Q&A With The Bryant Bunch
As much as the Lakers are Kobe Bryant, they are also the sum of their parts. Before the game, I got a chance to chat with a bunch of the supporting cast that allow Kobe not to have to score 61 on a nightly basis. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!) As the Lake Show embarks on their four-game roadtrip, I thought I’d ask Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum about travelling away from home…
Jordan Farmar
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Jordan: Socks, underwear and deoderant are basically the essentials. My laptop, to keep in touch with people back home, and my Beats by Dre headphones.
Dime: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?
Jordan: Miami. The weather there. I just like the city.
Dime: In the offseason, what’s your favorite spot to visit when you’re not training?
Jordan: (laughs) Miami. I love L.A., but I went to Tahiti the summer of my rookie season. It’s a real nice spot. Hopefully I get the chance to go more places as my career goes along.
Luke Walton
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Luke: My cell phone, my laptop and my iPod. Country, classic rock, rap – I got a little bit of everything.
Dime: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?
Luke: I love New York City. Go out to dinner, just walk around the town, just an awesome city.
Dime: In the offseason, what’s your favorite spot to visit when you’re not training?
Luke: San Diego, California. Every offseason, that’s where I’m at. That’s where I grew up. I love the people, got my family down there, love the city, love the weather and the beaches.
Sasha Vujacic
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Sasha: iPod, iPhone and computer. And definitely a book or two, because if it’s a long roadtrip, you gotta educate yourself as well. I got a book from my country, which is not going to be interesting for you, and Phil just gave me a book, “Lord of the Flies.” Coming from Europe, I never heard of it. I heard it’s a pretty good book.
Dime: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?
Sasha: New York and Chicago. Those are the two cities that I like the most. I got a couple of Italian restuarants that I like, Serafina is one of them, and I have a couple of friends here so they take me out.
Dime: In the offseason, what’s your favorite spot to visit when you’re not training?
Sasha: My favorite place, I’m not going to tell you that, because it’s going to stay a secret place. I’m going to keep going there. This upcoming summer, I’m going to go back home after six-seven years I’m going to play for the national team. So I’m excited about that.
Dime: So your secret place, I won’t try and find it, but what continent is it on?
Sasha: (laughing) It’s in Mexico.
Lamar Odom
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Lamar: My laptop. It has everything. A lot of information that I always need.
Dime: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?
Lamar: New York. I’m from here, but I just love the energy.
Dime: In the offseason, what’s your favorite spot to visit when you’re not training?
Lamar: Miami is my favorite place. I still have my home there. Just love being there. Love the energy as well.
Andrew Bynum
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Andrew: My Beats by Dre headphones, laptop, little Apple computer, cell phones, and that’s about it. If I’ve got those three things, I’m good to go.
Dime: What’s your favorite NBA city to visit?
Andrew: New York. Just go around, look around, a lot of my family lives out here so I hang out with them.
Dime: In the offseason, what’s your favorite spot to visit when you’re not training?
Andrew: I like Miami and I like the Bahamas, and that’s really the only place I’ve been outside of the country. Hopefully I get to expand that.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
control says:
I would like to add to Sasha’s answer on his first question:
Dime: When you’re on the road, what is some stuff you can’t leave home without?
Sasha: My Head and Shoulders shampoo, and my manicurist Pierre. I have to keep my hair shiny, smooth and dandruff free. Pierre keeps my nails cute and provides other services.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Scott says:
Is it just me or did Bynum just say that Miami isn’t in the states?
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
control says:
Other notes:
Lamar talks about energy a lot for a guy who has no energy at all when he plays.
Andrew can’t count and doesn’t know much about geography…Miami is a part of the USA fool.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
steven says:
Haha, Lord of the flies! Funny thing is that we all know Sasha would be “Piggy” and get his life pummeled out of him via an onslaught of rocks. I’m sure Phil Jackson knows this too.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Aron Phillips says:
@Scott and control
Sorry! Typo. Corrected.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
control says:
AP
Bynum still can’t count
Unless “laptop, little Apple computer” is one object. I think he’s going to need to add a knee brace and some “icy hot” to that list now though.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Celts Fan says:
Damn, small world. Went to visit some friends in NYC 2 wks ago and ate at serafina. Damn good italian food, sasha knows his shit
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
The Bloke says:
“Lord of the Flies.” Coming from Europe, I never heard of it. I heard it’s a pretty good book.
hahaha. what a moron. it’s from william golding, who is british. the last time i checked that’s in europe. yeah, so how could he possilby of heard about it…
precious
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
doc (i like kobe AND bron) says:
What Sasha think somebody gonna crash his secret spot?Who the hell he think he is Kobe.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
srb says:
this was pretty interesting Dime. I like these kinds of posts, with original interviews done by Dime staffers.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
JHov says:
Good report, AP! Keep doing them..It’s funny that these guys are multi-millionaires and yet they pretty much keep it simple..cell,laptop, and ipod..I know I don’t go on trips without them!
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Flip says:
Miami outside of the country??? Pretty sure Andrew failed his geography class…. If he even had one.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Gary says:
did you just email these guys the same questions? hate to hate, but this could have been a little bit better . . you gonna need to get a Flip Mino or something to get this stuff on YouTube . . . if you guys need a West Coast Rep to cover the Lake Show . . let me know!
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:07 pm
ATLbred says:
I like Miami and I like the Bahamas, and that’s really the only place I’ve been outside of the country.
Break that sentence down a lil further…he’s not that stupid…
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
slis says:
What’s wrong with you people, he’s obviously talking about the Bahamas being out of the country. If you’re gonna hate on someone else’s stupidity, at least try not to make yourself sound like a moron in the process.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:57 pm
added says:
@The Bloke – about lord of the flies – yea, sasha is from europe and yes, england is a part of europe – but slovenia is very much eastern bloc and historically separated from western european arts and culture…
February 4th, 2009 at 12:54 am
control says:
ATLbred & slis
The article said “I like Miami and I like the Bahamas, and those are the only two places I’ve been that are outside of the country.” earlier on before it was pointed out and edited. Meaning our comments were relevant at the time.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:04 am
lorenzo says:
To all the people talking about Sasha not knowing about the book. Let’s flip the situation say that you grow up in the states, go through the educational system there and in your 20’s go play ball in some other country … let’s say Russia. There you are asked (in english of course, because you can’t speak the local language) about books and you say that you never heard about The Master and Margarita for example. And what about if you went to China…
Now explain why are you considered stupid?