Kobe Bryant: 'Of Course' Lakers Will Win A Championship

Kobe Bryant says the Lakers will be NBA champions again "before you know it."

Retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant believes the team will figure things out and soon be competing for championships while "laughing at all the Warrior fans who all of the sudden came out of nowhere."

Bryant made the comments Monday night during the Lakers' "All-Access" event at the Staples Center.

Los Angeles signed free agent LeBron James over the summer and are attempted to make it back to the postseason for the first time in five seasons.

“Of course they will. Of course they will,” Bryant said, when asked if the Lakers will win a championship.

They have determination to figure it out. They will figure it out. They have talented pieces …. So enjoy the journey because we’ll be champions before you know it. Then we’ll just be laughing at all the Warrior fans. ... I remember going there to play, looking around and seeing a lot of Lakers jerseys in the stands. Now all of a sudden, I’m like, ‘What the…?’

Bryant said James coming to a new team and leading the team is nothing new to the four-time NBA MVP.

"He's always had the spotlight. He's been able to deal with that gracefully," Bryant said. "I think the difference here is that you have a collection of players and a lot of talent, all young. And so the challenge is, can they figure out what their games are individually sooner rather than later?"

James is averaging 27.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists this season for the Lakers, who are fifth in the Western Conference standings with a 14–9 record.