Jordan Hill’s time with the Los Angeles Lakers came to an end with the team deciding not to use their team option on the big man. During free agency, Hill elected to sign with the Indiana Pacers and met the media for the first time as a Pacer Tuesday afternoon.
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He spoke with Shane Young of HoopsHabit and discussed his time with the Lakers. When asked about how it was like playing with Kobe Bryant, Hill mentioned Bryant’s floor presence, his constant yelling, and how not everyone is suited for it:
When he’s on the floor, all you hear is Kobe’s mouth. On the floor, all you hear is Kobe’s mouth. During practice, it gets loud. A lot of people can’t handle that I guess.
Many view Bryant as a tough teammate and someone who is difficult to work with. He has earned a reputation of being one of the hardest workers in the league and expects others to put in similar effort on a consistent basis. Some see this as one of the reasons players don’t want to come to the Lakers as free agents while others, such as Lou Williams, see playing with Bryant as an opportunity to play alongside one of the greatest.
Whichever the case, Bryant will be entering the final year of his contract and faces an uncertain future. The Lakers have gotten much younger, but their young players have yet to impress as a whole during the team’s first three games in the Vegas Summer League. D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle hope to have better performances in the remaining games.
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