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?
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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?
[QUOTE=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?[/QUOTE]
Lakers already had Shaq who was only 25, what was the purpose of having Divac and Elden Campbell as backups?
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.
[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]
so your saying he basically held the hornets hostage? Trade me or I play college ball?
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.
[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]
no, only if you had not signed with a agent. kobe had an agent.
[QUOTE=ErhnamDjinn]so your saying he basically held the hornets hostage? Trade me or I play college ball?[/QUOTE]
That what I was told.
[QUOTE=KobesOneUglyTat]no, only if you had not signed with a agent. kobe had an agent.[/QUOTE]
I believe Kobe "only" had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording.
[QUOTE=Da KO King]I believe Kobe "only" had advisors not agents. Same function but a loophole in wording.[/QUOTE]
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.
Kobe's agent at the time was good friends with Jerry West, he was probably behind Kobe's demand.
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.
[QUOTE=KobesOneUglyTat]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
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
[B]Lakers traded Divacs to clear room and cap money for Shaq. Hoping that Kobe Bryant would become a Super Star.[/B]
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. "
[QUOTE=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[/QUOTE]
I think that had to do with the deal Jerry West already had in place.
[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=Da KO King]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.[/QUOTE]
[B]Wrong. Kobe Bryant did signed with an agent, before NBA draft night. He signed with legendary agency, William Morris Agency.[/B]
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 [B]William Morris Agency[/B], he signed multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas and Sprite. The news created mixed reviews.
:confusedshrug:
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.
[QUOTE=Da KO King]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]
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..
[QUOTE=NewYorkUSCtrojan][B]Wrong. Kobe Bryant did signed with an agent, before NBA draft night. He signed with legendary agency, William Morris Agency.[/B]
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 [B]William Morris Agency[/B], he signed multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas and Sprite. The news created mixed reviews.[/QUOTE]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:
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
[QUOTE=Da KO King]
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:[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=SomeBunghole]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
nvm
[QUOTE=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?[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=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[/QUOTE]
Exactly...William Morris Agency step in and did all the contracts...Kobe Bryant did hired an agent before the draft..
[QUOTE=Da KO King]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.[/QUOTE]the NBA's CBA has no effect on NCAA rulings
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.
[QUOTE=NewYorkUSCtrojan]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
Damn, Vlade Divac is one classy man....
The trade made sense for both teams at the time, the Lakers got the better of it.
[QUOTE=Da KO King]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.[/QUOTE]
[B]*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?[/B]
[QUOTE=Da KO King]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7394204[/url]
[I]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[/I]
[url]http://www.mindritesports.com/category/washington-wizards/[/url]
[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…
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.[/I]
[QUOTE=GOBB][url]http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7394204[/url]
[I]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[/I][/QUOTE]
Thanks for the link GOBB. Just another proof, that Kobe Bryant did have an agent entering the draft.
[QUOTE=GOBB][url]Adidas
[QUOTE=SomeBunghole]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.[/QUOTE]
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.
[QUOTE=NewYorkUSCtrojan]Thanks for the link GOBB. Just another proof, that Kobe Bryant did have an agent entering the draft.[/QUOTE]and that a deal was in place before the draft
[QUOTE=Da KO King]
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.[/QUOTE]
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.