Los Angeles Lakers: What Kobe Bryant could have still given basketball

Executive career

No one would have thought so far in the future, but sooner or later he would have come back to his first love.

Bryant did not look cut out for a coaching job (he had more aptitude for player development). An executive role was more in his cards. Ever since Magic Johnson became President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers and Rob Pelinka his General Manager, rumors spread of Kobe joining the staff in some capacity.

Fresh off retirement he obviously denied those rumors, saying he had plenty of plans for his post-career life which did not include front office jobs.

Anyway, it cannot be excluded that in a distant future, an older Kobe, might have decided to put his brilliant mind at the service of a franchise in an executive role, especially the Los Angeles Lakers.

Much like Magic did when he accepted the offer to run the Lakers, once his business did not need anymore his full attention and in search of a new challenge, Bryant could have begun a new chapter of his basketball career.

There is little doubt of the success he might have enjoyed.

The Mamba was the perfect scholar of the game. He would have done his homework diligently as a talent and fit evaluator, which, combined with his knowledge of the game, would have undoubtedly resulted in great success assembling contending teams.

His strategic mind was already a terrifying weapon in his playing days, it would have been immeasurably useful acquiring players and orchestrating trades.

Last but not least, given his career, he would have demanded a certain amount of respect that could only help. Obviously, he then should have backed that with valuable deeds, in order to avoid a “Phil Jackson Effect”.