Los Angeles Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Goes Off On ‘Soft Like Charmin’ Teammates
Kobe Bryant blasted his last place Los Angeles Lakers teammates in a profanity laced rant during a practice session today, which was caught on video.
At one point in the shootaround, he accused the squad of being as thin as toilet paper. “You m****r f***rs are soft like Charmin in this m****r f****r. God damn, is this the type of s**t that’s going on in these practices? Now I see why we’ve lost 20 f***ing games. We’re soft like Charmin. We’re soft like s**t,” Bryant yelled.
As he stalked off the court, the superstar who has spent his entire 19-year pro career with the Lakers shouted in the direction of General Manager Mitch Kupchak that “I’m supposed to practice and get better. These m****r f****rs ain’t doing s**t for me.” See embedded NSFW footage below.
Bryant and Nick Young also trashed talked each other during the session. Bryant reportedly also got in the face of guard Jeremy Lin.
Kobe Bryant seldom scrimmages with the team in part because he still hasn’t fully recovered from left knee and Achilles’ tendon injuries and subsequent surgery due to which he missed most of last season.
As the Inquisitr previously reported, Kobe Byrant has been struggling with a heavy workload even though the team originally planned to limit his minutes to keep him fresh for a playoff run, which seems unlikely to happen if present trends continue. As Sports Illustrated noted, “Over 22 games this season, Bryant is averaging a team-high 25.5 points with 5 rebounds and 4.9 assists. The Lakers are 6-16 and hold a 1/2-game lead on the Minnesota Timberwolves for last place in the Western Conference.”
Reacting to the Bryant practice outburst, Lakers head coach Byron Scott explained to ESPN that “Any time (No.) 24 practices, it’s going to be an intense practice. I think he brings out the best in the guys. It’s a good way to start the trip… I don’t think anything irritated him. I just think he did a great job of getting everyone else fired up. He’s always fired up. That’s the great thing about him. He’s such a competitor. When he comes out here the intensity level in practice goes sky high and he challenges guys, which is what you should do.”
In a Tuesday night matchup, Kobe Bryant scored 32 points in a comeback win over the Sacramento Kings, breaking the team’s three-game losing streak. The Lakers take on the World Champion San Antonio Spurs Friday night in San Antonio.
After practice, Bryant, 36, was more low key about what went on in the gym. “I was just being myself. I don’t get a chance to really get out there and play too much because of my body and stuff. I don’t know if it helps them. It obviously raises the intensity level. It was a tough practice for them. I just challenge guys, see what happens. I’ve always believed in throwing them in the pool and then seeing if they can sink or swim,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
Do you think Kobe Bryant is justified in his criticism of his Los Angeles Lakers teammates?
You know, in terms of toilet paper, saying you're as soft as Charmin is a good thing. In basketball? Not so much. #tweetfromtheseat
— Charmin (@Charmin) December 11, 2014
[top image credit: Christopher Johnson]
