Kobe's return boosts Lakers' intensity level

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Good or bad — usually good — things seem to happen when Kobe Bryant enters the equation.

"I have to get my legs back into condition to play a professional game," said Kobe Bryant, being interviewed yesterday at Stan Sheriff center. Bryant missed the first five days of the Lakers training camp while attending his grandfather's funeral in Philadelphia. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

A heavy-hearted Bryant rejoined his teammates yesterday after missing the first five days of practice to attend his grandfather's funeral in Philadelphia.

With Shaquille O'Neal on the sidelines recovering from toe surgery and Phil Jackson back on the Mainland following the death of his mother, Bryant is expected to bring a new level of intensity to the Lakers' pre-season workouts.

"It will definitely change with his competitiveness," said Jim Cleamons, who with fellow assistant coach Frank Hamblen is leading the team in Jackson's absence. "It exacerbates the situation sometimes, but that's not a bad thing."

Wearing dark glasses, Bryant met with the assembled media prior to last night's practice at Stan Sheriff Center and shared a few memories of his grandfather, John Cox.

Bryant said Cox, a skilled basketball and baseball player himself, used to send videotapes of NBA games to Bryant and his family when they lived in Italy. (Bryant's father, Joe, played basketball in Italy after a successful career in the NBA.)

"He used to sit in front of the TV during games and he'd be yelling at the TV, yelling at the referees and everything," Bryant said. "He used to call me after the game still pumped up and everything. So I'm sure he'd want me here working as hard as I possibly can.

"It was pretty tough," Bryant said of the days following Cox' death. "I had to get a chance to recuperate and gather my thoughts, put things in perspective. Now it's time to get back to work."

Bryant said he stayed in touch with Brian Shaw and Rick Fox during his absence and read up on some of his new teammates, including free-agent pickups Mitch Richmond, Samaki Walker and Lindsey Hunter.

"I think it's important just to try and find a rhythm," Bryant said. "We have a lot of new guys and it's important that we tuck them into what we're trying to do here."

Bryant said he also has some work of his own to take care of.

"I have to get my legs back into condition to play a professional game," he said. "I've been really relaxing my knees, resting my legs, getting ready for a long season. So I'm going to have to run myself back in shape."

O'Neal, whose strained relationship with Bryant was closely scrutinized last year, said he was happy to have Bryant in the fold.

"I'm glad he's back," O'Neal said. "I send my condolences out to him and his family. I'm sure it was hard for him. We're just going to take our time and get back into the thick of things."

With Shaq likely out for the pre-season and possibly the start of the regular season, Bryant will be the primary target of opposing defenses early on. He was in a similar situation last year as O'Neal worked himself back into shape in the first months of the season. He responded by leading the league in scoring, though sometimes at the expense of his teammates.

That shouldn't be the case this year, Cleamons said.

"Hopefully he won't have to do that," Cleamons said. "If a point arises where he has to score points and take on more of an offensive load, that's good and bad. I think he's wise enough and mature enough that when teams start running at him, he'll give the ball up to the open man. He was very good in the playoffs at doing that and there's no reason why that shouldn't continue."

Tickets for the Lakers' exhibition games against the Golden State Warriors (Oct. 7 and 9) are still available through the Stan Sheriff Center box office.

• Note: As part of the NBA's new security measures, no bags of any kind will be allowed at Stan Sheriff Center during the Lakers' exhibition games. Purses will be allowed but are subject to security check.