The Lakers Can’t Make a 3-Pointer, But They Can Make an Open-Book Deal
If I’m a Lakers fan, and I have to choose between three versions of the same team, the one that I choose often times has to be the version of the team with the most complete roster. No wonder that, after the initial shock wore off, I’ve moved on to more pleasant memories.
When the Lakers made the trade to bring back the Big Three of Rajon Rondo, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum, the team was just 23-22 and hadn’t shown an ability to win in the postseason. And when the team missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the fans were angry. They didn’t expect the Lakers to make the jump from good to great, and they weren’t happy with the team’s performance in this year’s playoffs.
It was then that Kobe Bryant made an emotional speech to the Lakers fans. “To all you guys out here … all you people that are sitting on the bench, you’re always going to be people that talk about me, and I’m going to be the guy that you hate,” he said. “To everybody out there, I’m Kobe Bryant and I’m going to be the man in this league for the next seven years. Now, whether it’s talking about it or not, but now it’s time to step up and do something about it, and it’s time to win a championship.”
The Lakers aren’t good this year; they’re a championship contender and the NBA’s top team. They’re not the second-best team, but they’re certainly among the top five players in the league, which has to count for something. And Kobe’s speech didn’t just talk about how great the Lakers are; there were also hints that he’s ready to win a title for the first time in his career.
Bryant has been a Lakers fan since he was 6 months old. He remembers the “Laker Pride” chants and wearing the team’s colors to school. He’s been a fan of the Lakers since 1995. The only thing that can keep the Lakers down is a lack
