Fondly remembering Kobe
While playing at USC, Vucevic learned firsthand of Bryant’s impact on basketball in LA
During his playing days at the University of Southern California, Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic and his teammates often would spar over who was the better NBA player: the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant or the Cavaliers’ LeBron James.
Vucevic, who had spent just one year of high school in California before attending USC from 2008-2011, backed James and the Cavs.
“I was a huge LeBron and Cavs fan,” he said.
Some of Vucevic’s teammates, especially the Los Angeles or California natives, were not. Bryant was their guy.
“I wouldn’t be lying if it wasn’t every day that we went at it,” Vucevic said. “LeBron, Kobe, LeBron, Kobe. It was never like fighting, but it was heated all the time.”
Regardless of who won the greatness debate among the USC players, Vucevic said one thing was evident: Bryant easily was the brightest star in Los Angeles, and his influence — a result of his desire to win and his legendary work ethic — reached across every part of the city.
“Obviously, Kobe’s LA,” Vucevic said. “He’s the Lakers, especially for our generation. You can’t put into words how huge of an impact he had on everybody, not only for basketball but in general, in that city.
“He was so well-respected, obviously for all of the achievements, but more I think for his approach toward the game and his work ethic. Just how crazy he was about the game and wanted to dominate. I think that’s what people respected most about him.”
The 41-year-old Bryant was among nine people killed Sunday in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles.
Though he’s unsure of the year, Vucevic remembers watching Bryant and James square off at Staples Center during a Lakers-Cavs matchup. And not long after his USC days, Vucevic saw Bryant’s talents up close.
On Feb. 6, 2012, in his hometown of Philadelphia, Bryant poured in 24 first-half points on 8-of-14 shooting as he passed Shaquille O’Neal for fifth on the NBA’s career scoring list. Vucevic was a rookie with the 76ers that season and remembers watching Bryant score effortlessly at times and thinking there was nothing anybody could do to stop him.
“He had an amazing first half when he surpassed Shaq,” Vucevic said. “That’s my greatest memory of him, the way he just dominated that first half.”
Bryant, who played nearly 44 minutes that night, wound up with 28 points as the 76ers pulled out a 95-90 victory.
Vucevic scored eight points in nearly 25 minutes.
Across the league, teams already have honored Bryant in a variety of ways. The Clippers and Magic took 24-second and eight-second violations (Bryant wore No. 8 and No. 24) to start their game Sunday.
Magic coach Steve Clifford said the gestures are a good way to start honoring Bryant’s memory.
“He’s one of a kind,” Cliford said. “I think the players appreciated it, and I think it was a way for the fans to pay tribute to him.”
Clifford, who spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant with the Lakers and relishes the time he spent working with Bryant, said the lives lost in the accident serve as a reminder of what’s important.
“It puts what we are doing in perspective,” he said. “No matter what, it’s a great life and all that, but I think at the end of the day, anybody who does this will tell you that coaching, for instance, is about the people.
“It’s amazing for me. I mean, I was only out there for one year, but the number of people [you are] coaching with [and] coached, you all end up reaching out to each other for support or whatever. We’re fortunate we live the lives that we do, but a win and a loss doesn’t seem nearly as big of a deal when something like that happens, for sure.”