Jeremy Lin on Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan – Lakers’ ‘bums’ and life at Charlotte Hornets
- Beijing Ducks star tells Danny Green of pre-trade deadline practice session where an injured Bryant dismissed teammates
- Lin also recalls memories from playing under Michael Jordan at the Charlotte Hornets the following season
The California-native was at the Los Angeles Lakers with Bryant during the 2014-15 season and it was a practice session during that season that he told current Laker Danny Green about on his Inside The Green Room podcast.
“I remember at this time he had gotten hurt and he was out for the season so he wasn’t around for quite some time just rehabbing and being away from the team,” Lin said.
“We hadn’t seen him in like a few weeks and all of a sudden he walks in the gym and this was the day before the trade deadline and we’re all about to start practice, we’re on the baseline, we’re stretching, we’re doing our dynamic warm-up or whatever.”
The Lakers were 13-34 at the time in Bryant’s absence.
“He comes in … sweatsuit, he has a sling for his hurt shoulder, and he has these shades on, his Kobe shades … and Carlos Boozer says 'Kob, good to see you bro … we haven't seen you in a bit, how come you came today', and he was just stone-faced, and he was like, 'I just came by to say bye to some of you bums who are going to get traded tomorrow.'”
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Lin laughed as he recalled the story, as did co-hosts Green and Harrison Sanford. Kobe spoke to the coach and then left, Lin said, but the brief visit had an impact.
“I remember one of my teammates was just like ‘I lost all motivation to practice’.” The Lakers struggled without Bryant that season, going 21-61.
It was at Charlotte where Lin would play under owner Michael Jordan and he recounted two stories about Jordan on Instagram last week, adding to the discussion of Jordan’s legacy amid the ESPN-Netflix show The Last Dance.
“When I signed w the Hornets, I was imagining MJ destroying everyone in mid-post one on one after every practice (except me obviously … lol). He wasnt around much in the beginning but I vividly remember 2 MJ moments of that season,” Lin wrote.
“1. He was courtside at one of our games and was locked in … like LOCKED IN! He was on the refs nonstop. “Yo ----, you were a bum ref when I was playin and you're still a bum ref now. You gonna swallow your whistle all night?” The (unnamed) ref looked, saw it was MJ and never dared look back in our direction. I dont remember anything else that happened that game haha”
“2. Later in the season we dropped 4 straight Ls. MJ showed up at the next practice. I swear to you I dont remember any of the stories he told about his time w the Bulls or anything else he said. Only his closing statement. “Figure it out and dont make me fly back up from Florida” lollll”
The best sport has always been behind closed doors, ask Air Jordan
“People always say, ‘you are who you are.’ And MJ is to the core the ultimate competitor. Playing for him was an honour!”
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