Meet Kobe Bryant’s next coach
This was gonna be a list of Five Bold Predictions for 2010, but I couldn’t think of the other four. So here it is:
Pat Riley will be the Lakers’ next coach.
Championship or not, Phil Jackson is only coaching one more season. And there are only a handful of coaches who are (1) good enough to take on a team of the Lakers’ caliber and (2) strong-willed enough to handle all that comes with coaching that franchise in that city.
And, more importantly, there’s an even smaller number of coaches whom Kobe Bryant will automatically respect, coaches that won’t ultimately lose the daily battle with Kobe’s personality for control of the team. That list: Coach K (who isn’t going anywhere), Gregg Popovich (ditto), Jerry Sloan (ditto again), Tex Winter (who’s 87 years old), Larry Bird (who’d never coach the Lakers), Magic Johnson (who’s proven he can’t coach the Lakers), and maybe Byron Scott or Larry Brown.
And Pat Riley. Always the opportunist — see how he treated Stan Van Gundy like the brother-in-law in The Godfather (“No, really, just get in the car”) — Riley is already crafting his exit strategy from Miami. When Dwyane Wade doesn’t sign a contract extension with the Heat this fall, puts himself on the free agent market next summer and eventually signs with the Knicks (I guess that’d be Bold Prediction #2), Riley will leave right after him and take over for Phil in Los Angeles. There may even be a tearful “retirement” press conference in Miami, followed three weeks later by an “I couldn’t stay away from the game” presser at Staples Center.
Riley wants another ring. And if he’s being real with himself, it’s probably not gonna happen for a while in Miami, and it sure as hell won’t happen if D-Wade is gone and he’s building around Mike Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Amar’e Stoudemire (Bold Prediction #3). If Riley is trying to go out on top — and I think he is — he’ll end up back on the familiar sideline where he first made his name in the game.
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July 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Chilirey says:
Nice clip with the ol’ school Sega Genesis…
July 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Chilirey says:
Pat: Just Say No!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2eFdO7H7cU
Baller where are they now: Mike Smrek….he gotta ring & you don’t!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
that's whats up says:
get Riley some Just For Men and SHOWTIME IS BACK BABY!!!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Chilirey says:
Ha! Just for Men….Rejected!!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Citizen B says:
Worst speculative blogging ever!!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Michorizo says:
Doesnt Riley own some stake in the Miami Franchise and if so why would he give that up…do you think Buss will give Riley stake in the Lakers?
July 15th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
CSLAVEN says:
kobe is sucks
July 15th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
CSLAVEN says:
wade is truly better then kobe
July 15th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
QQ says:
terrible article. You suck AB!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
This would be so awesome. I was thinking of who could coach the Lakers after Phil left, and I totally forgot about Riles. Perfect situation for everyone involved.
July 15th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
BRUCE says:
Riley should have pulled Starks 2-17 performance!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
CSLAVEN says:
pat riley is a solid coach, kobe is averated.Iverson is beteet then kobe,<<< ok maybe is not now beteer,<<ansver was beteer in phily 2001 when hase teriblle tim make the playofs.Iverson vs Kobe carer stats.<<<,.Ansver 27.3 ppg. 6.3 ast. 2.2 stl. 3 reb. he is won 3 mvp 4 scoring titlle. iverson 1 pick kobe 13 kobe is won 3 nba title with shaq
July 15th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
zcw says:
citizen b hit it, terrible article….
July 15th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
CJ says:
kobe is averated<<.
July 15th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Chilirey says:
It is fun but this article should have been on Entertainment Tonight or EXTRA, rather then here @ Dime!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Oscarisalakerfan says:
I don’t thinl it’ll happen but if it does….. I love it
July 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Dr.gOOgles says:
Riley wouldnt last long in L.A. him and kobe probably get into it before the all star break.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
jryu says:
how crazy would it be to see larry bird coach the lakers….
what do you think the minimum salary would have to be to convince him? $10M/year?? haha
July 15th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
MissChick says:
Lakers don’t even need a coach. Look at last season. We won a ring without any coaching!
July 15th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Ashlov says:
Wow, what a waste of time reading this garbage.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
K Dizzle says:
lol Austin, you never cease to amaze. After D Wade signs his extension, this’ll look very silly.
How about writin about the evolution of twins in hoops from Jarron and Jason Collins to Errick and Derick Craven to Lodrick and Rodrick Stewart to Brook and Robin Lopez to Travis and David Wear to Hikeem and Kadeem Stewart…
Just cuz you CAN write about it doesn’t mean you should…
July 15th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
kevin says:
IVERSON IS BETTER THEN KOBE.OK IS NOT NOW BETEER BUT ANSVER Was beteer in 2001 when he make nba finals with teriblle tim,<< and 1 game nba finalls iverson vs kobe.iverson scor over 35 points vs kobe in 34 games.kobe is scor just 20,24.points.end story iverson was be beteer
July 15th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
justin says:
Riley owns 10% of the Heat. He isn’t going anywhere and neither is Wade, who would be giving up 30 million to leave plus the tax benefits of no state/city tax in Miami so the figure may closer to 40 million when compared to cities like New York and Chicago.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
MAHER says:
WADE IS BETHER THEN KOBE
July 15th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
STEPHONE says:
I AGREE WITH MAHER D WADE IS TRULY BETEER.<<WADE CARER STATS.25.4 PPG.6 AST.2 STL. KOBE<< CARER STATS<< 25.3,5 PPG.JUST<< 4AST.5 REB 1.5 STLL.<<<<<<<<< IVERSON IS THE BEST 27.5PPG. 6.3AST.2.2 STL 3REB AND MUCH MORE,,,,,……..,,LOL
July 15th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
ajsthind says:
Jackson has been grooming Rambis for years. I just don’t see it going to anyone but him.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
sh!tfaced says:
averated… beteer… tim… hahahaha
July 15th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
POPPI GEE says:
I could see that. But hey Kobe has also said he like D’Anthony’s coaching too.
So if things don’t work out in NY you know they would love to have that run the floor offense in LA.
Still the 2 college coaches that I wish would have or would at least try their hand in the L. John Thompson II and Coach K.
Really I don’t think they want to put up with uncoachable adults though or ruin the legacy they have created in college.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
brandon says:
kobe is gay
July 15th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
brandon says:
kobe is not gay kobe is pusy
July 15th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
SLAVENKNE says:
IVERSON WAS BETTER THEN KOBE. IVERSON CARER STATS<<< VS KOBE CARER <<STATS. ANSVER 27.3 PPG. 6 AST. 2.2 STL. 3 REB. HE WON 4 SCORING TITLE,<<<IVERSON WAS BE 3 TIME MVP 1 PICK IN 96, ROOKI OF THE YEAR AND LOT.,,,…….. BUT<<<KOBE WAS 13 PICK.KOBE HAS 2 MVP AND 1 NBA TITLLE WITH NO SHAQ KOBE STATS 25.3 PPG 4 AST 1.5 ST. 4.2 REB. IVERSON IS BETEER
July 15th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
GEORGE says:
I AGREE WITH SLAVENKNE ALLEN IVERSON WAS BETHER THEN KOBE BRYANT
July 15th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
ONLY THE STRONG says:
YO,YO KOBE IS SOMEWONE BEACH,,<<HA HA SUCKERS.
July 15th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
JR says:
I’d rather take Byron Scott
July 16th, 2009 at 12:10 am
jzsmoove says:
No comment.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
ONLY THE STRONG says:
KOBE IS KILL MJ.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠšššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššššttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttTTTTTANI SU U MOSTARU.LLL
July 16th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
brandon says:
jesam se sarme najeo ma, kakav kobe,<<<< mujo i sujo all day.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmujo