Lakers' Atkins blasts Kobe

Atkins calls Bryant the Lakers GM

Chucky Atkins, whose locker used to belong to Shaquille O'Neal, became the latest Laker to criticize Kobe Bryant.

Asked about what moves he would make in the offseason to improve the free-falling Lakers, Atkins took a shot at the seeming control Bryant has over the team.

"I ain't the GM of this team," Atkins told the Los Angeles Times. "Kobe's the GM of this team. Ask Kobe. You've been watching this [stuff] all year. You've been watching it and I've been playing it."

Team sources told the paper Atkins has been frustrated by Bryant's criticisms of his defensive play. Atkins also reportedly is irritated by how many shots Bryant takes.

Atkins told the Times "it was hard to play with anybody that's a star" when asked how it was to play with Bryant.

Bryant shrugged off Atkins' complaints.

"He'll just work through it," Bryant told the Times. "He'll be fine. That's my boy, so I'll look out for him, make sure he stays confident, make sure he stays aggressive."

Atkins has a year left on his contract after this season and has said he hopes to return to the Lakers next season rather than be traded during the offseason.

Bryant never really sticks to the topic when he's being criticized.

Bryant never really sticks to the topic when he's being criticized.

Very true. I'd have to say Kobe is wrong on this one. He wanted to be #1 on the team, and now he can't get it done. I don't really see what he can do now besides apologize, and he hasn't.

they're both wrong. sounds like someone is having a hard time coping with the fact they won't be making the playoffs.

i think atkins should shut up and play. he'd be a bench player on 3/4 of the league's teams. he's just fanning the falems

I'd have to say Kobe is wrong on this one. He wanted to be #1 on the team, and now he can't get it done.

I think this year has proven that albeit a great clutch player, Kobe is not a natural born leader. If he was, no teammate of his would come ouit saying stuff like that. You have to be a leader in the locker room first and then in the court... My take.

"He'll just work through it," Bryant told the Times. "He'll be fine. That's my boy, so I'll look out for him, make sure he stays confident, make sure he stays aggressive."

I think that both should work this thing together And I didn't know Kobe had a "boy"

Very interesting. Well, Kobe may be trying too hard to lead the team! But Atkins is sorta right on this I agree.

it was hard to play with anybody that's a star

I don't understand what he means by that..

Bryant: 'There's nothing going on'
Associated Press

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Drama seems to follow the Los Angeles Lakers, win or lose.

During the past five years, when the Lakers were winning, there was always something between Shaq and Kobe, Shaq and Phil or Kobe and Phil.

Now that Shaquille O'Neal is playing in Miami and Phil Jackson is out of coaching -- at least for the moment -- the Lakers are Kobe Bryant's team.

And they're losing. Los Angeles has dropped eight straight, the second-longest losing streak since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960.

Bryant was at the center of another controversy Monday, albeit not of his own doing.

First-year Lakers guard Chucky Atkins was asked before Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers what offseason moves he'd make to improve the team.

"I ain't no GM. Ask Kobe. He's the GM. It's his team," Atkins said.

The 30-year-old Atkins seemed to backtrack almost immediately. Following the Lakers' 96-89 loss to the 76ers, he acknowledged that while confidence and morale were down, team members were "too professional to point fingers."

Following Monday's practice, Atkins acknowledged it was "very possible" that what he meant to say wasn't what came out, although he insisted the reporter questioning him had been trying to get him to say something negative about Bryant for weeks.

"I don't think you should try to divide my team," Atkins said. "We're not going to splinter. Kobe's my man. Me and Kobe have developed a relationship where anything I have to say to him, I can say to his face. I'm in a no-win situation."

Only Atkins knows his true feelings.

"We're in a bad situation right now," he said. "We know that."

The Lakers (32-37), who will try to end their current skid on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, lost their last 10 games of the 1993-94 season to finish with a 33-49 record. That was the last time they failed to qualify for the playoffs, something that will happen this year barring a complete turnaround in the last 13 games and prolonged slumps by two of the three teams immediately above them.

Bryant, the NBA's second-leading scorer, supported Atkins.

"We really didn't have much of a conversation [Monday]," Bryant said. "He was pretty adamant about how it happened, that it was taken out of context. Everybody here sticks together. We're not going to let anybody divide us.

"If you guys are here to stir something up, you're not going to get it out of me. All we want to do is come here, work hard, play basketball. We had a great day of work. There's nothing going on."

Lakers coach Frank Hamblen smiled when asked about the latest controversy, mentioning the problems the team had while it was winning.

"You always expect harmony to some degree," he said. "Guys aren't going to be best friends. You've got to work together. Anything that's said in the paper is probably out of frustration."

The soap opera continues, even if Shaquille has been written out of the series. This one sounds more like words taken out of context, but given that Kobe is considered to be indirectly responsible for ousting Shaq and Phil Jackson it's not surprising.

Bryant can't lead the lakers by himself, he needs help but he is not letting anyone help him. Caron Butler has the potential to average 20+ every game but for that to happen kobe has to distribute the ball.

It's hard to play with Kobe, Chucky might play bad at times, but just because he's bad on defense, or has bad games, doesn't mean he doesn't know anything or can't say what he sees. None of the teammates saying anything to refute also makes it seem like they agree, or maybe just don't care. Kobe does have a lot of power in the organization, and it's true that his presence might make it hard to attract FA's, at least till people see that he can be easier to play with, but who knows?

He's just too hard to play with, because you know he'll run the offense, he'll have the ball, he'll basically do what he wants on the court, and their's not much you can do because he's the franchise player.



http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

Chucky says his comments were taken out of context

Don't know how you can take "I ain't the GM of this team," he said. "Kobe's the GM of this team. Ask Kobe. You've been watching this [expletive] all year. You've been watching it and I've been playing in it." out of context, but it's what he said....

lol

i think atkins should shut up and play. he'd be a bench player on 3/4 of the league's teams. he's just fanning the falems

this is where you and i disagree. just because he may be a bench player on alot of teams does not mean he should just shut his mouth. some of the best team leaders in the leagues history were not even considered good enough to be role players. not saying anything any letting kobe have his way is probably alot worse than speaking your mind in hope that things will get better from it.

kobe is pure talent but he totally lacks leadership. thats what all the best players need. granted kobe is still young enough to learn this while still being at the top of his game. on the other hand, can leadership ever really be learned? i guess i feel you are born with it.

not saying anything any letting kobe have his way is probably alot worse than speaking your mind in hope that things will get better from it.

Not in public, though. There is team balance to consider first...

i gotta agree there to a point. i think players should try and handle these things in private but if it still dont help then sometimes going public helps. no one wants to be labeled as anything negative and kobe really is working himself that way latly.

now i do feel that when the leader is also the best player(or all star anyway) then when they speak in public it holds more weight. usually when a guy like atkins speaks up no one cares cause they all say,"well wtf do you do". i will never forget when bird spoke up in public and based the entire team and they bounced back to play great. this wont happen when a guy like atkins speaks his mind. if anything it will get him a 1 way ticket out of LA

fuck kobe bryant. god i hate him.

i guess atkins got his ticket to be traded since he isn't happy with kobe

i guess atkins got his ticket to be traded since he isn't happy with kobe

good for chucky. he doesnt have to deal with that asshole anymore.

He should've dealt with it in private, because no matter what, he's going to end up the bad guy. Kobe put the frosting on by making the nice quote.

Chucky Atkins is a poor man's Bobby Jackson. He should be coming off the bench. Kobe's more of a playmaker than Atkins and this is obvious when you watch the Lakers play.

Really, he's speaking beyond his capabilities. He can't run that team so why criticize Bryant who's trying to. Criticize Mitch Kupchack for trading Gary Payton, who would be setting Kobe's ass in place and been the actual leader of that team.

Chucky, you're not a leader and you're not a point guard. So shut the fuck up and play.

The triangle being implemeted could also be why he's whining, the triangle is not a PG offense, and he's getting even less touches, with it, he already had few touches for a PG.

If anyone shouldn't be complaining though, it's him. The triangle is not a PG offense, but last time I checked, Chucky Atkins is not exactly a PG. He's quit possibly the only player in that offense who's strengths are able to be utilized. History shows that it's been the purer point guards(i.e, Gary Payton) who tend to struggle with the triangle. Guys like John Paxson and Derek Fisher excelled in the offense because it was it was their duty to hit the long range shots. Atkins is a perfect fit. The other guys on the floor, however, aren't exactly right for the set.

i think atkins should shut up and play. he'd be a bench player on 3/4 of the league's teams. he's just fanning the falems

this is where you and i disagree. just because he may be a bench player on alot of teams does not mean he should just shut his mouth. some of the best team leaders in the leagues history were not even considered good enough to be role players. not saying anything any letting kobe have his way is probably alot worse than speaking your mind in hope that things will get better from it.

kobe is pure talent but he totally lacks leadership. thats what all the best players need. granted kobe is still young enough to learn this while still being at the top of his game. on the other hand, can leadership ever really be learned? i guess i feel you are born with it.

i get what you're saying.. howeveri think it would be more meaningful if atkins had brought this up earlier, like before this losing streak. otherwise this just sounds his frustration boiling over about not making the playoffs.

excellent point, glove guy

He should've dealt with it in private, because no matter what, he's going to end up the bad guy. Kobe put the frosting on by making the nice quote.

Chucky Atkins is a poor man's Bobby Jackson. He should be coming off the bench. Kobe's more of a playmaker than Atkins and this is obvious when you watch the Lakers play.

Really, he's speaking beyond his capabilities. He can't run that team so why criticize Bryant who's trying to. Criticize Mitch Kupchack for trading Gary Payton, who would be setting Kobe's ass in place and been the actual leader of that team.

Chucky, you're not a leader and you're not a point guard. So shut the fuck up and play.

gonna divide this into 4 parts.

1. i agree that private would have been the best way to do this but i dont think anyone here can honestly say they have never been heated and just spoke thier mind at the wrong time.

2.comparing the 2 makes no sense. it is pointless.

3.this is the reason i replied to the post. you say atkins cant run the team so why bash on kobe who is trying to. well kobe also cant and should not be trying, to run this team. kobe is not a leader or a coach and needs to learn to just play basketball. as far as payton setting kobe in place, would not have happened. kobe head is to far in the clouds for him to listen to anyone. he basicly got it right now where he can do any and everything he wants and its gonna be ok.

4. cant blame a man for wanting the team to be run better. i still dont get the whole shut up and play thing. laker land is not a good place right now so why should people just shut up? they should speak up and get things changed. just not in public.

and let me add my own 5th here. if anyone who is a big name player speaks thier mind everyone agrees with them. they demand trade people sit here and on tv and say how its ok and explain why he wants to be out. if a guy like chucky speaks up or asks to be traded everyone bashes on him and say how he sucks anyway. i never understood this. people can have a voice without being the main option. i said it before and i will say it again, some of the best leaders on bball teams have not even been good players.

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