Jerry West: Kobe was going to sign with the Clippers

[OkcSinceSGA]

Holy... Did you guys just hear this on TNT? Confirms the huge LA times article last year with Ralph Lawler saying he was told Kobe was signing with the team. Jerry West talked him out of it! Oh well, Kobe was meant to be a Laker for life.

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[OfficialRef]

this isn't about you Jerry

[MJ7]

this isn't about you Jerry

he's 103 years old you really think he going for clout now

[IgorK]

I love you Jerry, but please stop.

[Pennebaker]

Not really surprised. Kobe definitely wanted to leave the Lakers at one point. Chicago was also brought up a lot.

[Dr Aki]

I thought this was well known.

If the Lakers chose Shaq over Kobe, he was signing with the Clippers.

[Liam_Gallagher]

But he didn't.

[lonzo_pelota]

jerry west is like alfred from batman he knows all the secrets and passcodes of bruce wayne

im glad kobe didnt play for the clippers and their yet to be revealed racist owner at that time.

[OrangeBlueSkies]

Holy... Did you guys just hear this on TNT? Confirms the huge LA times article last year with Ralph Lawler saying he was told Kobe was signing with the team. Jerry West talked him out of it! Oh well, Kobe was meant to be a Laker for life.

Read on Twitter

He also mentioned how Kobe was mad at everyone in the Lakers organization at the time. Kobe told West he “committed” to the Clippers, but clearly Kobe was not going anywhere.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Holy... Did you guys just hear this on TNT? Confirms the huge LA times article last year with Ralph Lawler saying he was told Kobe was signing with the team. Jerry West talked him out of it! Oh well, Kobe was meant to be a Laker for life.

Read on Twitter

He also mentioned how Kobe was mad at everyone in the Lakers organization at the time. Kobe told West he “committed” to the Clippers, but clearly Kobe was not going anywhere.

I wouldn't say clearly he wasn't leaving. He had already informed Clippers officials he was on board according to Ralph Lawler. I really don't see Kobe as a guy who would do that without real intention to come. I think he was fed up and didn't WANT to leave, but really was going to.

[Clyde Frazier]

this isn't about you Jerry

...

Yeah, Jerry being so selfish sobbing as he talks about his relationship with Kobe.

[Clyde Frazier]

He gave him good advice. Specifically told him not to sign there because of Sterling.

[Imon]

Yeah ... it was well known that Kobe was very frustrated with the Lakers post-Shaq and pre-Pau.
I mean, he even said that he would like to be traded during a radio interview in 2007.

[The Laker Kid]

Dude this is old news. He also wanted to sign with the Bulls around that time. Kupchak even had a deal to trade him to the Pistons but Kobe didn't sign off on it. This was during the "ship his ass out" era that was filmed at a Ralph's parking lot.

[OrangeBlueSkies]

Holy... Did you guys just hear this on TNT? Confirms the huge LA times article last year with Ralph Lawler saying he was told Kobe was signing with the team. Jerry West talked him out of it! Oh well, Kobe was meant to be a Laker for life.

Read on Twitter

He also mentioned how Kobe was mad at everyone in the Lakers organization at the time. Kobe told West he “committed” to the Clippers, but clearly Kobe was not going anywhere.

I wouldn't say clearly he wasn't leaving. He had already informed Clippers officials he was on board according to Ralph Lawler. I really don't see Kobe as a guy who would do that without real intention to come. I think he was fed up and didn't WANT to leave, but really was going to.

It was Kobe playing his card. Anyway, we both got to love Kobe the same exact way. Never will forget that man.

[Kilroy]

this isn't about you Jerry

You're going to catch a ration of **** over this, but you're right...

People need to know who Jerry West really is... He's a legend and all that, but he's also a bit Mercurial and emotional to the point of burning a lot of bridges in his time... Including those with the Buss family.
He never got over the hiring of Phil and the fact Dr Buss never begged him to stay.

So while I'd say the emotion may be real, so's the perception that he's trying to pat himself on the back a bit.

[Beethoven]

An asteroid was going to hit earth but the trajectory just allowed it to miss earth.

[OkcSinceSGA]

this isn't about you Jerry

You're going to catch a ration of **** over this, but you're right...

People need to know who Jerry West really is... He's a legend and all that, but he's also a bit Mercurial and emotional to the point of burning a lot of bridges in his time... Including those with the Buss family.
He never got over the hiring of Phil and the fact Dr Buss never begged him to stay.

So while I'd say the emotion may be real, so's the perception that he's trying to pat himself on the back a bit.

I don't think for one second this was about "I saved the day!". As Lakers fans you guys should know better than anyone that Jerry West doesn't want credit for anything. He regularly downplays his impact wherever he's gone. I think he's just speaking factually and openly here.

[Benedict_Boozer]

Kobe was smart that was a leverage play, plain and simple

[Repeat 3-peat]

I thought this was well known.

If the Lakers chose Shaq over Kobe, he was signing with the Clippers.

Yep I believe it was a day or two after Shaq was traded to Miami that Kobe re-signed with the Lakers.