Former Los Angeles Lakers center Vlade Divac said Kobe Bryant sits firmly among the best players in NBA history and expressed surprise that anyone would question the late guard’s accomplishments.
Speaking on Byron Scott’s “Fast Break,” Divac was asked to describe Bryant in one word. “Greatness,” he replied, citing Bryant’s combination of work ethic, talent and passion. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to play at least one year—my last year—with him,” Divac added. “And I’m glad that Jerry [West] traded me for him.”
Divac was sent from Los Angeles to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Bryant in 1996. He returned to the Lakers for the 2004-05 season, giving him a firsthand look at Bryant’s famed preparation. “What you see in the game is what Kobe did in practice,” Divac said. “Ninety-nine percent of players are the opposite.”
The Hall of Fame center, who competed against legends such as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, said Bryant ranks in his personal top three all time. “Usually what you cannot reach, you trash,” Divac noted when told that some social-media users have tried to diminish Bryant’s résumé. “If you see where he came from, what he achieved, what he went through. … That’s ridiculous.”
Divac added that Bryant’s intensity occasionally created friction with teammates because he expected everyone to match his level of commitment. “He was going very hard on them,” Divac recalled. “But that’s why he was unbelievable.”
The interview aired as the current Lakers weigh offseason decisions. Guard Austin Reaves recently said he hopes to continue playing alongside LeBron James, but both players’ futures with the franchise remain uncertain.
Source: Lakers Nation
