Kobe Bryant hasn’t talked to new Lakers teammates yet — VIDEO
At the Los Angeles Lakers' introductory news conference Wednesday for center Roy Hibbert, forward Brandon Bass and guard Lou Williams, Bass said one reason he signed with the team was for the chance to play with Kobe Bryant, who he called "one of the greatest to ever play the game."
It remains to be seen if Bryant is the least bit excited to play with his new teammates. When the trio was asked if any of them had heard from Kobe, they each responded the same way — with stone silence.
They looked at one another. Hibbert shook his head "no," and Bass smiled.
The trio will be hearing Bryant's voice loud and clear soon enough, according to ex-Lakers forward Jordan Hill, who talked about playing with the five-time NBA champion when he was introduced recently by his new team, the Indiana Pacers.
"When he's on the floor, it's like (exhales), all you hear is Kobe's mouth," Hill said. "He's on the floor, all you hear is Kobe's mouth, like during practice and games, it get loud. It get loud. A lot of people can't handle that, I guess."
Bryant, who turns 37 next month, is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him a league-high $25 million next season.
The NBA's third all-time leading scorer has suffered season-ending injuries in each of the past three seasons, including a shoulder injury in January that he still is rehabbing.
Appearing on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike" show, basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said the fact that Bryant didn't reach out to his new teammates didn't surprise him, saying Kobe's a loner and that it's too late for him to change.
Bryant spoke about his mindset recently, saying, "Friends can come and go, but banners hang forever."
