Kobe Bryant on Dwight Howard leaving Lakers: ‘Honestly, man, I don’t really give a s—‘
Sep 28, 2013, 6:30 PM EDT
AP The Lakers held their annual media day to open training camp on Saturday, and before the team could move forward to the business of the upcoming season, a question forced Kobe Bryant to take one final look at the one that just passed.
Asked about his surprise level when Dwight Howard chose to leave L.A. for Houston in free agency, Bryant was clearly ready to move on.
“Honestly, man, I don’t really give a s—,” he told reporters. “If he would have come back, it would have been great. If he didn’t … It is what it is.”
That sums up pretty succinctly how most Lakers fans feel about Howard’s departure, as well.
Despite losing out on one of the most talented free agents on the market, along with questions of health and how all the new pieces will fit together, Bryant isn’t ready to back away from his annual goal of winning a title just yet.
“Our expectations are always the same going into every single season: It’s to improve every day with the goal in mind of winning a championship,” Bryant said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. “It doesn’t matter what anybody else is saying, that’s the goal that we have.”
As for what the others are saying — namely, those that are predicting the Lakers will finish the year without making the playoffs — Bryant would like to remind you about how the predictions for his team turned out last season.
“Those people have been wrong before,” Bryant said, in an interview with Time Warner Cable. “They picked us to win a championship last year, and they were dead-ass wrong about that.”
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- con4dentual - Sep 29, 2013 at 5:48 AM
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Stay on topic, to me it was on the backcourt Nash isn’t really good, and Kobe acl, I’m fairly confidant had Kobe been out there n 4gAme sweep then prob would’ve stayed but he was running wit d league MVP and another very untalented point guard I’d rather run with them then have to know whom Jeanie and Jim have running this season n Taft n feeble meeks coded I tink they got some other players not really worth name calling being how big of brand lakers and greater Los Angeles is so yea I hope u n not me but you, have excellent season supporting the team, my name is Richard Holmes I am very very good at position point guard, that’s about it tho Dwight not hard feelings m8, your a superstar and lakers really didn’t want u it’s looking pretty bad whom can u feel comfy n household name beside vino and not immediate react the scowl besides me-third person Richard Holmes now u lakers tink about that n I’m out hahaha evilly
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- 5xchamp24 - Sep 29, 2013 at 3:10 PM
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dude, learn some good english. please!
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- grinniemouth1 - Sep 29, 2013 at 3:34 PM
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Thank you
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- cuhris84 - Oct 1, 2013 at 10:22 AM
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What did you just say? I feel like you’re trying to explain something.
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- mrharper21 - Oct 2, 2013 at 1:55 PM
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You’re missing a period. A few maybe.
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- rgarritt - Sep 29, 2013 at 6:06 AM
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Typically when Kobe uses “honestly” and a expletive in the same sentence he is being dishonest. He wants a carbon copy of Jordan’s legacy. During Jordan’s era with the Bulls a player like Howard would of never gotten away.
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- Kurt Helin - Sep 29, 2013 at 1:20 PM
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Actually, the more Kobe cusses in an interview the more his filter is off and the more he is telling the truth.
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- thomaskouns - Sep 29, 2013 at 2:02 PM
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If you know any psychology the exact opposite is true but the media, NBA marketing wing and Nike have a lot of pressure to maintain the ‘Kobe brand’ and are loathe to call him on it.
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- scottheis82 - Sep 29, 2013 at 2:55 PM
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@thomaskouns,
This guy graduated with his degree in psychology at a holiday Inn express last night… LOL
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- scottheis82 - Sep 29, 2013 at 4:31 PM
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With an aluminum foil graduation cap!!!
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- sellahh - Sep 29, 2013 at 10:36 AM
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A year ago, there was an article here on PBT in which you could have read “With getting Nash, Lakers became clear title contenders. Now getting Dwight, they become the favourites.”. Yes, getting Dwight equaled losing Bynum and the word about Nash was with Bynum on the team still and relatively healthy. But the biggest success for the Lakers came when they played Odom and Gasol or Odom and Bynum, not when they tried this 2 towers thing. Of course, Nash is 1 year older, Kobe coming off a major injury and Pau not being the same as he was 3 years ago. But this ain’t maths. This is sport. You and I have no idea how the things are going to click within this team. Sure, they might not make the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they were a 4th or 5th seed come the playoff time either…
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- adamsjohn714 - Sep 29, 2013 at 8:02 PM
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Yes, you’re right. You have to play the game. Based on the fact that basketball players are very consistent over time, one can make the assumption that this Lakers team will not be very good. It is extremely likely, however, that they do not perform very well when compared to the other teams in the NBA. Many of them could magically learn how to become better shooters, rebounders, passers, etc., but it’s also theoretically possible for my body to dissolve and reform on Mars in a millisecond. Doesn’t mean it’s very probable.
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- whereyaat - Oct 1, 2013 at 2:25 PM
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Nick Young has so much potential I always see upside on him in the preseason. Then I watch the games, and remember who he is. Every year, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, and am disappointed every year, lol.
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- ranfan12 - Sep 29, 2013 at 7:54 PM
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Nothin else to do but move on. Can’t be focusing on stuff like than when the next season around the corner. That being said, I still got that poster of Dwight getting dunked on by Kobe though lol
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- dklyce44 - Sep 30, 2013 at 2:32 AM
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Howard a big cry baby any way and he’s not that good of a ball player.
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- jimjacknjose - Sep 30, 2013 at 9:05 PM
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Cry Baby? YES. Good Ball Player? Also YES.
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- harshedmellow - Sep 30, 2013 at 11:31 PM
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Gonna be a tough, tough year, Laker Nation.
May I offer you a tissue? Psych! Bwa ha ha…
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- jimeejohnson - Oct 3, 2013 at 9:18 PM
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Sounds like the Kobster needs prunes.
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- kwhyh8strm - Oct 2, 2013 at 9:11 PM
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Kobe, your’e a great player, but you have a potty mouth! While you have grown up as a ball player
you still have a play ground mouth. If nothing else set a better example for your daughters!
