(AllHipHop News) Ten years ago, Kobe Bryant was dangerously close to leaving the Los Angeles Lakers and signing with a new team. Last night (May 9th), Bryant spoke to Jimmy Kimmel about how he almost played for the Los Angles Clippers, his meeting with Donald Sterling and why he won’t buy the team.
On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Bryant remarked that he would not be interested in purchasing the Los Angeles Clippers due to the fact that active NBA players can not own NBA teams. Bryant admitted to the biggest concern with Donald Sterling was if he was “willing to spend the money to have a successful team.”
Following news of Donald Sterling’s racist comments, Bryant remarked he “couldnt play for him” on his personal Twitter account. That statement is seemingly contradictory to his remarks that he “could see myself playing for the Clippers” back in 2004.
Bryant’s history with the Clippers extends further back than his 2004 free agency as Kobe worked out for the team prior to the 1996 NBA draft. According to Kobe during his AXS TV special “Kobe Up Close” last August, the Clippers had reservations with signing the basketball prodigy, even though they were impressed:
I had a great workout with the Clippers and they told me it was the best workout they had ever seen. So I said ‘are you gonna draft me?’ and they said no. I asked why and they said ‘We are looking to turn the franchise around and we don’t think the city of Los Angeles would get behind us drafting a 17 year old kid.’
Check out Kobe Bryant discuss potentially buying the Los Angeles Clippers and his meeting with Donald Sterling below: