During the 2000’s, it seemed like Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan were winning championships almost every season. With nine championships combined, both players are future Hall-of-Famers and will go down as two of the greatest to ever play their respective positions.
As the San Antonio Spurs are one win away from making another NBA Finals appearance and the Los Angeles Lakers looking to get back, Bryant said he is jealous of Tim Duncan according to ESPN’s Marc Stein:
“I’m jealous of Tim,” Kobe Bryant tells ESPN.com, “playing for the same historically great coach for his entire career.”
While the Lakers are one of the most successful franchises in sports history, the Spurs have been quite impressive in their own right with their high level of consistency since the arrival of Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Gregg Popovich. Although the media has discounted the Spurs for the last couple of seasons, they have found a way to be championship contenders despite an aging core.
Unlike Duncan, Kobe has had many coaches throughout his 18-year career starting with Del Harris, Kurt Rambis, Phil Jackson, Rudy Tomjanovich, Frank Hamblen, Mike Brown, and Mike D’Antoni. While Bryant probably wishes he had Phil Jackson as his coach for his entire career, the Duncan-Popovich is extremely rare in any sport, especially when coaches are fired first for any shortcomings.
With the resignation of Mike D’Antoni about a month ago, the Lakers are looking for a coach that will get the most out of the five-time champion in his final two seasons. Los Angeles has already interviewed Byron Scott, Mike Dunleavy Sr., Kurt Rambis, Alvin Gentry, and Lionel Hollins.
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