Kobe Bryant won't discuss Shaquille O'Neal
- From: Alson Wong <rasvp@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:24:00 -0700 (PDT)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-usahoops29-2008jun29,0,5124411.story
From the Los Angeles Times
USA BASKETBALL
Kobe Bryant won't discuss Shaquille O'Neal
Lakers star has no response, other than to say, 'I didn't take it any
kind of way whatsoever.'
By Jonathan Abrams
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
8:25 PM PDT, June 28, 2008
LAS VEGAS -- Famously, or infamously, back in the early days of his
career, Kobe Bryant was an aspiring rapper, even releasing an album.
There will be no picking up a microphone again for him, however.
Bryant's response to former teammate Shaquille O'Neal lambasting him
in an obscenity-laced rap freestyle at a New York night club?
No response.
"I didn't take it any kind of way whatsoever," Bryant said Saturday,
before declining to take any more questions on the topic.
Bryant, however, was more than willing to discuss several other
subjects as the U.S. men's basketball team held a one-day mini-camp in
preparation for the Beijing Olympics.
He has had a bit more time to reflect on the NBA Finals, labeling
Boston, as "champions until somebody proves otherwise."
"It was a good series for us," he said. "I thought we learned a great
deal. It's great for us to learn that experience at such a young age
with the guys that we have on the team and we'll be better next season
because of it."
Bryant is the only player on the U.S. team that reached the Finals,
though he doubts fatigue will be a factor in the Olympics. He also is
still dealing with a torn ligament in his right pinkie.
"It's always an issue," he said. "Handling the ball sometimes,
shooting the ball sometimes. I've been playing with it for so long
now, you just get used it. You bobble the ball sometimes and kind of
brush it off because it's just what happens sometimes."
But bringing back a gold medal may reduce some of that pain. As well
as the pain of losing in the Finals.
"Any time you win, it's like you have this big glass of water, your
throat is parched and you're ready to drink it and all of a sudden, it
spills all over the place and you're [upset]," he said. "Then, all of
a sudden, your glass gets refilled and you drink it all. That's the
type of feeling I'm looking forward to."
------
Dwight Howard, the team's lone center, did not practice. He said he is
still healing from a cracked sternum suffered in the playoffs, but
will be ready for the Olympics. . . . Dwyane Wade, who sat out the
last 21 games of the regular season because of a knee injury,
practiced and reported no pain.
The team will gather for a meeting this morning before flying to New
York for a promotional campaign. Its next practice session is
scheduled for late July in Las Vegas. During that time, they will
scrimmage against a U.S. select team led by Kevin Durant and Andre
Iguodala.
jonathan.abrams@xxxxxxxxxxx
.
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