Kobe fed up with being O'Neal's sidekick: report
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-10-15 11:41

Phil Jackson painted Kobe Bryant as a pampered star who took liberties to an extreme degree, caused dissention in the dressing room and received more concessions than any other player he has ever coached.

"Nobody this year, or in any year I've coach, has received more allowances than Kobe Bryant," the former Los Angeles Lakers coach Jackson said in an excerpt of his new book "The Last Season" which was printed in the Los Angeles Times.

Kobe Bryant, seen here in August 2004, has been pictured by his former coach Phil Jackson as a pampered star who took liberties to an extreme degree, caused dissention in the dressing room and received more concessions than any other player he had ever coached. [AFP]

Jackson said he tried unsuccessfully a number of times to trade Bryant and that the deteriorating relationship between superstars Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal was much more than simply a war of words with O'Neal at one point barking: "I'd like to pound the chump".

The Lakers suffered a disappointing playoff defeat to the Detroit Pistons last season and then purged popular coach Jackson and traded former league MVP O'Neal to Miami.

Jackson said he realized before the beginning of the 2003-04 National Basketball Association season that he could no longer coach a defiant Bryant and asked general manager Mitch Kupchak to trade Bryant.

But he said that request fell on deaf ears. Jackson also wanted to deal Bryant to Phoenix in 1999 for Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion but was told both times that owner Jerry Buss would never allow it.

"A major confrontation between us seems unavoidable," the Times reported Jackson as saying. "I won't coach this team next year if he is still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid."

The Lakers turbulent season was only aggravated by Bryant's sexual assault trial in Colorado which caused him to miss a number of games, practices and some of training camp.

Jackson said the Lakers footed part of the bill for Bryant's travel back and forth between Los Angeles and Colorado and that an ungrateful Bryant complained his private jet wasn't up to standard.

"Kobe was unhappy with the type of plane that was selected: he wanted one with a higher status. He should feel fortunate that he's not footing the bill himself," Jackson said.

Bryant, who scored 35 points in the Lakers 87-80 pre-season debut loss to Seattle on Tuesday, still has a civil suit pending against him from his female accuser who decided to drop the criminal charges.

In their last face-to-face meeting following Los Angeles' loss in the NBA Finals, Jackson told Bryant he was going to retire.

"Really?" said Bryant sounding surprised, his eyebrows rising.

Jackson had a completely different opinion of three-time playoff MVP O'Neal.

While they also had their share of differences, Jackson described coaching O'Neal as "an experience I will cherish forever".

He said the two superstars were at each other's throats constantly and the relationship between the two was worse than anyone outside of the Lakers' organization realized.

"At times the pettiness between the two of them can be unbelievably juvenile."

O'Neal and Bryant have continued to trade insults from afar. Their war of words increased last week when O'Neal called Bryant a "clown" and said "I'm not the one buying love".

O'Neal's "buying love" comment was in reference to statements Bryant gave Colorado police that O'Neal paid one million dollars in hush money to various women he had sex with.

During their first meeting of the 2003-04 season, Bryant warned Jackson that O'Neal wasn't going to get away with criticizing him in public.

"If he starts saying things in the press I will fire back," Bryant said. "I am not afraid to go up against him. I've had it. I am tired of being a sidekick."

When Buss announced publicly during the middle of last season that the team had suspended contract negotiations with Jackson it was done to appease Bryant, Jackson said.

Buss claimed on Tuesday that Jackson's comments contained a number of errors but he refused to go into detail. He added that the club is still on good terms with Jackson.

"Both readers and the media should accept the fact there are inaccuracies," Buss said. "Despite the fact the material in the book will portray individual players or our organization in an unflattering light we will decline further comment."

But he went on to say, "Phil remains a friend of the organization and the appreciation for what he has done should remain unchanged."

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