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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, October 5, 2003

Lakers' Bryant faces full-court press

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kobe Bryant, who is facing sexual assault charges, tells reporters he thought of not playing this season.

Photos by Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Laker star Kobe Bryant, who admittedly hasn't trained much recently, got in a few practice shots yesterday at UH.
In 48 hours, Kobe Bryant went from under the weather to under the media microscope.

After a one-day delay, Bryant made a much-anticipated first appearance at the Los Angeles Lakers' training camp yesterday on the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus.

The star guard is facing sexual assault charges, and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday in Eagle, Colo.

Yesterday, he was greeted by supportive teammates and a sound bite-starved media horde.

Admitting he feels "terrified" for his family, and that he thought about not playing basketball at all this season, Bryant addressed the media for the first time since being charged on July 18.

"I feel most comfortable at home," Bryant said. "But I have a job to do and I love playing basketball, so I come out here and give it my best effort."

He added that his appearance on the basketball court should not be perceived as an escape from the ongoing case.

"You think I should stay here and play if I had something to do for the case?" he said. "You can't imagine what it's like going through what I'm going through and still going through. ... In this environment, in this world, people think a seventh game (of a championship series) is pressure. You kidding me?"

Bryant, 25, was charged in July with felony sexual assault of a female hotel clerk at a resort in Colorado. Bryant, who was not allowed to talk about the case yesterday, has previously said that he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old woman.

When asked if he was scared because of the ongoing situation, Bryant replied: "Terrified. Terrified. Not so much for myself, but just for what my family has been going through. They have nothing to do with this. But just because their names have been dragged through the mud, I'm scared for them."

Bryant also said he spent about a month contemplating his status as a professional basketball player for this season.

"Basketball to me just took a backseat," he said. "The most important thing to me is my family and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with them.

"I kind of wavered back and forth. Maybe a month ago I decided (to come back) for sure. My wife kind of encouraged me to go back and play."

More than 70 media representatives have been following the Lakers this week, primarily because of Bryant.

High-profile free agents Gary Payton and Karl Malone are in camp for the first time as Lakers, and star center Shaquille O'Neal has been declared "trim and in great shape" by head coach Phil Jackson, but all of them have had to answer questions about Bryant.

"I think Kobe realizes that we're his supporting cast," Malone said. "The most important thing is that we got the whole team here. And we're a team."

The Lakers' training camp in Honolulu started Tuesday, but Bryant and the other veteran players did not have to report until Thursday. Bryant was originally scheduled to practice with the team for the first time Friday, but he missed the team's private flight Thursday because he was "under the weather," according to team officials.

"It wasn't like a flu, but I was sick," Bryant said.

Bryant's participation in practice was limited because he is still recovering from surgeries on his right shoulder and right knee during the summer.

"He had a lot of fun on the court," Jackson said. "He was jocular with his teammates. "

According to Jackson, Bryant participated in several drills, but not in half-court or full-court scrimmages.

In addition to the injuries, Bryant said the ongoing case "affected me to the point where I didn't train."

However, Bryant has been through seven training camps with the Lakers prior to this one.

"I pretty much know what I have to do," he said. "My role will change this season because of our acquisitions, but we'll figure it out as the season goes on."

Three private security guards were hired by Bryant and the Lakers for this week. Even when Bryant shot baskets by himself after practice yesterday, the security team surrounded the four corners of the half court and kept the media "behind the lines."

Bryant said the added security was not a sign of threats to him or his family.

"Just being cautious with people," he said. "It's very difficult for me to trust anybody."

Since being charged with sexual assault, Bryant said his life has been "like a roller coaster."

"You have your good days, you have your bad days," he added. "At home you have your worst days, then other days it's great. Sometimes, it doesn't seem like there's light at the end of the tunnel. Then you just pray, you have faith, and next thing you know, the light is brighter than ever."

Bryant, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, ranked second in the NBA with 30.0 points per game last season. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists and was a first team All-NBA selection.

"Playing the game of basketball, to me, is not difficult," he said. "Going through what we're going through is difficult."

Because of the Thursday preliminary hearing and his injuries, Bryant's status for exhibition games against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and Wednesday is still uncertain.

"We didn't discuss it, but I'm not counting on (Bryant playing)," Jackson said.

O'Neal also sat out most of yesterday's practice with a bruised heel, and his status for the exhibition games is uncertain.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.