Brandon Jennings: ‘Kobe Bryant is the GOAT’

What is your response to Josh Hart saying you can’t talk about winning because you never won anything in life? Brandon Jennings: Never won in life? Well, maybe if they win a title in New York, then he’ll have won something. He should be glad they made those two trades just now or they wouldn’t even have a shot at competing. We’ll see what happens this year. -via HoopsHype / October 16, 2024

What do you think of where the NBA is today compared to when you were in the league? Brandon Jennings: The NBA is in a great place now, compared to when I was in the league. Skill-wise it’s definitely better. Look at Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and guys like that. The league is just so deep now with new young stars that are so talented.  But I would say my era, when I played, was the best. On the Gil’s Arena podcast, we talk about this a lot – which era is the best? And most of us will always say the era when they played was the best. -via HoopsHype / October 16, 2024

Based on how their careers turned out, Green looks like the better player between the two. However, some old heads, including Kenyon Martin and Brandon Jennings, don’t share that belief. “Bonzi Wells better than Draymond Green,” Jennings said during a recent episode of “Gil’s Arena.” “That sh*t ain’t even fu*king close,” Martin replied. -via Basketball Network / August 28, 2024

Do you like the way Kobe and Jordan went at their teammates? “Y’all going to come up to my level right now.” EDWARDS: I can agree to disagree, because in today’s game everybody’s different. You can’t talk to everybody the same. You got to talk to players differently. Certain players can take it. I talk to some of my teammates like, “Hey, get your shit together.” But some players, you got to go talk to them on the side. You can’t really cuss them out in front of everybody. -via Interview Magazine / October 12, 2024

Mark Cuban: “You know how close we were to trading for Kobe in 2007. Oh my God, it was like literally this close. I talked to Jerry Buss and worked something out. Kobe wanted to leave. Jerry said, ‘if you want to leave, we’ll take care of it.’ We were going to trade Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and picks, but no Dirk. I said, ‘Anyone but Dirk.’ Kobe wanted it, and Jerry was willing to do it, but Mitch Kupchak talked Jerry out of it. It was going to happen. I remember telling this dude,’ I’m like, ‘Kobe’s going to be a Mav,’ and I thought it was done. But Mitch Kupchack stepped in, and that’s how it fell apart. The rest is history.” -via YouTube / October 10, 2024

Smush Parker also weighed in on Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell playing with today’s Laker team and his role with LeBron James. “I don’t know D’Angelo too well, but I do know LeBron James’ game and he’s ball dominant,” he said. “D’Angelo is a playmaker that’s used to having the ball in his hands but you have to understand that’s not your role anymore. I’m talking about D’Angelo Russell now. You have to become a spot up shooter when you’re playing with a guy like LeBron James; almost like I had to play when I was playing with Kobe Bryant. But again, you have to know how to adapt to your teammates and that’s what good basketball players do, you know? You know what your role is on certain teams and then elevate your game to that level that it needs to be.” -via ScoopB.com / October 8, 2024