NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West told Los Angeles Clippers small forward Paul George on the “Podcast P With Paul George” podcast that Kobe Bryant almost left the Los Angeles Lakers for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2004.
West, who had a very close relationship with Bryant, was an executive with the Grizzlies when Bryant told him that he wanted to come play for Memphis.
Bryant wound up signing a seven-year, $136.4 million contract with the Lakers in July 2004. The Hall of Famer, who tragically passed away in January 2020, spent his entire career with the purple and gold.
One of the greatest players of all time, Bryant averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 1,346 regular-season games with the Lakers. He was an 18-time All-Star, five-time champion, four-time All-Star Game MVP, two-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champion, 15-time All-NBA Team member, 12-time All-Defensive Team member and the 2007-08 MVP.
Bryant is fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He scored 33,643 points during his legendary career. The Black Mamba put up 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors during the 2005-06. It’s the second-highest scoring output in a game in NBA history.
The Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals during the Bryant era. Bryant won three rings with Shaquille O’Neal and two with Pau Gasol. The Lakers retired both of Kobe’s numbers (8 and 24) after he retired in 2016.
The NBA community was devastated when Bryant passed away in 2020. The 2019-20 Lakers, led by LeBron James — who was close with Bryant — won the 2020 championship over the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble as their way of honoring Kobe.
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