During the course of his NBA career, superstar Kobe Bryant has been known to butt heads with quite a few head coaches that have come and gone in Los Angeles. Not even the great Phil Jackson was immune to clashing with Kobe as the two were not fond of one another after winning three consecutive titles together.
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Despite Kobe finding it tough to get along with head coaches he’s played for in the past, former head coach Avery Johnson believes there are plenty of coaches that love to work with the five-time NBA champion. Johnson said the following according to Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:
“That is a challenge, but at the same time, there are a lot of coaches sitting on the sidelines right now that would love to have an opportunity to work with Kobe Bryant,” ESPN TV analyst Avery Johnson said. “With his professionalism, work ethic and championship pedigree, a lot of guys would love to have an opportunity to help him go out on top.”
Johnson’s comments about NBA coaches basically lining up to coach Kobe is surprising considering the future Hall of Famer’s track record. Los Angeles is an appealing place for any head coach for obvious reasons, but coaching Kobe in the twilight of his career will be a challenge.
Jackson did eventually saw eye-to-eye with Kobe during his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. The two created a lasting bond that resulted in two more championships for the storied franchise and a friendship that has stayed strong ever since.
Although Jackson started to grow on Kobe, the five-time NBA champion hasn’t gotten along with the two coaches that followed the Zen Master. Mike Brown only lasted one full season and Mike D’Antoni led the team to the worst season in franchise history.
It is possible that the right man for the job is out there. Plenty of candidates have emerged, one with close ties to Kobe in Byron Scott, but it remains to be seen what direction Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss go in moving forward.
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