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.
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