The Los Angeles Lakers may have whiffed on Carmelo Anthony during free agency, but a calm and patient Kobe Bryant seems pleased with their efforts to land him another co-star. As for the vacant head coaching position, Bryant says his preferred choice would be the guy who’s reportedly a leading candidate, Byron Scott. Per the LA Times:
“Look, they’re going for it,” Bryant told reporters Wednesday in Santa Barbara at a basketball camp he hosts each summer. “I mean, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it, man. They’re being extremely aggressive and they have solid concepts and plans to be able to get it done and they’re pulling out all the stops to ensure that we put a contender on the floor next year, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Bryant acknowledged he had “really clicked” with Anthony since they were teammates at the 2008 Olympics and described Anthony as “very receptive” to his pitch but scoffed at a report that they had played in a pickup game last weekend at UCLA. Bryant said he was in Orange County at the time.
The Lakers are still without a coach, but Bryant gave Byron Scott a thumbs-up for the job, calling his former teammate his “rookie mentor” who made Bryant fetch donuts and run other errands as a young player. “We’ve had a tremendously close relationship throughout the years,” Bryant said. “So obviously I know him extremely well, he knows me extremely well and I’ve always been a fan of his.”
Asked if he wants Byron Scott to be the Lakers coach Kobe says "yep"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 9, 2014
