Speaking on TWC SportsNet's Connected With..., the Black Mamba indicated that he was "born a Laker" and has every intention of "dying one" too, per Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding.
Eloquently put, but not at all surprising.
Almost two decades of Kobe's life has been spent representing the Purple and Gold. At 35 and still rehabbing a ruptured Achilles, his ties to and appreciation of the Lakers organization have never seemed stronger.
Luckily for Kobe, the Lakers continue to heart him back.
General manager Mitch Kupchak made it clear in September that the Mamba wanted to be a Laker for life, and made it equally known that the team was dedicated to making that happen.
Los Angeles' plans for Kobe came under intermediate scrutiny, though, following the Orange County Register's T.J. Simers' report that the Lakers would allow him to hit free agency in 2014. Executive vice president Jim Buss dismissed such conjecture as quickly as it came, via ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne:
I want to put an end to any speculation that we would allow Kobe to become a free agent. That's not going to happen. Kobe is a top priority for us. He's a Laker legend and always will be. I don't think we're done winning championships with him yet.
[Lakers general manager] Mitch Kupchak and [Bryant's agent] Rob Pelinka have been talking, but with him being hurt, it has slowed the process some. I don't know when it'll get done, but I have faith in Rob and Mitch to work things out.
For his part, Kobe also said all the right things before the Lakers' opening-night victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I thought it was great actually on his part to kind of silence some of the conversation that was brewing," Kobe told Yahoo! Sports' Marc ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
