Mister Terrific
It’s in the name
NBA Agent says many NBA Stars did not want to play with Kobe Bryant
Article:
"I've had a lot of clients in the last five years who didn't want to play with Kobe," a top NBA agent said without hesitation in 2014.
Was the man who dominated headlines and highlight reels the real reason stars passed on the Lakers?
The same guy who inspired millions scared away those who should have been his teammates?
Why players said no
This agent knows what happens behind closed doors. When Bryant was the face of the franchise, the supporting cast became easy targets.
"His teammates become the chronic public whipping boys," the agent explained. "Anyone who even dared to challenge Kobe for the spotlight turned into the team scapegoat. That's what happened with Shaq. It happened with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard. Everyone got their turn."
Bryant's words didn't help. He once told a reporter Shaq was "fat and out of shape." That kind of public criticism set a toxic tone that lingered long after the superstar big man left, taking those three Finals MVPs with him.
Take Andrew Bynum's contract talks in 2012. He wanted one thing.
"How are you going to rein in Kobe?"
The Lakers had no answer. Bynum wanted out of the chaos. From 2012 to 2016, the Lakers cycled through dozens of players, desperate to find pieces that could survive Kobe's iron grip.
The cost of being Him
Kobe left a legacy few will ever match: 33,643 points, five NBA championships and a mindset built on pure willpower. But his final years were marred by injuries and a locker room that felt more like a battlefield. The Lakers made the playoffs just once after 2012. And the cracks were everywhere.
Players didn't just want out because of the injuries or the losing. They left because nobody wanted to become the media's scapegoat. Because standing in Bryant's shadow meant risking your career being torn apart in public.
In the agent's words, "Anyone who could challenge Kobe became a pincushion for the media."
That toxic atmosphere gutted the team. Pau Gasol eventually walked away. Dwight Howard lasted just one season. Bynum's body gave out, but so did his patience. The Lakers paid the price for that in lost talent and wasted years.
Article:
"I've had a lot of clients in the last five years who didn't want to play with Kobe," a top NBA agent said without hesitation in 2014.
Was the man who dominated headlines and highlight reels the real reason stars passed on the Lakers?
The same guy who inspired millions scared away those who should have been his teammates?
Why players said no
This agent knows what happens behind closed doors. When Bryant was the face of the franchise, the supporting cast became easy targets.
"His teammates become the chronic public whipping boys," the agent explained. "Anyone who even dared to challenge Kobe for the spotlight turned into the team scapegoat. That's what happened with Shaq. It happened with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard. Everyone got their turn."
Bryant's words didn't help. He once told a reporter Shaq was "fat and out of shape." That kind of public criticism set a toxic tone that lingered long after the superstar big man left, taking those three Finals MVPs with him.
Take Andrew Bynum's contract talks in 2012. He wanted one thing.
"How are you going to rein in Kobe?"
The Lakers had no answer. Bynum wanted out of the chaos. From 2012 to 2016, the Lakers cycled through dozens of players, desperate to find pieces that could survive Kobe's iron grip.
The cost of being Him
Kobe left a legacy few will ever match: 33,643 points, five NBA championships and a mindset built on pure willpower. But his final years were marred by injuries and a locker room that felt more like a battlefield. The Lakers made the playoffs just once after 2012. And the cracks were everywhere.
Players didn't just want out because of the injuries or the losing. They left because nobody wanted to become the media's scapegoat. Because standing in Bryant's shadow meant risking your career being torn apart in public.
In the agent's words, "Anyone who could challenge Kobe became a pincushion for the media."
That toxic atmosphere gutted the team. Pau Gasol eventually walked away. Dwight Howard lasted just one season. Bynum's body gave out, but so did his patience. The Lakers paid the price for that in lost talent and wasted years.
