When the Denver Nuggets won their first NBA Championship this season, it meant that former Los Angeles Lakers big man Thomas Bryant became an NBA Champion for the first time. Bryant began the year with the Lakers and had an excellent run when Anthony Davis was injured, but the team chose to deal him at the trade deadline as he hoped for a bigger role.
But Bryant had a very good run in purple and gold and was on the court when LeBron James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record. In fact, many had a bit of a laugh at Bryant, who flashed in the post and called for the ball as LeBron rose up to take the shot to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Of course, James would ignore him and make the shot, but it was a fun moment nonetheless. Bryant recently appeared on the Outta Pocket Podcast and revealed that he was simply following what LeBron always told him to do:
“You know what’s so funny? Every time we run a play like that, Bron always told me, ‘If you ever have a mismatch down there call for the damn ball. Get yo ass in the post.’ But at that time, I’m thinking alright I got the mismatch let me get in the post right here. And then he shoots it I’m not realizing it’s like ‘oh shoot, oh wait this might be the shot, cuz I’m losing count in my head. I’m like dang I’m trying to get the lead back, trying to remember this tryna get that and everything. And he shoots and I’m like, ‘I swear to God if he miss this gon go right back out to his ass.’ And then he shoots and I’m like ‘alright thank God he made it.'”
While it’s easy for fans to keep track of things like that, the same can’t always be said for players on the court. As Bryant said, at the time the Lakers were fighting to get back in the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder so that was at the forefront of his mind.
And even though he didn’t spend the entire season with the Lakers, Bryant was still able to take some things from LeBron, whom he says always sat the example:
“He always did things by example, so he never really had to speak about things. It’s just like if you watch closely at what he does and his repetition and the things that he does day in and day out, you start to pick up on it and then guys start to do it more and more often. With him, he’s just a machine. There’s a reason why he’s been in the league for 20 years. He takes care of his body, he does what he needs to do, he does the proper things that really might seem lame, but really go a long way. You gotta think about it this is year 20 for this guy he’s still playing like it was his first couple years on the Cavs. It’s amazing what he can do out there and I think it was that kinda stuff especially that really went down to the young guys as well.”
Bryant’s energy is just infectious and his love for the game is apparent. He is well deserving of calling himself a champion and there is no doubt he’ll be beloved in his next stop in Miami as well.
Former Lakers center Mo Bamba signs with 76ers
Bryant signed a contract with the Miami Heat this offseason and another former Lakers center is heading east as well.
Mo Bamba agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. His run with the Lakers never really got going as injuries quickly took him off the court and he was never able to crack the rotation when he returned. Still his skillset and potential remains.
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