Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players of all time, and there’s no doubt that he is one of the best players to ever put on a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. He is generally considered a top 5 player in league history, and his five championships are a testament to his ability.
In the 1996 NBA Draft, Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. When speaking to NBA insider Brandon Robinson, former executive Sonny Vaccaro claimed that the Brooklyn Nets and then head coach John Calipari were both also interested in drafting Kobe Bryant.
I knew the trade was being made… We were in the green room, we know what’s going to happen… Talking to John Calipari and the GM…. Pam and I knew, and Arn knew and the family knew that the trade would have been made with Jerry West… all he had to do was get to 13. We knew that the biggest ones that were interested was John Calipari and the team from Brooklyn.
There is no doubt that this is one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history. Kobe Bryant could have potentially changed the direction of the Brooklyn Nets franchise, and he could have become one of the greatest Nets players in franchise history.
The Golden State Warriors Also Passed On Kobe Bryant Because They Thought He Wasn’t Ready
Obviously, a number of other teams also passed on Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft. One of those teams was the Golden State Warriors. Their GM Dave Twardzik believed that Kobe Bryant wasn’t ready for the NBA game, and ended up drafting Todd Fuller instead. This was clearly a franchise-altering mistake.
This Day In 1996: Warriors take Todd Fuller 2 picks ahead of Kobe.
Golden State Warriors GM Dave Twardzik on Kobe: “He should go to college. He’s not ready.”
Fuller’s career: 225 games, 3.7 ppg.
Kobe goes on to become 1 of the greatest.
Twardzik fired before ‘97 Draft.
There is no doubt that this is a crazy fact, and it shows that one decision can change the direction of a franchise. Kobe Bryant could have excelled on the Warriors, but instead, he ended up suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest is history.
Many people consider Kobe Bryant the greatest player in Los Angeles Lakers history, and for good reason. Obviously, he has accomplished a lot during his time in the league, and it is unfortunate that a number of other franchises didn’t believe in him.
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