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SI.com: Kobe 5th Highest-Earning Athlete in US
07.01.08
Further proof that Kobe Bryant‘s marketing image is in a huge upswing, the Lakers’ guard is the fifth highest-earning athlete in the US, according to an article on SportsIllustrated.com.
Bryant, who won the NBA’s Most-Valuable-Player Award this season and led the Lakers to an improbable NBA Finals berth, earned $35.5 million last year, including $16 million in endorsements. Tiger Woods leads the list at over $127 million. The only NBA player in the Top 5 besides Kobe is Lebron James at number three, at nearly $41 million.
Kobe’s marketing image had taken a hit after rape allegations five years ago, then his openly-pubic feud with former-teammate Shaquille O’Neal, and ultimately the Lakers’ struggles on the court. This season has served as vindication for Bryant.
He silenced his critics this yea as he had arguably his best team-oriented season, leading a group most figured would struggle to make the playoffs, to within two wins of an NBA title. He also did it after tearing a tendon in his pinkie that will require surgery before next season.
After last year’s off-season turmoil where he demanded a trade from the Lakers, this summer should be much quieter for the content MVP, who hopes to bring home an Olympic gold medal for the US in Beijing in August.
Lakers Select Kentucky’s Crawford in 2008 Draft
06.29.08
The Lakers, who only had one pick in Thursday’s 2008 NBA draft, selected Kentucky guard Joe Crawford with the 58th pick.
Crawford, who stands 6’5″, averaged 17.9 points on 47% shooting in 30 games during his senior season at Kentucky. Those numbers earned him 2nd team All-Southeastern Conference honors.
Crawford was delighted to be drafted by the Lakers, and will take part in the team’s summer league schedule, which starts on July 11. “It’s something you’ve waited for all your life, when you started playing basketball,” Crawford said. “To go to one of my favorite teams, to go to L.A., it’s a feeling I can’t explain. I had a great workout in L.A. I felt they were pretty interested in me after my workout. I’m excited about playing for a
championship-contending team.”
Should he play well, Lakers’ General Manager Mitch Kupchak has said the team will sign him to a contract. But Crawford might be hard-pressed to make the roster this season, especially if the Lakers re-sign Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf as they are planning to do once free-agent signings are allowed on July 1.
Celtics Defeat Lakers, Win 17th Championship
06.17.08
In a disappointing end to a wonderful season, the Boston Celtics dominated the Lakers 131-92, to claim their 17th NBA title, and their first in 22 years.
Despite the loss, the Lakers have plenty to be proud of. A team that most figured would win 40-45 games and compete for only the 7th or 8th spot in the West, wound up winning 57 games and earned the top seed in the most-competitive Western Conference ever. In addition, Kobe Bryant shook off his offseason turmoil and had his best team-oriented season, which culminated in him winning his first Most Valuable Player award.
This season also saw the emergence of center, Andrew Bynum, who took a giant step forward averaging 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.06 blocks before suffering a season-ending knee injury on January 13th. The Lakers also acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in early February, which helped catapult the team back into contention in the West, after the devastating loss of Bynum.
The Lakers bench also proved to be a bright spot for the team all season, led by Sasha Vujacic, the 4th-year guard who had by far his best season averaging 8.8 points per game, and shooting .437 from the 3-point line. Second-year guard Jordan Farmar also showed great potential in his second year, raising his scoring to 9.1 points per game, more than doubling his output from 2006-07.
So while the season did end on a sour note, there is a huge upside for the Lakers and the future looks bright for another title run in 2008-09 and beyond.
Phil Jackson Named NBA Coach of the Month
12.01.03
Phil Jackson, along with Indiana’s Rick Carlisle, were named NBA Coaches of the Month for games from October 28th through November.
The Lakers were 14-3 through November, and have won 25 straight home regular season games, including a 10-0 start this year. They’re also currently on a 6-game winning streak and have impressive blow-out wins over Indiana and San Antonio in the last week.
The Lakers are second in the league in scoring at 103.1 points per game, and in field goal percentage at .472.
Link: NBA.com – Carlisle, Jackson Named Coaches of the Month
Kobe Bryant a No-Show at Training Camp
10.03.03
Kobe Bryant, who was scheduled to fly out on a private plane with other Laker veteran players for Hawaii’s training camp, did not make the trip Thursday, October 2nd, due to being “under the weather.”
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had no other information on Bryant’s absence, and refused to say anything further regarding the situation.
Laker coach Phil Jackson added, “We’re obviously disappointed that Kobe’s not here with the basketball club, with his teammates. This is a team thing, it’s about us as a basketball team and what the best is for our team. So we’ll commence tonight and go on as usual. No one is bigger than this team or the game. That’s the way it is.”
Earlier in the day, Colorado judge Frederick Gannett ruled that the accuser’ in Bryant’s sexual assault case, would not have to testify at the preliminary hearing, and that the hearing would be open to the public. There have been no indications that Bryant’s absence from training camp has anything to do with these events.
Jackson said he did not know when or even if Bryant would show up for the team’s training camp in Hawaii, but he did say, “We have plenty of players, we have a good team, we’re confident in what we’re going to do. We’re hopeful Kobe will join us and that’s as much I can say about it.”
Reporters have already flocked to the the islands in droves, hoping to get comments from Bryant, and the team is expecting even more media attention over the next few days. Jackson said he tried to call the Laker All-Star on Wednesday, but was told he wasn’t taking calls.
Stay tuned.
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