Kobe Bryant was widely known as one of the most competitive athletes in NBA history. From his rookie season, Kobe was always looking to score and he never had any hesitation to take initiative and make plays on his own. So when Kobe refused to shoot the ball during a playoff game against the Suns in 2006, it was a major story at the time. Today, one of his former teammates (former NBA player Jim Jackson) explains what happened that day to inspire Kobe’s protest.
“He didn’t shoot. We got up 3-1 and I’m talking sh*t to my boys in Phoenix, exit first round! Smush Parker had done a phenomenal job in the first four games on Steve Nash,” said Jackson on Podcast P. “Then, some things changed where Smush started to get outside of his game. Phil kind of let him get away with it and Kobe was pissed. That’s what really got Kobe mad. Guys went outside the parameters of who they were and why they were up 3-1, and nothing was being done about it.”
The Lakers were underdogs to beat the Suns that year (one of the worst rosters in the NBA), but they nearly pulled off the upset after taking a 3-1 lead in the series. Things changed in Game 5 when guys started to move away from the strategy that proved successful in the first four games.
“I think Kobe, at that time, was proving a point,” Jackson continued. “You have to take this, and get on this, and stop the bleeding early. I was just surprised that Phil let it fester just based on who I thought Phil was as a coach. That’s what led up to it because Aaron McKie and I were sitting there on the bench like ‘he ain’t shoot, he ain’t even looking.’ In my opinion, I think it was to prove a point to the coaching staff.”
Kobe averaged 27.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game in the series and would have been in the MVP conversation if the Lakers managed to win more games. Normally, he would have completely taken over in Game 7, just like he had done all season.
But after sensing that his team had lost their way, Kobe decided to set them straight by phasing himself out of the game. While he finished with 24 points on the night, he only attempted a single shot in the second half, putting all the pressure on his teammates in a defiant act of protest. Many fans and experts called Kobe out on this, including Charles Barkley, who argued with him for hours after the game.
In Kobe’s eyes, his teammates were confused about their role, and the only way to remind them was to let them see what they’d look like without him. Of course, there are also theories that he was trying to send a message to the front office by leaving them completely helpless and vulnerable without this influence. Whatever the reasoning, that Lakers team didn’t stand a chance without Kobe, and they got bounced in the first round that year in an embarrassing collapse.
That behavior was completely out of character for Bryant, but it wouldn’t be long before he’d redeem himself by winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Fortunately, he never had to make that kind of statement again, but it’s an event that will forever be tied to some of his worst moments as a Laker.
