Byron Scott was Kobe Bryant‘s mentor as teammates on the Lakers during the 1996-1997 NBA season.
Byron was in his final season and Kobe was a rookie. During that season Byron took Kobe under his wing as an 18-year-old phenom. It was then where their relationship started and it’s blossomed as Kobe made the transition to superstar and Byron as NBA Head Coach.
Some believe the main reason Byron is the Lakers Head Coach is because of his close relationship with Kobe, but there’s much more to Scott’s hiring than just being Kobe’s “friend.” Byron led the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 & 2003. He also won NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 with the New Orleans Hornets.
His winning percentage is sub .500, yet outside of New Jersey most of his coaching assignments were rebuilding projects, which is one of the reasons why he was hired in L.A. Byron has coached superstars: Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving, but none of them is he as close to as Kobe Bryant.
Add the fact that Byron grew up in L.A., attended Morningside High School nearby the Forum, where he would eventually play and his tie to the Buss family. Were there better coaches available? Possibly. That’s arguable, but being the right “fit” for the Lakers is what got him the job.
The current Lakers team is a 2-3 year project. Byron knows that. The reason he wasn’t hired before free agency is because once the Lakers didn’t lure LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony to L.A., management decided to fill the roster with expiring contracts so they could swing for the fences again in 2015.
There were other coaching candidates interviewed, but few would actually take a job knowing the rebuilding strategy. Fans in L.A. demand championships so if you plan to coach the Lakers be prepared to be heavily criticized for anything less than a parade in June. So far the Lakers are sitting near the bottom in the West, yet Scott has handled the media well and the team unity amidst the losing is solid. Winning with this roster is no easy task, but that’s not the elephant in the room.
Kobe has accomplished in his career what most players dream of, yet he’s still not satisfied. The same drive and killer instinct that got him 5 championships fueled his recovery from a torn Achilles and knee injury. But he’s not in his 20’s anymore and although his mind is willing, sometimes his body is not.
When the going gets tough, Kobe tends to carry the burden instead of share it. Few teammates have earned his trust so in crucial moments when the game is slipping away his natural tendency is to revert to hero ball. Kobe’s not afraid to fail. If he’s missed 10 shots in a row, he thinks his next one will go in. Kobe could care less about PER (player efficiency rating) or analytics. If he’s going to go down, he’s going to go down shooting. That’s where the dark side comes out.
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Kobe’s shooting percentage is below 40%, not because he’s a poor shooter, but because he takes poor shots too often. He could get away with it in 2006-2007 because he was in his athletic prime. We admire Kobe for his work ethic, longevity and skill set, but even his expectations for himself are too lofty to achieve anymore. The same confidence that has gotten him to where he is can backfire and result is grandiose delusion.
It’s Byron’s responsibility to hold Kobe accountable for his performance, but because of his relationship and confidence in Bryant’s abilities he rarely does. Phil Jackson is the only coach who could criticize Kobe and actually get through to him. Public ridicule isn’t the most effective motivator, but Jackson wasn’t an ordinary coach. Byron on the other hand doesn’t operate like that. He’ll call out the team after a poor performance, but not throw specific players under the bus to the media. Byron’s approach shouldn’t mirror Phil’s, but what’s unique here is the bond between player and coach. Kobe has a deep respect and admiration for Byron and similar to close friends, once you’ve earned the right to say the tough things to another it becomes your responsibility to do so.
Kobe may not like to hear the truth, but Byron is paid to deliver it. This isn’t saying Kobe’s contribution to the team isn’t worthy. In fact it’s just the opposite. Kobe, at age 36, is still amongst the top players in the NBA and coming off a year of recovery it makes it that much more impressive. But the reality is for the Lakers to maximize their potential, Kobe needs to facilitate as much as score. He has to be willing to let teammates like Nick Young take the game winning shot. The same confidence Kobe has in himself, he needs to infuse his peers with it. The scary part of Kobe and Byron’s relationship is they both share the same level of confidence in Bryant’s ability to perform now.
Kobe needs to accept less minutes, less shots and less responsibility. If Byron reduces Kobe’s minutes, suggests he share the ball more and lets the team play more without him, the Lakers win more games. The dark side of confidence is arrogance. Kobe and Byron hover that line where fantasy exceeds reality. In this scenario, Byron needs to lead Kobe by communicating what he wants and needs from his best player. Byron’s leadership actions hold the fate of the Lakers in his reigns.