Agent Says Many Stars Didn’t Want To Play With Kobe

"I've had a lot of clients in the last five years who didn't want to play with Kobe," a top NBA agent said without hesitation in 2014.

Was the man who dominated headlines and highlight reels the real reason stars passed on the Lakers?

The same guy who inspired millions scared away those who should have been his teammates?

Why players said no

This agent knows what happens behind closed doors. When Bryant was the face of the franchise, the supporting cast became easy targets.

"His teammates become the chronic public whipping boys," the agent explained. "Anyone who even dared to challenge Kobe for the spotlight turned into the team scapegoat. That's what happened with Shaq. It happened with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard. Everyone got their turn."

Bryant's words didn't help. He once told a reporter Shaq was "fat and out of shape." That kind of public criticism set a toxic tone that lingered long after the superstar big man left, taking those three Finals MVPs with him.

Take Andrew Bynum's contract talks in 2012. He wanted one thing.

"How are you going to rein in Kobe?"

The Lakers had no answer. Bynum wanted out of the chaos. From 2012 to 2016, the Lakers cycled through dozens of players, desperate to find pieces that could survive Kobe's iron grip.

The cost of being Him

Kobe left a legacy few will ever match: 33,643 points, five NBA championships and a mindset built on pure willpower. But his final years were marred by injuries and a locker room that felt more like a battlefield. The Lakers made the playoffs just once after 2012. And the cracks were everywhere.

Players didn't just want out because of the injuries or the losing. They left because nobody wanted to become the media's scapegoat. Because standing in Bryant's shadow meant risking your career being torn apart in public.

In the agent's words, "Anyone who could challenge Kobe became a pincushion for the media."

That toxic atmosphere gutted the team. Pau Gasol eventually walked away. Dwight Howard lasted just one season. Bynum's body gave out, but so did his patience. The Lakers paid the price for that in lost talent and wasted years.

Kobe single handedly ruined Dwight Howard's career and bi#ch a$s n1ggas be scared to say it. The sole reason he wasn't a top 75 player. n1ggas talk bout everything else but that bi#ch a$s sh1t he did with the media and turn on Dwight

First off I wanna say I'm a big Kobe fan, RIP to Bean

Now that that's out the way, Nelly didn't lie. Not only was old, washed up, sick and flabby Kobe a grouchy old man who was taking up 50% of the salary cap, his legion of d1cksucking stans were making everyone who played with him the scapegoat for the Lakers' sucking ass. That's why its hilarious to see Laker fans now talk shyt about Lebron making others the scapegoat, umm did yall forget Kobe stans used to do the same

Lowkey Dwight was getting ready to whoop Kobe's ass, he was gettin fed up with his sh1t and wasn't gonna let Kobe lil boy him like he did to Kwame Brown

the same people screaming mamba mentality are the same people who didn’t wanna play in LA

this was widely known but it all changed when he died

rip

I respect Kobe’s game and he was a dog but he made games closer than they had to be and no one wanted to play along side him and didn’t like him

First off I wanna say I'm a big Kobe fan, RIP to Bean

Now that that's out the way, Nelly didn't lie. Not only was old, washed up, sick and flabby Kobe a grouchy old man who was taking up 50% of the salary cap, his legion of d1cksucking stans were making everyone who played with him the scapegoat for the Lakers' sucking ass. That's why its hilarious to see Laker fans now talk shyt about Lebron making others the scapegoat, umm did yall forget Kobe stans used to do the same

Kobe single handedly ruined Dwight Howard's career and bi#ch a$s n1ggas be scared to say it. The sole reason he wasn't a top 75 player. n1ggas talk bout everything else but that bi#ch a$s sh1t he did with the media and turn on Dwight

Lowkey Dwight was getting ready to whoop Kobe's ass, he was gettin fed up with his sh1t and wasn't gonna let Kobe lil boy him like he did to Kwame Brown

Kobe was the last real basketball player. League turned to a 3pt contest when he left and is unwatchable 95% of the time

Imagine NFL with just screen plays or MLB with bunts cause analytics told you that's the best way to win. Trash a$s product