Pretty strong words that Kobe is close to retiring, but more than that I LOVED what he said about guys who wouldn't want to play with Kobe. For a minute I was worried that the new generation of player would be too spoiled to play with/like/for a guy like Kobe who is demanding and can be frustrating. Kobe is a throwback to the 80s and 90s when basketball was just like that. The LeBron generation doesn't seem to have that same drive or is still learning it. This NEW generation though seems to have it. At least our players do. Randle and Clarkson are like that already. The new kid we bring in at #2 will either have it or learn it. I have a lot of hope for the future of the NBA in terms of a tougher, more focused mentality than we've seen the last few years from the stars.
Yeah, sounds like this is it for Kobe. If everything goes right (draft, FA, this season, his body) I could see him coming back for one more if we were to land a Durant, but the odds of all those factors playing out perfectly is slim. And the Farwell Tour isn't happening. I'd love to see it as a fan, but Kobe's been adamant that he doesn't want any part of that. Mitch's attitude towards FAs is great. Learned from the Dwight fiasco. If you don't have it, we don't want you. The drive, grit, and focus that both JC and Randle possess has a lot to do with the culture Kobe and Scott established, I think. They had to have that to a degree because it doesn't just manifest out of thin air, but I didn't see that in them when we selected them on draft night. Watching them in college I wasn't like holy s*** this guy has that Mamba drive! If they ended up somewhere like Orlando or Philly, I don't think that would've been fully unearthed. Which is why I'm thrilled our #2 pick will have a year with Kobe.
