How did Kobe force the Charlotte-L.A. Draft Day Trade?

[RiseUpAtlanta]

I've always wondered how a 17-18 year old was able to get himself traded to a big market city...does anyone know the story? Why was he able to do it and not others?

[kgisbigticket]

I've always wondered how a 17-18 year old was able to get himself traded to a big market city...does anyone know the story? Why was he able to do it and not others?

Lakers already had Shaq who was only 25, what was the purpose of having Divac and Elden Campbell as backups?

[Da KO King]

Kobe was thought to still have his NCAA eligibility. Back then if he decided to go to college I believe the pro team would lose his draft rights.

[ErhnamDjinn]

Kobe was thought to still have his NCAA eligibility. Back then if he decided to go to college I believe the pro team would lose his draft rights.
so your saying he basically held the hornets hostage? Trade me or I play college ball?

[KobesOneUglyTat]

it was pre-arranged, the hornets took kobe with the intent of trading him. the trade wasn't forced it had been hammered out weeks prior.

[KobesOneUglyTat]

Kobe was thought to still have his NCAA eligibility. Back then if he decided to go to college I believe the pro team would lose his draft rights.

no, only if you had not signed with a agent. kobe had an agent.

[Da KO King]

so your saying he basically held the hornets hostage? Trade me or I play college ball?
That what I was told.

[Da KO King]

no, only if you had not signed with a agent. kobe had an agent.
I believe Kobe "only" had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording.

[KobesOneUglyTat]

I believe Kobe "only" had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording.

i'm pretty sure he had an agent who negiated the whole thing with the lakers and hornets, as well as a shoe deal with adidas.

[eliteballer]

Kobe's agent at the time was good friends with Jerry West, he was probably behind Kobe's demand.

[hawkfan]

Calipari wanted to draft Kobe for the Nets, but somehow that didn't go through. I don't know if it was Kobe or team management.

The Charlotte thing was not a hostage type deal - they wanted Vlade Divac and were willing to trade Kobe to get him.

Remember at that time, high school players going straight to the pros wasn't very common, and it usually took four or five years for a guy to get really good - see Jermaine O'Neal for more on that.

[Da KO King]

i'm pretty sure he had an agent who negiated the whole thing with the lakers and hornets, as well as a shoe deal with adidas.
The shoe deal came later that summer. I'm almost 100% certain that Kobe's people were just advisors.

By only having them as advisors Kobe would keep his eligibility. Since Kobe's family still had a good deal of money from his dad's playing career they paid out the pocket for all the pre-draft workouts/training thus keeping him good for the NCAA.

[VCDrivesAPorscheToWork]

Kobe also said there was no snowball's chance in hell he would show up in New Jersey if they drafted him, so the Nets went for Kerry Kittles instead

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

Lakers traded Divacs to clear room and cap money for Shaq. Hoping that Kobe Bryant would become a Super Star.

Divac, though, isn't bitter about being traded after spending his first seven years in the league with the Lakers. He said Monday night he understood that basketball is a business.

With the trade, the Lakers will clear more than $ 3 million in salary cap room (for their expected Shaquille O'Neal quest) and also bring in the youngest player in their history in Bryant, who won't be 18 until Aug. 23.

"I knew they were thinking about getting Shaq and obviously in order to do that, they needed to trade me," Divac said. "I am not at all angry with the Lakers. The thing is, they are like my family. When I came here they were wonderful to me, so I want to help them in any way I can. "

[YAWN]

Kobe also said there was no snowball's chance in hell he would show up in New Jersey if they drafted him, so the Nets went for Kerry Kittles instead

I think that had to do with the deal Jerry West already had in place.

[dejordan]

Calipari wanted to draft Kobe for the Nets, but somehow that didn't go through. I don't know if it was Kobe or team management.

The Charlotte thing was not a hostage type deal - they wanted Vlade Divac and were willing to trade Kobe to get him.

Remember at that time, high school players going straight to the pros wasn't very common, and it usually took four or five years for a guy to get really good - see Jermaine O'Neal for more on that.
the way i heard it, ownership really wanted kittles for some reason, but agreed that if kittles wasn't available at their pick they would draft kobe.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

The shoe deal came later that summer. I'm almost 100% certain that Kobe's people were just advisors.

By only having them as advisors Kobe would keep his eligibility. Since Kobe's family still had a good deal of money from his dad's playing career they paid out the pocket for all the pre-draft workouts/training thus keeping him good for the NCAA.

Wrong. Kobe Bryant did signed with an agent, before NBA draft night. He signed with legendary agency, William Morris Agency.

Bryant ended all speculation that winter during high school basketball season at a press conference in his high school Lower Merion gym when he announced that he had decided to take his talents to the NBA. Shortly after he signed on with the William Morris Agency, he signed multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas and Sprite. The news created mixed reviews.

[evinecz]

:confusedshrug:

[John Starks]

There are two versions of this story - despite bold posting, no one reaslly knows the answer (besides those who were involved).

In the Kobe is a prick version - KObe said at the draft said "I only want to play for the Lakers" - Yi style - so the Hornets were forced into makign the Vlade deal (which really wans't that bad for them)

In the Char is a bunch of idiots version - Char. did not value Kobe, but big genius Jerry West singularly recognized Kobe's greatness and Char made a terrible deal.

Both Char and Kobe worked hard to spin it the other way -- but since Kobe has been around longer than Char. mgmt and has more fans, his version is slowly becoming more the truth.

The truth likely lies in the middle. Kobe only wanted to play for LA. Total b!tch move, but we see it annually. Char did not value anyone in the draft after Kobe as much as the Lakers package (not a bad package at all) they agreed with LA for this deal.

[SomeBunghole]

The shoe deal came later that summer. I'm almost 100% certain that Kobe's people were just advisors.

By only having them as advisors Kobe would keep his eligibility. Since Kobe's family still had a good deal of money from his dad's playing career they paid out the pocket for all the pre-draft workouts/training thus keeping him good for the NCAA.

But that has nothing to do with eligibility once you're drafted. The rules about agents only applied to declaring for draft. If you did not have an agent, but declared for draft, you could go back to school if no one selected you. If you were drafted, that was it.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

There are two versions of this story - despite bold posting, no one reaslly knows the answer (besides those who were involved).

In the Kobe is a prick version - KObe said at the draft said "I only want to play for the Lakers" - Yi style - so the Hornets were forced into makign the Vlade deal (which really wans't that bad for them)

In the Char is a bunch of idiots version - Char. did not value Kobe, but big genius Jerry West singularly recognized Kobe's greatness and Char made a terrible deal.

Both Char and Kobe worked hard to spin it the other way -- but since Kobe has been around longer than Char. mgmt and has more fans, his version is slowly becoming more the truth.

The truth likely lies in the middle. Kobe only wanted to play for LA. Total b!tch move, but we see it annually. Char did not value anyone in the draft after Kobe as much as the Lakers package (not a bad package at all) they agreed with LA for this deal.


Charlotte did not see Kobe Bryant as a Super Star. They saw him as a high school kid not wanting to go to college. Char really needed a big man and the Lakers came into the picture. Char trades their #13 pick to the Lakers for a NBA All-Star in Divac. It was the perfect situation for them. But, Kobe Bryant turned out to be an NBA Super Star and the best player in the leauge..

[Da KO King]

Wrong. Kobe Bryant did signed with an agent, before NBA draft night. He signed with legendary agency, William Morris Agency.

Bryant ended all speculation that winter during high school basketball season at a press conference in his high school Lower Merion gym when he announced that he had decided to take his talents to the NBA. Shortly after he signed on with the William Morris Agency, he signed multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas and Sprite. The news created mixed reviews.How certain of the accuracy of this are you? Is it a entry from Wikipedia?

Kobe Bryant didn't turn 18 until AFTER he was drafted so I'm not sure if he would be able to sign with the WM agency. Plus WM only does marketing management so they couldn't speak on Kobe's behalf to a NBA team.

Maybe that's why he only had advisors. :confusedshrug:

[gts]

according to sonny vicaro, addidas guy, west saw kobe work out and wanted him, west went to vicaro because addidas had a deal in place for kobe if he went pro. vicaro contacted kobe and kobe said if he could go to the lakers he would indeed turn pro, west and the hornets were already talking trade because of shaq and a deal was struck that they would draft kobe and trade him to the lakers, kobe hired an agent before the draft on the advice of vicarro and the rest is history... radio and the print media here in la knew for a week before the draft and were talking about it nonstop

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

Plus WM only does marketing management so they couldn't speak on Kobe's behalf to a NBA team.

Maybe that's why he only had advisors. :confusedshrug:


Are you this stupid? Or trying so hard to be right? William Morris signed Kobe for endorsement deals. Which you are correct. But if an athlete signs with any "AGENT", he/she loses his NCAA eligibility. So technically Kobe Bryant did sign with an Agent.

[Da KO King]

But that has nothing to do with eligibility once you're drafted. The rules about agents only applied to declaring for draft. If you did not have an agent, but declared for draft, you could go back to school if no one selected you. If you were drafted, that was it.
Actually it used to be if you didn't like were you were selected you could go back.

You gotta remember what we're talking about was two CBA's ago.

[Showtime]

nvm

[GOBB]

I've always wondered how a 17-18 year old was able to get himself traded to a big market city...does anyone know the story? Why was he able to do it and not others?

He threatened to not play for anyone besides the L.A Lakers. NJ Nets were gonna draft him until he let them know he didnt wanna play for them. So they took Kerry Kittles and said screw you Kobe. Charlotte took him and I think they were gonna force him to play or use him as trade bait because he was too talented to pass up. Jerry West hounded them and pulled a trade.

Either way it came down to Kobe putting it out there to lottery teams he had no interest in playing for them while the Lakers tried to swing deals. Thats how I remember it.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

according to sonny vicaro, addidas guy, west saw kobe work out and wanted him, west went to vicaro because addidas had a deal in place for kobe if he went pro. vicaro contacted kobe and kobe said if he could go to the lakers he would indeed turn pro, west and the hornets were already talking trade because of shaq and a deal was struck that they would draft kobe and trade him to the lakers, kobe hired an agent before the draft on the advice of vicarro and the rest is history... radio and the print media here in la knew for a week before the draft and were talking about it nonstop


Exactly...William Morris Agency step in and did all the contracts...Kobe Bryant did hired an agent before the draft..

[gts]

Actually it used to be if you didn't like were you were selected you could go back.

You gotta remember what we're talking about was two CBA's ago.the NBA's CBA has no effect on NCAA rulings

[John Starks]

It would be great if everyone who is so ****-sure of their response would post some kind of source or footnote or link.

...because i think you guys don't know sh/1t.

[Da KO King]

Are you this stupid? Or trying so hard to be right? William Morris signed Kobe for endorsement deals. Which you are correct. But if an athlete signs with any "AGENT", he/she loses his NCAA eligibility. So technically Kobe Bryant did sign with an Agent.
Was the name calling really needed?

Why not read what I typed again. Maybe then you'll realize that my comment was about why I was told he only had advisors and not agents.

[Aidan]

Damn, Vlade Divac is one classy man....

The trade made sense for both teams at the time, the Lakers got the better of it.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

Was the name calling really needed?

Why not read what I typed again. Maybe then you'll realize that my comment was about why I was told he only had advisors and not agents.


*Shaking Head* Listen up. Kobe Bryant signed with William Morris. William Morris Agency are "AGENTS", not advisors. Signing with any "AGENTS" loses your NCAA playing rights, even if it's an endorsement "AGENT". Are you this thick-headed?

[SomeBunghole]

Actually it used to be if you didn't like were you were selected you could go back.

You gotta remember what we're talking about was two CBA's ago.

No, it used to be that if you were selected, but had eligibility, you could go back, but the team kept your rights. And this was gone by 1996. This is what happened to Bird, the Celtics took a gamble and chose him in the 78 draft, but he went back to school. They still had his rights, so it's not as if someone else could've just drafted him this year.

[GOBB]

It would be great if everyone who is so ****-sure of their response would post some kind of source or footnote or link.

...because i think you guys don't know sh/1t.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7394204

At the 1996 draft, business compelled Bryant to bluff his way out of New Jersey and into Hollywood. His agent, Arn Tellem, and sneaker benefactor, Sonny Vaccaro, told the Nets their client would play in Italy if they had the nerve to pick him.

The Nets blinked at No. 8, Bryant fell to Charlotte at No. 13, and the Lakers sent Vlade Divac to the Hornets in a pre-arranged trade


http://www.mindritesports.com/category/washington-wizards/

2. The Charlotte Hornets trade the draft rights to the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

As the story goes…

The night before the 1996 draft the New Jersey Nets GM John Nash and new VP & head coach John Calipari ate dinner with Kobe Bryant’s parents. With the eighth pick of the draft the Nets were going to select the high school star. Bryant lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia allowing him to stay close to home and commute to Continental Airlines Arena in Jersey. Adidas’ Sonny Vaccaro had different plans for Kobe. Adidas just signed Kobe to a ten million dollar contract desiring him in a bigger market than New Jersey. The Hornets and the Lakers made a deal. Vaccaro and Bryant’s agent Arn Tellem told Nash that if the Nets selected Kobe he would refuse to play for them. Entering his first year as an NBA head coach Calipari did not want to take the risk. The rest is history, Kobe fell all the way to 13th were Jerry West already had his deal in place and dealt Vlade Divac for Kobe.

With that being said, Charlotte made a terrible mistake giving Kobe Bryant away to the Lakers. Sure Vlade Divac is one of only four (Kareem, Olajuwon, and Garnett) players in NBA history to achieve 13,000pts, 9,000rebs, and 3,000 assists. I don’t care if the 1996-1997 season was the best season in franchise history (54-28) for the Hornets. Vlade only averaged 11pts and 9rebs during his two seasons with the Hornets. I am sure the hive would have loved a Mugsy Bogues, Kobe Bryant backcourt to team with Glen Rice and Anthony Mason.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7394204

At the 1996 draft, business compelled Bryant to bluff his way out of New Jersey and into Hollywood. His agent, Arn Tellem, and sneaker benefactor, Sonny Vaccaro, told the Nets their client would play in Italy if they had the nerve to pick him.

The Nets blinked at No. 8, Bryant fell to Charlotte at No. 13, and the Lakers sent Vlade Divac to the Hornets in a pre-arranged trade


Thanks for the link GOBB. Just another proof, that Kobe Bryant did have an agent entering the draft.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

[QUOTE=GOBB][url]Adidas

[Da KO King]

No, it used to be that if you were selected, but had eligibility, you could go back, but the team kept your rights. And this was gone by 1996. This is what happened to Bird, the Celtics took a gamble and chose him in the 78 draft, but he went back to school. They still had his rights, so it's not as if someone else could've just drafted him this year.
That's silly. So if you don't like were you got drafted you can go back to college but are stuck where you got drafted? What's the point then? :confusedshrug:



Thanks for the link GoBB.

[gts]

Thanks for the link GOBB. Just another proof, that Kobe Bryant did have an agent entering the draft.and that a deal was in place before the draft

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

By only having them as advisors Kobe would keep his eligibility. Since Kobe's family still had a good deal of money from his dad's playing career they paid out the pocket for all the pre-draft workouts/training thus keeping him good for the NCAA.

Wrong.

Entering draft night, his agent, Arn Tellem, and sneaker benefactor, Sonny Vaccaro, told the Nets their client would play in Italy if they had the nerve to pick him.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

and that a deal was in place before the draft


thanks gts.

[Da KO King]

*Shaking Head* Listen up. Kobe Bryant signed with William Morris. William Morris Agency are "AGENTS", not advisors. Are you this thick-headed?
You really are a jackass.

Early in this thread I said, "I believe Kobe 'only' had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording."

You then bring up Kobe Bryant signing with William Morris. WM is not a sporting agency and does not speak to NBA teams. So that means Kobe either spoke to NBA suits himself or had someone guiding him.

My response was "Maybe that's why he only had advisors." (if I knew you would be such a jackass about it I would have typed "Maybe that's why I was told he only had advisors")

I think it's clear to anyone with decent reading comprehension that I'm not arguing his signing with an agency. I'm simply speaking on why I was under the impression that he only had advisors through the draft process... which WM has no hand in because they only do endorsments and not player contracts.

[SomeBunghole]

That's silly. So if you don't like were you got drafted you can go back to college but are stuck where you got drafted? What's the point then? :confusedshrug:

No, Bird never declared for the draft. He was automatically eligible under the then-CBA, and he also had one year of NCAA eligibility left. Since he had no intention of playing in the NBA that year, and he had done nothing to void his eligibility, he played one more year.

Anyway, there's useful information here that explains why Kobe could not go back to college, no matter what team drafted him: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/1998/07/01/mcdavid_back/

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

You really are a jackass.

Early in this thread I said, "I believe Kobe 'only' had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording."

You then bring up Kobe Bryant signing with William Morris. WM is not a sporting agency and does not speak to NBA teams. So that means Kobe either spoke to NBA suits himself or had someone guiding him.

My response was "Maybe that's why he only had advisors." (if I knew you would be such a jackass about it I would have typed "Maybe that's why I was told he only had advisors")

I think it's clear to anyone with decent reading comprehension that I'm not arguing his signing with an agency. I'm simply speaking on why I was under the impression that he only had advisors through the draft process... which WM has no hand in because they only do endorsments and not player contracts.


Okay, retard. Who are his advisors? William Morris? They're "AGENTS", f-tard! Signing with any Agents loses his NCAA playing rights.

You were convinced Kobe Bryant had "NO AGENTS", which you are wrong. Stop covering up your ass. You're nothing but a coward, trying to be right. But you're wrong. Admit it and move on.

In terms of "Agents". GOBB posted a link stating he did have an "AGENT" entering the draft. You're wrong on all account. Admit it and move on...

[Da KO King]

No, Bird never declared for the draft....
No I wasn't talking about Larry; just talking in general.

Kind of silly to say "if the draft didn't work out how you like you can come back... but you still have to go to the NBA team that made you want to go back to college."

[Da KO King]

Can someone please tell me that they understand what I'm saying because this kat obviously isn't getting it?

[gts]

Can someone please tell me that they understand what I'm saying because this kat obviously isn't getting it?what are you saying exactly

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

A fan of Tonie? Go figure..Kid is losing his mind.

GOBB posted a link, stating Kobe Bryant did have an "AGENT" entering the draft. This kid is still trying to cover his ass.. *shaking head*

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

what are you saying exactly


That's what I am trying to figure out now. First, he said Kobe Bryant only had advisor entering the draft. GOBB posted a link saying, Kobe Bryant had an "AGENT" entering the draft. Now, he's going on a rampage trying to be right..

[dejordan]

Can someone please tell me that they understand what I'm saying because this kat obviously isn't getting it?
yeah, i got you. you HEARD something that didn't turn out to be accurate - namely that he wasn't covered by an nba agent during the draft because one of his agencies wasn't repping him in bball negotiations and you weren't aware of the other. i don't know why anyone would want to have a slap fight about it anyway. it doesn't speak to bryant's character in either case except in terms of how much leverage he had, and if gobb's quoted material is right the only difference from your initial post and what actually happened is that he threatened to go to italy rather than duke if someone not named west wound up with him.

i do have another question for everyone though: would it have been possible for the lakers to trade divac (w/ a package of campbell and maybe van excel) for someone or someones who would actually have helped the lakers start winning titles in the 90s? kobe wasn't a great fit at first (rookie who duplicated a lot of eddie jones's skills) and elden was an awful fit, so it's possible that the team could have been significantly better initially if they'd gone another way - though obviously they'd be watching kobe score a zillion points a season right now and probably tearing their hair out hearing about how they gave up the second coming.

[SomeBunghole]

You couldn't go back to college, though. NCAA is an amateur organization, and they took that pretty seriously back in the day. Attending workouts, hiring agents, getting drafted, that was all stuff that could screw with your eligibility. Occasionally, things would happen, such as Bird's case, where he was technically a senior, and therefore automatically eligible for the draft, whether he wanted to be drafted or not, but also had only used up 3 years of his NCAA eligibility, and hence was able to go back. Basically, you could say that he was drafted through no fault of his own, so he was able to go back.

You couldn't just choose to go back to school. Mostly, it was because back in Bird's day, players did not declare early as much. If you were drafted, it usually meant you've already used up all 4 years, and couldn't go back to school. If you declared early, that would void your NCAA eligibility.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

yeah, i got you. you HEARD something that didn't turn out to be accurate.


All he needed to do was to admit he was wrong and move on. End of story..But, no....He went on a rampage attacking me, calling names, etcs..

I don't get this board man. Bunch of losers with lots of time on their hands...

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

You couldn't go back to college, though. .


Exactly, SomeBunghole. SomeBunghole been trying to set Da Kong Hole right too. But the kid is in his own little world..

[Da KO King]

yeah, i got you. you HEARD something that didn't turn out to be accurate - namely that he wasn't covered by an nba agent during the draft because one of his agencies wasn't repping him in bball negotiations and you weren't aware of the other. i don't know why anyone would want to have a slap fight about it anyway....
At least someone gets it.

Hell, I haven't even spoken on Kobe's eligibility since the first page.

[NewYorkUSCtrojan]

At least someone gets it.

Hell, I haven't even spoken on Kobe's eligibility since the first page.


Just admit your wrong. GOBB posted a link stating Kobe Bryant did have an "AGENT". Admit your wrong and move on.

No one was talking about Kobe's eligibility. You were convinced on Kobe Bryant not having an "AGENT". Facts has been shown. Man up now. Now you are spinning the entire story. 5,000 post counts shows, making stupid post after stupid post.. Man up son..!

[dejordan]

Just admit your wrong. GOBB posted a link stating Kobe Bryant did have an "AGENT". Admit your wrong and move on.

No one was talking about Kobe's eligibility. You were convinced on Kobe Bryant not having an "AGENT". Facts has been shown. Man up now. Now you are spinning the entire story. 5,000 post counts shows, making stupid post after stupid post.. Man up son..!
now i pretty much never bother to defend anybody on this board (myself included anymore), cause what's the point? sticks and stones and bytes etc, but i will here because this is just unnecessary.

king knows more about the actual game of basketball and how it is coached and played than about 99% of this board (myself included here as well), and has created some of the most intersting threads i've read. you're calling him out about a technicallity that he never claimed to know as a fact but as a rumor. all this other bs has been him trying to explain why he originally believed it to be true that kobe wasn't officially repped by an nba agent not to prove that he was correct or that anybody else was wrong, just that he had a reason for thinking the way he did.

for some reason this offends you and nobody else. imo this messageboard doesn't particularly need people who apparently have good nba knowledge but would rather not talk about ball, but instead act as watchdogs and lawyers cause for them it's all about anonymous justice. for all those interested in policing the correctitude of your fellow users, it's not too late to take "matlock" as your username.

[SomeBunghole]

What dejordan said.

Getting back on track, Kobe's threat to play in Italy may not seem like much of a threat nowadays, but back then it was a serious thing. The Clippers took Danny Ferry second back in 1989, and he promptly retaliated by playing in Italy for a year. Before that, in '84, a future All Star center Joe Barry Carrol played in Italy for a year due to a contract dispute with the Warriors. in 1990, Brian Shaw also bolted to Italy in a contract dispute with the Celtics.

Now, this didn't mean their teams got completely shafted, with Ferry's rights being retained indefinitely by the Clippers, and Shaw and Carroll not being able to play in the NBA until the issues were resolved, but it's not a pleasant situation for a team. The Clippers ended up trading Ferry, who turned out to be a ****e player anyway, but the entire situation was in retrospect the start of a very lean decade for the club, where the management made one blunder after another.

Though having the 8th pick in the draft isn't as valuable as having a top-3 pick, the Nets(or any other team) certainly wanted to avoid wasting it on a player who would play in Europe(see Fran Vasquez fiasco).

[John Starks]

for some reason this offends you and nobody else. imo this messageboard doesn't particularly need people who apparently have good nba knowledge but would rather not talk about ball, but instead act as watchdogs and lawyers cause for them it's all about anonymous justice. for all those interested in policing the correctitude of your fellow users, it's not too late to take "matlock" as your username.

I do not beleive correctitude is a word and will not rest until you take it back.

[dejordan]

I do not beleive correctitude is a word and will not rest until you take it back.
and i'm pretty sure "beleive" is not a word. you probably meant belize.

[John Starks]

and i'm pretty sure "beleive" is not a word. you probably meant belize.

I'm pretty sure that you cannot start a sentance with the word "and", am very sure that you cannot start a sentance with a lower case "a" or "y" and am absolutely positude that you cannot spell "i'm" with a lower case "I".

Now admit that you were wrong or I'll be forcitude to take serious action.

[dejordan]

I'm pretty sure that you cannot start a sentance with the word "and", am very sure that you cannot start a sentance with a lower case "a" or "y" and am absolutely positude that you cannot spell "i'm" with a lower case "I".

Now admit that you were wrong or I'll be forcitude to take serious action.
i admit nothing! NOTHING! NOTHING!!!

now if you were to change your ID to "matlock" i'd have no choice, because you'd have old-timey law on your side.

[DTD]

Shinn calls Divac deal best in Hornets history

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug 20, 1996 - 23:05 EST) -- His new boss apparently wasn't
listening Tuesday when Vlade Divac said how good it was to get away from Los Angeles
and the pressure that surrounds playing for the Lakers. Divac, the Charlotte Hornets'
new center, said he had grown somewhat weary of unrealistic expectations that
surrounded his seven-year stay in Los Angeles. But Hornets owner George Shinn made it
clear he has his own high hopes for the deal that brought Divac to Charlotte in
exchange for the Lakers getting the rights to first-round draft pick Kobe Bryant.
"I think this is probably the best trade we've made in the history of the franchise,"
said Shinn, whose club slipped from a 50-game winner to one that missed the playoffs
last season. While Shinn hopes the deal triggers the Hornets' return to the NBA's
upper echelon, Divac said he's just thankful for a fresh start. "In your life you
always need changes, to find a new challenge," he said. "And I think it's perfect
timing for me. A new city, a new club -- what could be better? You come to a city
where people like basketball, where you have a great organization and try to win
basketball games and enjoy yourself. I think that's what's important for me."


Divac initially balked at the trade, saying he would rather retire than leave Los
Angeles, the only city he has called home since emigrating from his native
Yugoslavia. Divac said Tuesday his first thoughts were clouded by concern for his
wife, Ana, and their two young sons, Luka and Matia, and the roots the family has
established in California. "Emotions start working so fast, so that was my reaction,"
Divac said. "But basically, I'm so happy that I'm here." When Divac told his wife of
the trade and his decision to retire, she flew to Germany, where he was on an
exhibition tour with the Yugoslavia Olympic team. Ana said she convinced him that at
age 28, he was too young to give up basketball. "It's what he does. It's what he's
done all his life," she said. "At first, it was hard for us, but now I think we're
going to do well here." Divac said the family will keep its home in the Los Angeles
suburb of Pacific Palisades and rent a home in the Charlotte area. His wife and
children will come to Charlotte when the Hornets have homestands. Tuesday was the
first trip to Charlotte for Divac and his wife since the July 11 trade. He helped
Yugoslavia win a silver medal in the Olympics, then took some time off to relax.


Divac appears to have adjusted quickly to his new team and new coach, Dave Cowens,
whom he refers to as "Coach Dave." "He may not like me a whole lot by the end of
October," a grinning Cowens said, "but right now we're pretty good buddies." The
7-foot-1, 250-pound Divac has averaged 12.5 points over his NBA career. Last season
he led the Lakers in rebounding for the fourth consecutive season and finished 14th
in the league in blocks, 22nd in field-goal percentage and 24th in rebounding. Hakeem
Olajuwon was the only center in the league with more assists than Divac. "This man
really knows how to play," said Bob Bass, Charlotte's vice president of basketball
operations. "We're getting a shot-blocker, we're getting a rebounder, we're getting a
scorer and we're getting one of the great passers in the NBA." "I'm not maybe a man
who can take a franchise to the top by myself," Divac said, "but I can make a lot of
players on my team better."

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.sports.basketball.nba.char-hornets/browse_thread/thread/654007c77eb1526a/162ffd82524584c8?hl=en&lnk=st&q=Charlotte+Hornets+kobe+vlade#162ffd82524584c8

[hotsizzle]

according to sonny vicaro, addidas guy, west saw kobe work out and wanted him, west went to vicaro because addidas had a deal in place for kobe if he went pro. vicaro contacted kobe and kobe said if he could go to the lakers he would indeed turn pro, west and the hornets were already talking trade because of shaq and a deal was struck that they would draft kobe and trade him to the lakers, kobe hired an agent before the draft on the advice of vicarro and the rest is history... radio and the print media here in la knew for a week before the draft and were talking about it nonstop

yep. I watched an interview with West where he said after Kobe worked out for the Lakers, he knew he had to do anything to get him

[Doctor Rivers]

http://www.journalnow.com/archives/article_e7a4ddee-ed8d-5be1-9b81-723b924628ec.html

[dreamwarrior]

the way i heard it, ownership really wanted kittles for some reason, but agreed that if kittles wasn't available at their pick they would draft kobe.
In the war room I don't believe they even spoke about Kobe

[hawke812]

[QUOTE=GOBB]http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7394204

At the 1996 draft, business compelled Bryant to bluff his way out of New Jersey and into Hollywood. His agent, Arn Tellem, and sneaker benefactor, Sonny Vaccaro, told the Nets their client would play in Italy if they had the nerve to pick him.

The Nets blinked at No. 8, Bryant fell to Charlotte at No. 13, and the Lakers sent Vlade Divac to the Hornets in a pre-arranged trade


http://www.mindritesports.com/category/washington-wizards/

[I]2. The Charlotte Hornets trade the draft rights to the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

As the story goes

[hawke812]

There are two versions of this story - despite bold posting, no one reaslly knows the answer (besides those who were involved).

In the Kobe is a prick version - KObe said at the draft said "I only want to play for the Lakers" - Yi style - so the Hornets were forced into makign the Vlade deal (which really wans't that bad for them)

In the Char is a bunch of idiots version - Char. did not value Kobe, but big genius Jerry West singularly recognized Kobe's greatness and Char made a terrible deal.

Both Char and Kobe worked hard to spin it the other way -- but since Kobe has been around longer than Char. mgmt and has more fans, his version is slowly becoming more the truth.

The truth likely lies in the middle. Kobe only wanted to play for LA. Total b!tch move, but we see it annually. Char did not value anyone in the draft after Kobe as much as the Lakers package (not a bad package at all) they agreed with LA for this deal.

Yes, the made up one by Kobe haters, and the documented truth:lol

http://www.journalnow.com/archives/article_e7a4ddee-ed8d-5be1-9b81-723b924628ec.html

[hawke812]

What dejordan said.

Getting back on track, Kobe's threat to play in Italy may not seem like much of a threat nowadays, but back then it was a serious thing. The Clippers took Danny Ferry second back in 1989, and he promptly retaliated by playing in Italy for a year. Before that, in '84, a future All Star center Joe Barry Carrol played in Italy for a year due to a contract dispute with the Warriors. in 1990, Brian Shaw also bolted to Italy in a contract dispute with the Celtics.

Now, this didn't mean their teams got completely shafted, with Ferry's rights being retained indefinitely by the Clippers, and Shaw and Carroll not being able to play in the NBA until the issues were resolved, but it's not a pleasant situation for a team. The Clippers ended up trading Ferry, who turned out to be a ****e player anyway, but the entire situation was in retrospect the start of a very lean decade for the club, where the management made one blunder after another.

Though having the 8th pick in the draft isn't as valuable as having a top-3 pick, the Nets(or any other team) certainly wanted to avoid wasting it on a player who would play in Europe(see Fran Vasquez fiasco).

Link, bruh?

[SexSymbol]

Jerry West looked at Kobe weeks and months before draft as a possible candidate for the Lakers.
Kobe had no say in this

[oh the horror]

Links are dead, all made up :confusedshrug:



Links are dead because this tread is 7 years old.


Dude up there bumped a 7 year old thread to say one thing.