As usual, ESPN’s annual ranking of NBA players has gotten Los Angeles in an uproar once again. Kobe Bryant, coming off three straight season-ending injuries, was ranked as the 93rd best player in the league.
This ranking by ESPN rubbed a lot of Lakers fans the wrong way with many thinking the superstar should be ranked much higher heading into his 20th NBA season.
Following the loss to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, Bryant was asked about the ranking and had a fairly predictable answer via ESPN’s Baxter Holmes:
Kobe Bryant on being No. 93 in ESPN's 2015-16 #NBArank: "Please don't ask me about silly stuff like that."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) October 9, 2015
Bryant believes that he doesn’t need to plead his case for being ranked higher from the major media outlet via Holmes:
Kobe also said of being No. 93 in ESPN's #NBArank: "I don’t need to defend that. Nobody does really."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) October 9, 2015
After suffering their third straight loss, Kobe and the Lakers will head back to the Staples Center to play their first preseason game on their home floor. Los Angeles will play host to an international opponent on Sunday night with Maccabi Haifa coming to town.
The Lakers will have five more preseason games before heading into the regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28. Los Angeles will face the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors (twice) and Portland Trail Blazers to finish out their preseason.