Following Luka Doncic’s first press conference in Los Angeles, NBA on ESPN broke down the biggest acquisitions in Lakers history. Brian Windhorst shared his list of the five biggest moves the franchise has ever made and the drafting of Kobe Bryant found its way to the number one spot, much to the dismay of Bobby Marks.
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“You’re breaking my heart with that number one,” the ESPN insider told Windhorst. “You know why? We passed on Kobe in that ‘96 Draft.”
Marks began his NBA career in 1995 as an intern for the Brooklyn Nets. The following year, his team landed the 8th pick in the historic 1996 NBA Draft, selecting Kerry Kittles. Clearly, the veteran analyst still harbors a lot of remorse about passing on the Black Mamba in that draft.
“I don’t want my good friend Kerry Kittles to be mad at me. We passed on it because we thought Kobe was going to go and play in Italy. We were threatened that he was going to go play in Italy. To this, the greatest draft workout I’ve ever seen in my life,” Marks revealed.
"We passed on [Kobe Bryant] because we thought he was going to go play in Italy." 😅
Former Nets assistant GM @BobbyMarks42 and @WindhorstESPN on Kobe Bryant's draft day trade to the Lakers 👀 pic.twitter.com/rwF5akShVZ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 4, 2025
While there haven’t been any reports confirming whether Bryant intended to play in Italy if he didn’t land with the Lakers, the European country does have a special connection to the five-time NBA champion.
Kobe cut his teeth in Reggio Emilia, finding his passion for basketball when his family moved to the Emilia-Romagna region. He was just six when his father, Joe Bryant, retired from the NBA and moved his family to Rieti, Italy. After short stints in Reggio Calabria and Pistoia, the Bryants finally landed in Reggio Emilia, where a young Kobe would begin his foray into basketball.
From the Nets’ point of view, it’s an understandable concern that the high school prospect might harbor a desire to return to his old stomping grounds. Furthermore, the player they did draft — Kerry Kittles — became an integral part of their Finals runs in 2002 and 2003, cementing his own legacy with the franchise.
Kobe Bryant almost played in Italy in 2011
The Black Mamba’s connection to Italy manifested in different ways during his NBA career. He remained a diehard AC Milan fan throughout his life, even receiving a heartwarming tribute from the Italian soccer club after his tragic demise. However, even late into his career with the Lakers, Bryant harbored thoughts about playing in Italy.
In fact, during the lockout shortened 2011 season, a deal nearly materialized that would have seen Kobe suit up for Virtus Bologna in the Lega Basket Serie A, Italy’s professional basketball league.
“It was not a hoax,” Bryant revealed in 2012. “As I’ve said many times, I would be happy to one day play in the Italian League; it’s a dream I had as a child.”
“I was really looking forward to starting this adventure in Italy, but then things in the NBA settled down and the season started after the lockout, so [my return to] Italy did not materialize. But there is still time in the future,” the 2008 NBA MVP had added.
Considering that he retired from the league with a 60-point game, Kobe certainly had enough in the tank to play in the Euro leagues for a few years. It would have been a welcome epilogue to a historic career.
