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Kobe Bryant Preparing For Small Forward

By Tyler Lopez

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Kobe Bryant is just over 20 days from making history as the only player in NBA history to play 20 seasons with one team (Utah’s John Stockton played 19 seasons with the Jazz). After 20 seasons, most of which were built around him, Kobe Bryant now is surrounded by young players being primed to take his place. Players like D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle are all here to build their own legacy with the Lakers, following along in Kobe’s large footsteps.

As the season approaches, Kobe’s place among the youngsters has been a point of interest for Laker fans. After all Kobe has spent almost his entire career starting at shooting guard for the Lakers, is he prepared to change in order to suit the team’s young guards?

After Day One of Training Camp, Kobe made it clear that he’s more than willing to slide to small forward.

Kobe said he’s been playing small forward for years. The league has moved away from real positions in basketball as it is. There are few teams with a traditional power forward, center, or even point guard. The NBA has moved towards more “position-less” basketball where all five positions are typically capable of shooting, passing, and handling the ball at a high level.

Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

With that in mind, Kobe has played on the wing for most of his career. Kobe has matched up against the likes of Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant multiple times in his long career. Those players are typically thought of as small forwards or even power forwards in the new era of the NBA.

In fact Kobe seemed excited about playing the small forward position with Russell and Clarkson leading the ball handling duties. Kobe said he trusts the Lakers’ top draft pick Russell, “because he’s a gym rat and he loves playing the game”.

Kobe went on to say that he, “doesn’t have to handle the ball really at all,” and that it frees him up, “to catch and shoot [it] makes [his] life a lot easier”.

That type of attitude is something new for Kobe. Since the 2000-2001 season Kobe’s never had a usage rate under 28.5% and has led the league in usage percentage three times. Kobe’s usage percentage last year before his season-ending shoulder surgery was 34.9% which would have been second in the league behind only Russell Westbrook.

Playing off the ball more and letting his teammates carry more of the load offensively would go a long way to prolonging Kobe’s career. Kobe Bryant’s numbers as a catch and shoot player have never been impressive, but he’s never really been in a position to be that type of player.

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Chris Paul and Steve Nash were supposed to be the players that took that kind of pressure off of Kobe, but neither worked out the way the Lakers hoped. Russell and Clarkson now could be the players that take the ball out of Kobe’s hands and allow him to take open jump shots, not to mention the reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams.

This season will be a different experience for Laker fans. After 20 years with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant’s role will not just be different but it seems he’ll be well prepared for the transition.

Next: Jackson on Kobe: 'It May Be His Last Year as a Laker'

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