The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the most successful franchises in the league during Kobe Bryant‘s two-decade spell with them. Bryant was part of 5 NBA Championship runs by the Lakers and solidified LA’s case as one of the most attractive free-agency destinations.
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However, in comparison to the erstwhile Spurs, for instance, the Lakers’ success wasn’t a given. After their three-peat, there were a few years of mediocrity before they tasted success again. And during this phase, things did look really bleak for a while, despite still having the services of arguably the NBA’s premier two-way guard.
In 2004-05, the Lakers were beginning to face an era where they weren’t a contender under Kobe for the first time. Shaquille O’Neal had forced his way out and Bryant was the sole star in LA. The season was a reality check for Kobe and the Lakers with their final record being a measly 34-48.
With the failure, came a trove of controversies too. While Bryant was the leader of the team, it appears his fellow players weren’t too fond of the power afforded to him. Kobe’s teammate Chucky Atkins even tipped the media off about such an apparent discomfort in the Laker camp.
Also read: “You Need All 6 Fouls To Guard Me!”: When Kobe Bryant Openly Flaunted His Basketball Prowess
Atkins called Kobe Bryant “the GM” before backtracking on his statement.
The Lakers were clearly in a bad spot and not winning a lot of games. They even went into a losing streak in the middle of the season. This prompted a lot of conversation about whether the Lakers needed off-season moves to fix the rot.
Chucky Atkins who was tenured with these Lakers was questioned about the same. And Atkins’ response wasn’t conducive to the situation they found themselves in, at all.
“I ain’t no GM. Ask Kobe. He’s the GM. It’s his team” stated Atkins in his pre-match media appearance before a game versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers went on to lose the game and extend their losing streak at the time, to eight games.
Atkins did his part to repair some of the damage he had done. After blaming the reporter for attempting to get him into trouble, Chucky Atkins made his stance clear.
“I don’t think you should try to divide my team. We’re not going to splinter. Kobe’s my man. Me and Kobe have developed a relationship where anything I have to say to him, I can say to his face. I’m in a no-win situation” stated Atkins in his attempt to clear the air.
There still was the possibility of things going south in the dressing room. However, Kobe and the team did well not to add to the fire sparked by Atkins.
Kobe stated that the Lakers weren’t going to let anyone divide them.
As the captain of the team, acknowledging the statement and addressing it came down to Kobe. And having been someone unafraid of airing his dirty laundry in public, the outcome wasn’t certain to anyone.
However, Mamba was clear about what his team needed. The team was in a bad place and their leader was expected to stand up for them.
“We really didn’t have much of a conversation [yesterday]. He was pretty adamant about how it happened, that it was taken out of context. Everybody here sticks together. We’re not going to let anybody divide us. If you guys are here to stir something up, you’re not going to get it out of me. All we want to do is come here, work hard, play basketball” stated Bryant in his response.
Atkins only saw out one season in Los Angeles. So, maybe there was some truth in his statements. Wronging the captain of a sinking ship was certainly a bold move by the point guard.
