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How Calipari Missed Out on Drafting NBA Legend

Lakers drafting Bronny James isn't first time franchise manipulated league

Jacob Davis

Former Kentucky Wildcats basketball head coach John Calipari in attendance of the Phoenix Suns game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Former Kentucky Wildcats basketball head coach John Calipari in attendance of the Phoenix Suns game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Lakers have often been considered the most powerful NBA organization in league history.

The franchise has won 17 championships with many of the greatest players ever. Lebron James led the team to its latest title while in 'the bubble' in Orlando during the COVID impacted 2020 season.

James has been considered the single most powerful player in the sport since his arrival to Cleveland in 2003. The only coach Lebron has played for who was never fired is Eric Spoelstra, who is still at the helm a decade since the 'Big Three' dissolved.

His son, Bronny, was drafted by the Lakers Thursday after a subpar freshman season at USC. Agent Rich Paul told other teams not to draft the younger James or he would play elsewhere, which immediately became the talking point that flooded social media during draft coverage.

No matter where Bronny landed, the spotlight would remain bright because of his father. It's definitely a neat moment seeing the first father-son duo play in the league at the same time – a top storyline until the NBA begins regular season play in October.

This isn't the first time the Lakers played a role in undermining how the draft played out. When John Calipari took his shot at the NBA with New Jersey, he had the chance to draft legendary NBA star Kobe Bryant way back in 1996.

The Philadelphia native skipped college only to be drafted by the Charlotte Hornets at No. 13. A trade that was actually in the works before the draft came to fruition which sent Bryant across the country to Los Angeles.

That doesn't even scratch the surface when it comes to how Bryant's side played things that night. A rumor of him playing professional ball in Italy scared teams that loved his skillset away from selecting him.

Calipari coveted Bryant, but was persuaded not to choose him during his first draft as an NBA coach even with the No. 8 pick. Instead, the Nets selected Kerry Kittles who had a solid NBA career, but nowhere near Bryant's stratosphere.

An ESPN interview in 2011 mentioned how satisfied he was with Kittles, yet forecasted what was to come from Bryant.

“John wanted to take Kobe Bryant in the [1996] draft,” then Nets GM John Nash told O’Connor. “And he got faked out.”

Calipari disagrees to an extent.

“Everybody knows I was talked out of that,” Calipari said. "But let me say this, the opportunity to coach Kerry Kittles, I wouldn't give up for anything. I love Kerry Kittles and I said at the time he'll be better than Kobe these first couple of years, but in five years Kobe's going to be off the charts."

Calipari and Bryant ended up with a tremendous relationship despite the controversial draft following what became one of the biggest what-if moments in sports history.

The Lakers wound up being where Bryant landed even though nearby Sacramento also thought about drafting him at No. 14, according to the Philadelphia Inquier.

“We got an ultimatum from Kobe, too,” Kings player personnel director Jerry Reynolds said in 1996. “Not just Charlotte. We were at No. 14 and we were strongly considering taking Kobe, but he was gone.”

Bryant's career played out well anyway playing for his childhood dream team. He won five NBA championships, earned two Finals MVP, named an 18-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion and the only player to have two jersey numbers retired.

How his career followed what may have been fate all along as a result of draft manipulation to its greatest extent. Similarly, the James situation will be talked about for years to come also after an over the top agent and a bit of nepotism allowed Lebron to now say he can play with his son.

HOGS FEED:

• Failures of others shouldn't fall on Calipari's shoulders

• Former coach regrets how he treated Hunter Henry in high school

• Razorbacks continue to find success at U.S. Olympic trials

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

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