Jeanie Buss has had enough of losing. The Los Angeles Lakers president wants to get this franchise back on track and has proven that fact with how active she’s been in seeking advice on where the team should go from here. Buss started by bringing back in Magic Johnson in an advisory role, and now it appears she spent some time with Kobe Bryant last week.
Buss took to Twitter on Monday to thank Kobe for their meeting last week which apparently was quite inspirational. Bryant appreciated catching up with the Lakers president as he tweeted shortly after Buss:
Always great to catch up with you @JeanieBuss #lakerfamily https://t.co/duyCoLOMZR
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) February 6, 2017
Much like her meeting with Magic, Buss was likely trying to soak up the knowledge from Bryant and get his opinion as to where the team should go from here.
Kobe, in a recent interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, made it clear that he’s only a phone call away if anyone within the Lakers organization needs his guidance. Buss apparently took the initiative and arranged to meet with the former face of the storied franchise.
Unlike Magic, it’s highly unlikely Bryant takes a similar advisory role. Kobe has been dedicated to his new venture since his playing days came to an end last April. The 38-year-old seems willing to help, but his focus is clearly on getting his business firing on all cylinders.
Although Kobe is solely focused on being successful in the next chapter of his life after basketball, there’s no question he’d be a great mentor for these young players in many different areas. Bryant helping D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, and Julius Randle master the art footwork on the basketball floor would be extremely valuable to this team.
Last summer, after Kobe torched the Utah Jazz for 60 points in the final game of his career, Gordon Hayward reached out to the superstar and was able to spend some time improving his game in Newport Beach. All of the young players on this Lakers squad could benefit greatly from that kind of tutelage from one of the greatest players in NBA history. Whether an arrangement like that will happen, is anyone’s guess.
