18-time Los Angeles Lakers All-Star shooting guard Kobe Bryant almost didn't land with L.A. during the 1996 NBA Draft.
, former Lakers center Vlade Divac explained that the Lakers' hoped-for trade up in the draft to acquire the rights to Bryant hinged on one key returning Lakers piece in the deal: Vlade Divac. The 7-foot-1 big man had been selected by brilliant then-Lakers general manager Jerry West with the No. 26 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, and overlapped with Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for one season before the 19-time All-Star retired.
The big element holding up the Lakers' potential deal? Divac himself, who didn't want to play in Charlotte. "The Lakers certainly wanted to bring Kobe, as a potential MVP, but they made a purge through the salary cap so that they could also bring Shaquille. Of course, I was angry, I didn't want to leave, but from today's perspective, I would trade myself for Kobe,” Divac added.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: Fashion designer and NFL WAG Kristin Juszczyk designed one-of-a-kind Kobe pants with Mamba Los Angeles Lakers jerseys sported by his oldest daughter.
.