Mitch Kupchak Reveals Why Lakers Never Feared Zone Defense During Shaq-Kobe Era

In April ‌2001, the NBA called the NBA teams’ front office leaders to vote on the legalization of zone defense. Among the teams supporting the rule changes were the Los Angeles Lakers, a team expected to be hurt the most by the newly proposed rules.

Before 2001, zone defense was largely illegal in the NBA, which allowed players like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, two ‌masters of 1-on-1 basketball, to excel against any team. However, despite knowing that it could hurt their team, the Lakers were one of the 22 teams to vote in favor of the rule change. 

“As an organization, we did what we felt was in the best interests of the game,” former Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said at that time.

“Yeah, you could look at it and say maybe Shaquille will get three or four fewer touches, but maybe he’ll get one or two more blocks. Maybe Kobe [Bryant] will get fewer points but more assists.”

Did it really impact Shaq and Kobe? Yes, it did.

Shaq got fewer touches in the playoffs than in his first two championship postseasons. He also got the third-fewest touches since his rookie year in the regular season. But the Lakers won their third championship a year later. 

After 25 years, it is hard to deny that Kupchak and those who voted for the rule change did the right thing.

As the rule allowed coaches to use different schemes on defense, instead of allowing stars like Michael Jordan to dominate through constant isolation. The rule brought more versatility in offense as well. 

Michael Jordan urged the league not to legalize zone defense

When the NBA was listening to arguments before they implemented a new set of rules, one of the names pleading against the changes was Michael Jordan.

Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune reported that Jordan cited his own legacy while passionately urging the committee to reject the changes.

“Jordan was making an impassioned plea before the competition committee that had gathered to consider rules changes to enliven the NBA game,” Smith wrote. “Jordan spoke passionately. If teams were able to play zone defenses, he said, he never would have had the career he did.”

Jordan failed to sway the league, and the change took place ahead of the 2001-02 season. But it was Jordan, and he always looked for a challenge. He returned to the NBA for the next two seasons and faced the modern era of defense.

Even at that age and against a new defense, he didn’t fold. It wasn’t easy for His Airness, but he certainly proved that he would be a star in any era he would play.