school kid at No. 7.”
NETS :
"We went to bed that night determined to select Kobe with the eighth pick," Nash remembered.
The next day, Calipari and Nash had lunch with Nets' owner Joe Taub. He expressed concern about taking a high school kid, who might need several years to be ready and then possibly bolt in three years after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
"Nevertheless, we arrived back at the office around 2 p.m. still planning to select Kobe," Nash recollected. "Calipari had final say and although Joe Taub had been instrumental in bringing John to New Jersey, Kobe was still the choice. That's when the spit hit the fan.
"Kobe's representative called me. Even though Arn Tellem had been excited to know we were going to select his client, he now claimed Kobe did not want to be in Jersey and might not sign. I knew he was bluffing about signing. He had already renounced his collegiate eligibility by hiring an agent and Europe was no longer paying big money.
"At the same time, Kobe placed a call to Calipari and basically said the same thing," Nash continued. "Why the sudden change of heart? I told John I believed someone behind us was angling to get Kobe. West previously offered us Vlade for No. 8. In the meantime, David Falk, who represented Kittles, had become aware of the situation and he called Calipari and pressured him to select his client.
"Calipari was concerned Falk would hold a grudge if we passed over Kittles," said Nash.
CROFL Elgin Baylor.
I think Baylor and Cowens had intentions of drafting Bryant. I remember Kobe's hype coming out of high-school like it was yesterday, and anyone with a brain knew the kid was going to be great. The fact Baylor and Cowens cut Bryant off short like that reeks of Jerry West sending a personal goon squad their way and threatening them with a "you better not draft Bryant or else..." proposal. Jerry West wanted Bryant and nothing was going to stand in his way.
Elgin drafted well ...mostly. (Olowokandi, Ferry, Bo Kimble, and Reggie Williams being the huge misses IIRC) . The problem is, they NEVER keep that talent long term.
Maybe CP3 changes all that.
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