	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

February 18, 2007

Kobe Bryant

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Q. I just wondered, can you talk about the difference between winning the All-Star Game MVP here where the fans are chanting your fame as opposed to Philly where you were getting booed?
KOBE BRYANT: Philly was great. As players we always want to have -- feel like we're appreciated for what we do. To have this type of reaction here in this All-Star Game is very humbling. I just feel very blessed and very fortunate to be able to come out tonight and put on a really good show.

Q. You mentioned that you fell asleep in Madison Square Garden. Tonight Doug Collins tells you before the game you're going to be the MVP. Do you laugh at that or what was your reaction or what was your goal?
KOBE BRYANT: No, I laughed at it. Before tonight's game I was tired as they were. We just wanted to come out and play, and honestly, within the locker room we talked about we had lost two times in a row to the East. We wanted to come out and win this game.
We felt like we've blown big leads in the last couple of games. We wanted to come out tonight and have a pretty big victory.

Q. For you, what's going to go down -- you look at the whole weekend Friday through Sunday, what's going to go down in your mind as the signature moment of this whole weekend?
KOBE BRYANT: For us a lot of it is the moments a lot of people don't see, that's the moments that take place behind the scenes with my teammates on All-Star Weekend.
This particular All-Star Game was suspect because I was fortunate enough to be asked to be one of the judges at the Dunk Contest. And I just had a lot of moments in the back talking about Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Vince. It was extremely special.
As I kid I never, ever thought I would be in the back chopping it up with Dr. J and Mike and Dominique Wilkins. That's something I'll remember forever.

Q. Can you share a couple of the things that either Dr. J or MJ told you that were pretty inspirational?
KOBE BRYANT: You know what, it was funny, we pretty much talked trash the whole time. It was just unbelievable. Because you get guys in the same room who are extremely competitive, and you start comparing records and sneaker technology, and what a guy would have done if they had the technology we have. Comparing hand size and who can palm the basketball and who can do what.
These are things that are fun to talk about. We had a blast doing it.

Q. Most people think of this as an exhibition game, why do you take this one seriously?
KOBE BRYANT: We had lost two in a row, so we all made it a point to come out and go for it. With about four minutes to go in the game, actually six minutes to go in the game we all kind of got together, and said let's dig in defensively a couple of possessions. We actually did.
We felt like we blew big leads the last couple of times, we wanted to make sure that didn't happen. Nobody wants to lose three in a row no matter where it is.

Q. Tonight was Carmelo Anthony's first All-Star Game, and he was a latecomer to the event. It looked like you guys made an effort to let him be comfortable.
KOBE BRYANT: You definitely try to look out for the young fellows. My first All-Star Game they did the same for me. It's kind of passing the torch on. Carmelo, he's one of my favorite people in the whole NBA.
He's a phenomenal talent. I just love him. I think he's scratching the surface of what he can do. He's a natural.

Q. Talk about Vegas as a potential NBA city. Do you think this city could support an NBA team?
KOBE BRYANT: From what I hear Commissioner Stern doesn't think that's such a major threat as far as it being an issue having a team here. So you have to trust his judgment there.
As far as the city itself I believe that the city is definitely a city that can support an NBA franchise. They've been extremely supportive of us, of this All-Star Game. We have two preseason games here normally, and they're extremely supportive there. I definitely think they could support it.

Q. MVP, are you considering yourself also the Most Valuable Presley with your singing tonight?
KOBE BRYANT: I was so uncomfortable singing that song. But it was fun, though. We had a good time. That's what the All-Star Game is about, having a good time, having some fun. I had to brush up on my vocal cords on the Viva Las Vegas tune. It was cool. I won't retire from the NBA and go into singing, I can tell you that.

Q. On your judging last night, of the dunk, was there or is there any response from any of the judges on the Dwight Howard scoring?
KOBE BRYANT: You know what, Vince and I were actually talking with Mike and Dr. J across the table, because we felt like they were way too harsh on him. But you have to consider who's judging. You're talking about Michael and Dr. J, it doesn't get anymore serious than that.
His strength around the basket is unbelievable. He had a great show last night. We felt Gerald Green put a pretty good emphasis on it.

Q. It looked like you and LeBron was checking each other out there. Did you take on a competitive thing? Did he fire you up a little bit?
KOBE BRYANT: You know what I try to do with LeBron, when I play against him, is compete hard, that's the respect you have to have for your peers. The same way with Wade and same way with Carmelo during the season.
If you have mutual respect for somebody you have to give your best effort, because if not you'd be cheating your opponent, you show lack of respect to your opponent if you're not competing hard against them.
LeBron is an phenomenon natural talent. To have three young guys, four, Chris Bosh, too, that are absolutely sensational.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297