The 2014 NBA draft is considered by many to be one of the best of all-time. Most believe there could be as many as five potential franchise players in the draft with Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, and Julius Randle being among those top prospects.
This has led many teams to attempt to stockpile draft picks, and let some players go in hopes of obtaining a high draft pick. This strategy, known as tanking, is a subject of debate amongst everyone in every level of the NBA. In an interview with Jim Rome on Jim Rome on Showtime, Kobe Bryant gave his thoughts on the subject:
Honestly, it sets a bad precedent for your team culture. It becomes part of your DNA.
For many organizations that are not normally a free agent destination, the draft is the only way to bring in a franchise player. Teams like the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Indiana Pacers have all built their teams mainly through excellent drafts.
Bryant’s feelings on this subject are interesting. You hear many people talking about ‘changing the culture of the team’ and that can be a difficult task, but under Bryant’s mentality, you can avoid a losing culture, by simply not accepting failure.
With many teams operating under the ‘get worse to get better’ mindset, Bryant’s stance is something that would not be accepted in other organizations. But the Lakers are not every other organization and Bryant is not every other player. We should never expect them to operate like everyone else does.
Check out the entire interview below:
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