“My style is a little different with his group. It’s a little more nurturing,” Bryant said. “They’re so much younger, so it’s a little different. The important thing with this group is learning how to think the game all the way through, which is different than on teams that we have had in the past. We had a lot of veteran guys who had been around. So my teaching style is different.”
Sacre:
“I didn’t even talk to the man,” Lakers center Robert Sacre said when asked about his first season as Bryant’s teammate. “I think the first two things I said to him were ‘ball’ and ‘outlet.’ Those were basically the only two things I said to him my first two weeks of training camp.”
“I believe he’s been more helpful during this whole process and the preseason,” Sacre said. “He’s been really vocal as a leader. In the past, he hasn’t been as vocal. But this year he’s really been trying to communicate and help guys out. This year has made an effort to push guys but at the same time give them advice to make them better.”
Scott:
“He’s been a mentor,” Scott said. “He’s been a little bit of an assistant coach. I think he’s getting soft in his old age. But seriously, he’s been really good with all the guys, to be honest with you. He’s done a heck of a job of taking guys to the side and teaching them little things about the NBA. He’s done the same thing at practice. He’s been an extension of [the coaching staff].”
“It’s fun watching it, because he takes it very seriously. When he pulls guys aside, he’s really trying to show them the little things about being successful in this league. [Kobe and I] had a talk one day with Julius [Randle] and told him if he had anywhere near the work ethic of Kobe, he’ll be an All-Star, and if he doesn’t, he’ll just be a good basketball player in the NBA.”
Lin:
“That's pretty much all I talk to him about on the court," Lin said. "He's pushing me and he's demanding a lot from me. He’s definitely taken on a mentorship role for me on the court. That's something that I don't think I've had in my previous four years in the league. It's just nice to have somebody who is pushing me and helping me and teaching me the tricks. It's also nice when he's one of the best to ever do it."
“He’s a little later in his career,” Lin said. “When I was with Melo, he was younger, and the same with James and Dwight. With Kobe, he’s been around and he understands. He’s done it. He has a great attention to detail and he cares about the little things. The stuff that he talks to me about, I didn’t ever think about.
“He’s challenging me to expand even my perspective. That’s really important and something I love doing. It’s a blessing he’s here in the same locker room.”
Arash Markazi | ESPN LA
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