Ainge tried to get Kobe (to Phoenix) back in 1996, Warriors said we're not trading the #11 and took Todd Fuller

[JN61]

Ainge and missed this superstar by a hair. Heard this story about 50 times.

[marcush]

Lol ..... sure you did Danny.

[I beg to differ]

Barkley left the Suns in 96. He could have had Kobe carry him up and down the court and get 3 rings, Erneh. Then no matter what Shaq said to him, he could have answered "google me, fool"

[Sofia]

Ainge was going to be on the Titanic but he purposely lost his ticket to Jack in a hand of poker, because he knew it was going to sink.

Danny “Miss Cleo” Ainge strikes again.

[Mk0]

After the Timberwolves took Jarrett Culver at 6 and the draft pick with the Bulls was announced, Ainge was the first one to put it all together. He turned to everyone inside the Celtics' war room and said, "Oh my God, they've got Coby and Shaq (Harrison)."

[dc]

I thought it was widely known that Kobe's camp put out a memo to the league (before the draft) that he wouldn't sign with any team not named the Lakers. That's why Calapari and the Nets passed on him at 8th overall.

Sounds like Ainge is talking out of his ass.

It's true that Kobe's camp told everyone not to draft him, but that's not really why teams passed on him. Fact is, not a lot of teams were sold on Kobe. He wasn't as highly regarded as KG the year before.

Remember, when a team drafts a player, said team has draft rights to that player indefinitely. Just like the Magic had Fran Vazquez's rights all those years since 2005 until just now when he retired. And Kobe pretty much repeated (years after the draft) that he would've played for any team drafting him because just drafted rookies don't have any kind of leverage.

Remember, Steph Curry's camp told the Warriors explicitly not to draft him. They wanted to steer him to the Knicks. The Warriors asked if they could work him out. Curry's agent said no. They asked for just an interview with him. His agent said no. The agent told the Warriors GM flat out "Look, don't draft this kid."

And the Warriors drafted Curry anyways, LOL. The moral of the story is that any team that really wants a certain player is going to draft him if he's available, regardless of where the player might prefer to be drafted to. If they passed on a guy, it's because they really weren't that interested to begin with, or they prefer someone else.

All the GMs who passed on Kobe pretty much used that excuse. David Kahn used that excuse when people asked him about passing on Curry years later. "He didn't want us to draft him." Well, he didn't want the Warriors to draft him, either.

[phx#7]

It's pretty widely known locally that the Suns really wanted Kobe, but it was Jerry Colangelo who was obsessed with him.

[Dr Aki]

It's pretty widely known locally that the Suns really wanted Kobe, but it was Jerry Colangelo who was obsessed with him.

bit of an oxymoron here

care to elaborate a bit?

[Karate Diop]

At what point does Danny realize that the always came up short for player X narrative isn't a good thing?

[JJ_PR]

At this point I don't know if Ainge is serious or not...

[BostonCouchGM]

every story you hear about Kobe and the draft is complete and utter b.s. Kobe was always going to end up in LA as the league recognized his star potential and badly needed a new face of the league and for the Lakers, in the biggest market, to be in the Finals. It's laughable that people honestly believe Kobe would have organically fallen to #13. He was dominating competition, was handsome, articulate and the most skilled 18 y/o the league had ever seen. Him "falling" to the team that would then trade him to the Lakers was the plan all along. Please tell me you people realize this!

[Myth]

Little known fact, but Danny Ainge also told Portland to take Jordan over Sam Bowie.

Ainge is from Oregon, so the connection does make sense....

[Sixerscan]

I thought it was widely known that Kobe's camp put out a memo to the league (before the draft) that he wouldn't sign with any team not named the Lakers. That's why Calapari and the Nets passed on him at 8th overall.

Sounds like Ainge is talking out of his ass.

It's true that Kobe's camp told everyone not to draft him, but that's not really why teams passed on him. Fact is, not a lot of teams were sold on Kobe. He wasn't as highly regarded as KG the year before.

Remember, when a team drafts a player, said team has draft rights to that player indefinitely. Just like the Magic had Fran Vazquez's rights all those years since 2005 until just now when he retired. And Kobe pretty much repeated (years after the draft) that he would've played for any team drafting him because just drafted rookies don't have any kind of leverage.

Remember, Steph Curry's camp told the Warriors explicitly not to draft him. They wanted to steer him to the Knicks. The Warriors asked if they could work him out. Curry's agent said no. They asked for just an interview with him. His agent said no. The agent told the Warriors GM flat out "Look, don't draft this kid."

And the Warriors drafted Curry anyways, LOL. The moral of the story is that any team that really wants a certain player is going to draft him if he's available, regardless of where the player might prefer to be drafted to. If they passed on a guy, it's because they really weren't that interested to begin with, or they prefer someone else.

All the GMs who passed on Kobe pretty much used that excuse. David Kahn used that excuse when people asked him about passing on Curry years later. "He didn't want us to draft him." Well, he didn't want the Warriors to draft him, either.

Practically speaking no one in the mid 90s was taking a high school guard that they didn't have a chance to talk to or work out. Compared to all the other guys there was basically no information to go on.

It's completely different in terms of the information available compared to someone like Curry. Like the guy made the elite 8 the year before he came out and was basically the most well known player in college basketball his junior year.

[ProcessDoctor]

I wonder if Ainge knows he’s become a meme at this point?

[Sofia]

At what point does Danny realize that the always came up short for player X narrative isn't a good thing?

“Look at all these goals I can’t achieve!”

[GreatWhiteStiff]

Ainges godly hindsight and Colangelos collars are by far the 2 best GM memes

Colangelo himself would pull this move, talking about the deals he almost made

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Ainge didn’t even provide a direct quote in the story. He lives rent free in your heads. It’s so cute. Lol

[phx#7]

It's pretty widely known locally that the Suns really wanted Kobe, but it was Jerry Colangelo who was obsessed with him.

bit of an oxymoron here

care to elaborate a bit?

Poor phrasing, should have been "well known locally". JC was very much wanting Bryant but didn't feel he'd be able to move up to get him.

[DroseReturnChi]

Ainged trying not to get fired. omg 25 yrs ago.

[HMFFL]

It took 25 years for this story to come out? And Danny Ainge is involved?

Right.

I agree!
Complete BS

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