Earlier this offseason, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss drew criticism for sending out a tweet that left many fans believing that she was subtweeting Lakers superstar LeBron James.
In the tweet, Buss explained about how much she misses Kobe Bryant and his understanding of “team over self.”
I miss KB. He would understand and explain everything that I’m not allowed to. Honestly he was the greatest Laker ever. He understood team over self. Meaning your rewards would come if you valued team goals over your own then everything would fall into place. All can reply.
— Jeanie Buss (@JeanieBuss) July 4, 2022
Now, Buss has finally made an effort to clear up the debate about the tweet. She spoke with Mark Medina of NBA.com to talk about that and more.
“We’re getting ready to start promoting our 10-part docuseries on Hulu and we’re immersed in all things Lakers,” she said when asked about the tweet related to Bryant. “There are so many people I miss. But the person I miss the most is Kobe. We miss his voice, his friendship and everything that was taken away from us when we lost him. What I know is Laker fans feel the same way I do.
“So when I feel down like that, I know when I say something, the response that I get makes me feel not alone. That’s how a community comes together to grieve. This grieving process with losing Kobe will go on for the rest of my life. It’s a void that can never be filled and was never expected.
“When Phil [Jackson] left to go to the [New York] Knicks, the NBA made us sign a letter because we’re on two different teams. He said, ‘This means I can’t help you anymore. But you always have Kobe. Kobe has your back. Talk to him if you ever need advice. You’ll always have Kobe.’ That’s what Phil said to me. So, the idea that we don’t always have Kobe is hard to accept.”
She was then asked about the belief that some people had that the tweet was a way for Buss to criticize James without calling him out by name.
“No,” she said. “It was that my heart was full of sadness. You look to people surrounding you that feel the same way to commiserate. That’s all it was. It wasn’t intended at anything other than I had sorrow in my heart and I was trying to lighten my load.”
It’s a very understandable story, and a majority of Lakers fans will likely be satisfied with her response. However, there will probably also be a smaller group of people who believe Buss’ response is simply a cover.
While James and Buss seem to have a positive relationship with one another, there is no doubt that it has been difficult to be in a position of importance with the Lakers as of late. Their 2021-22 season was a bit of a disaster, and the Lakers are currently having a hard time revamping their roster in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
Hopefully, Buss, James and the rest of the Lakers organization can work together to find solutions to what ailed the team last season.
