Not once, but twice was Kobe Bryant publicly asked for a comment regarding Mike Brown’s hire as Lakers coach. He declined in both instances. But apparently, the two have already met and are fine.
Despite Kobe Bryant’s silence, people close to both sides say Coach Mike Brown has won over his new star in two face-to-face meetings.
Their first was May 31 at Bryant’s home in Newport Beach, on Brown’s way to his news conference in downtown Los Angeles . . . more or less.
Apparently, the meeting went well. The second was 10 days later at the El Segundo practice facility, where they went through plays on the court
So why hasn’t anyone bothered to mention it?
Brown did mention it, which, in the absence of a single peep from Bryant, didn’t settle the issue.
So why is Bryant still maintaining his silence, allowing the perception that he’s unhappy to stand?
Unhappy at having been left out of the loop on the hiring, he’s letting his silence speak for him, as he did in after his days or rage in 2007, leaving the Lakers to spend three months wondering if he would report for training camp until he showed up that morning.
Bryant signaled his skepticism when Brown’s hiring was announced May 25, exchanging texts with him but declining to talk on the phone.
Read more about Bryant and Brown at LAtimes.com.
