Kobe Bryant interview with Stephen A. SmithShow Video Details ↓ Man: Where a variety of terrain including the trade that didn't happen and playing for another title. [applause] Interviewer: Number one seed in the Western Conference, [applause] league MVP. You're going back to the NBA Finals. I mean, put it in to your own words, how are you feeling right now? How good does this feel? Kobe Bryant: It feels, it feels great. I think um... You know this... You play the season to get to this point. To be able to still be playing in June. And here we are so it feels good. [applause] Interviewer: What is it going to feel like for you to win this on your own as opposed to not having Shaquile O'Neal by your side when you receive this? Kobe Bryant: Well, see. Here's the thing. People is, there is always a misunderstanding that I didn't enjoy the role that I had with the Lakers because I always did. I always took my role as being the number two man extremely seriously. And I tried to do the best job I can in that role. I enjoyed winning championships with that team. We accomplished something that not too many teams have done so it's not like winning the championship here is like aha. You know, look. That's not it at all, it's we want to win to win another one. Interviewer: But when you look back to how you felt a year ago, put it all in prospective for me to how we came to be on this day just three hundred and sixty five days later. It's just a complete change. Kobe Bryant: It's amazing what a year does. I think um... I don't think anybody could have ever imagined us being here right now at this moment in time. And it was a really really difficult summer for me. And I think playing on the USA team helped take my mind off of it a lot and put me in a better place. So when training camp rolled around, I was just able to step into it, just work diligently and enjoy the company of my teammates and just play the game. Interviewer: How serious were you about leaving? Kobe Bryant: I was dead serious. Interviewer: Dead serious? You'd have left all of this? Kobe Bryant: Yeah. I had no choice. Interviewer: People have been talking about comparisons with Michael Jordan for years but more now than ever. Kobe Bryant: Why? Why? Let it go. Leave it alone. Interviewer: I'm just asking, I just asked a question. Can I just ask a question? How are you going to get mad at that comparison? Kobe Bryant: I'm not mad, we're talking about the greatest player to have ever played the game, c'mon. [laughs] Let, let... Just let me do me. [laughs] Just let me do me. Interviewer: But does not Kobe want to be the greatest? Kobe Bryant: Yeah, I don't want to be compared with Michael Jordan. Interviewer: But don't you want to be the greatest? Kobe Bryant: I want to be the best I can be. You understand what I'm saying? Michael is Michael. Yeah, let me be me, you know? We're different people you know. Interviewer: OK. I'll move on. Kobe Bryant: Thank you. [laughs] Interviewer: I'll move on. [music] Man: That's a great answer. Kobe goes to the finals again. Among active players 22.2 points for game in the NBA finals, the third highest average. Only his former teammate Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan, who he just sent home for the summer, have higher scoring averages. I say we head back to Detroit... |