- Report: Kyrie Irving wants to shut down notion that he’s ‘angling’ to get to Lakers
- Gilbert Arenas says LeBron James will be behind Karl Malone if he goes to Dallas Mavericks
- Jaren Jackson Jr. calls LeBron James the ‘greatest player to play’ the game of basketball
- Report: Lakers have maintained that they have no interest in Kyrie Irving
- Report: Kyrie Irving has been recruiting LeBron James to Dallas Mavericks in hopes of forming Big 3 with Luka Doncic
- Magic Johnson explains how he led Lakers in same way Jimmy Butler currently leads Heat
- Rich Paul offers cryptic response when asked whether he expects LeBron James to return next season
- Report: Kentucky big man among promising draft prospects Lakers worked out on Friday
- Lakers insider speculates Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley won’t be back with Lakers
- Report: Lakers likely to keep No. 17 pick in 2023 NBA Draft
Stephen A. Smith on Kyrie Irving’s handling of the media: ‘I don’t think Kobe Bryant would be happy’
- Updated: December 16, 2020
On Monday, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving spoke to the media for the first time since training camp opened, effectively ending his boycott of the press.
The New Jersey native received lots of criticism for saying he would not speak to the media early this month, and ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith opined that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant would not be happy with Irving’s recent behavior (at about the 2:50 mark).
“Somebody Kyrie respected, loved, and idolized was Kobe Bryant,” said Smith while on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I don’t think Kobe Bryant would be happy.”
Irving is, without question, one of the league’s great players, but his off-the-court demeanor has made him come off as something of an enigma.
He ruffled some feathers weeks ago when he said he didn’t really feel his team needed a head coach, which some felt was disrespectful towards new Nets coach Steve Nash.
Irving has seen Bryant as something of a mentor for years. He even paid tribute to Bryant and his late daughter Gianna in a recent unreleased song.
The elder Bryant, younger Bryant and seven others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash in January.