Cyrus Langhorne
NBA star Kobe Bryant has released a statement on Friday's unexpected announcement of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike Brown getting the pink slip after only five regular season games.
Prior to Friday’s 101-77 win against the Golden State Warriors, Kobe insisted he still supported Brown despite his termination.
“Tough day. I’ve seen coaches as well as friends come and go. No matter how many years I’ve been playing, it’s still hard to deal with. I had a good relationship with Mike and I will continue to have one. I wish him and his family nothing but the best. I spoke with him today and thanked him for all of his hard work and sacrifice. As a team, we must focus our energy on tonight’s game. We must block out the weight of today’s news and simply do our jobs to the best of our ability. I’m not sure what direction we are heading in next. All I can do is focus on the here and now. Mamba out.” (Statement)
Following the breaking news, Maybach Music Group’s Wale playfully offered to coach Kobe’s Lakers.
“. @Lakers I’ll coach y’all #getmedoe ha,” Wale tweeted Friday (November 9).
“Thanks for considering me… Im all bout Ambition RT @Lakers: @Wale we’ll pass along your interest.” (Wale’s Twitter)
Brown’s departure even caught the attention of Atlanta’s 2 Chainz.
“Wooooow MIKE BROWN fired!!! Das ill B,” Chainz tweeted Friday.
“KOBE BABE!!!!! We do wut we gotta do to WIN no hard feelings” (2 Chainz’s Twitter)
The former Eastern Conference champion head coach’s termination flooded the Internet Friday morning.
Mike Brown was fired by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday in the wake of a 1-4 start with the N.B.A.’s glitziest lineup. Potential replacements include Mike D’Antoni, Jerry Sloan, Brian Shaw and Nate McMillan. The firing, which was first reported by USA Today, was confirmed by the team in a news release. Although the move was stunningly swift, it reflected the immense expectations in Los Angeles after a transformational summer in which the Lakers acquired Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, creating one of the most talented lineups in history. (New York Times)
