Bryant, Scott Forecast Success for Young by Joey Ramirez New Media Content Intern Posted: Oct 02, 2014 FACEBOOK GOOGLE PLUS TWITTER LINK If there’s one Laker who’s not afraid of taking on Kobe Bryant, it’s Nick Young, and he lets Bryant know – constantly. Young and Bryant went after each other during the Lakers’ 5-on-5 scrimmage toward the end of Thursday’s practice, engaging in some playful trash talk whether they were matched up against one another or not. “We’re all having fun,” Bryant said. “We’re competing and really trying to push each other. That’s really the key, especially when you’re physically tired. Guys are talking trash back and forth. You can’t help but have to try to play your absolute best.” Bryant and Young also guarded each other in Wednesday’s scrimmage. Though Bryant has scored frequently during 5-on-5, draining three straight shots at one point on Thursday, Young has kept up with quite a few buckets on his end, as well. Bryant said he’s the one that takes the jawing “to another level,” but Young has embraced the challenge of playing adversary against the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer of all-time. “That’s big to, like I said, play against somebody like Kobe everyday and have him teaching you, but at the same time trying to go at you,” Young said. “Y’all are pushing each other and that’s a great feeling.” Young admitted that head coach Byron Scott’s training camp has him feeling exhausted. But Bryant thinks that added conditioning will lead to Young to “discover another level to his game.” Scott also has lofty goals for the Los Angeles native. “I really believe Nick has a chance to be Sixth Man of the Year,” Scott said. “That’s just my vision of the way I think he can play in the system that we have. So I think that type of weapon coming off the bench for us when we need somebody to score, he’s obviously capable of doing that. “And he’s doing it within the perimeter of our offense, as well. So it’s not like he’s taking bad shots. He’s running all the plays. … If he can keep growing on that end of the floor and on the defensive end as well, which I thought he did a great job of today as well, like I said, I think the sky’s the limit for him.” Bryant, for his part, plans on helping Young reach that limit, even if through some atypical means, like when asked if he’d pick Young or girlfriend Iggy Azalea during the Lakers Media Day Minute. Bryant chose Azalea, since “she’s been more successful in her career so far.” Said Young: “Even when he said that comment about Iggy, he told me in the locker room, ‘Not yet. After this year, after you work with me, then you’re gonna be back on top.’ So he’s always trying to figure out some kind of scheme to get me motivated.”
Hearing he and Kobe in practice was awesome. If you haven't seen it, check out the video of he and Young going at it. Kobe really needles him and goes at the Clarkson kid too. It's fascinating and fun. I think we're going to see a new Nick Young this season. More defense, a little less scoring, but more responsibility.
Sigh... Well I guess the bright side would be that Elington gets more play time which would be a plus for a guy that could probably jell more with the team. Many of these players already knew how to play with Young somewhat.
This could help Nick. If he really is about improving his game he will work on that left hand like Kobe did when his shooting hand was jacked. I really think Nick is going to be huge for us especially if he picks up that Kobe drive.
Kobe actually suggested that in the interview with Reggie Miller and Rick Fox. He was saying Young has another hand. I was kind of thinking he's crazy because it would be risking further damage to the damaged hand to shoot with the other. However Young should take this time to get in ridiculously good cardio shape.
