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To win an NBA championship is arguably the biggest achievement in many a career. To win it in three separate decades is something only two people have done. And the first to ever do it was no superstar.
John Salley, in 2000, achieved this rare feat. Salley won a ring in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s with the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls, and the Los Angeles Lakers respectively.
And during his time in Los Angeles, Salley formed a solid relationship with up-and-comer Kobe Bryant. The veteran talks about how he was a fan of Kobe’s father’s game and built a bond with young Kobe over the game of basketball.
The duo faced off against each other in one-on-one battles also during their period together. And Salley claims that he made easy work of the Black Mamba.
How did John Salley describe his one-on-one battles with a young Kobe Bryant?
John Salley and Kobe Bryant got along really well it would appear, during their time at LA. Both of them were disciples of the game and used to spend time watching films.
And Salley claims his size advantage got him the wins over his young counterpart. The former NBA champion’s claim cannot be validated, so it has to be taken at Sally’s word alone.
“I would watch film with him. I even went to the studio with the man to hear his record at the Sony studio. He was a different cat. We played one-on-one every day and I beat him because I’m seven foot and the game was to seven and I get the ball first because I’m older and I would just back him down and score” said Salley of his period together with Kobe.
A size advantage plus his age gave him the first shot. But getting regular wins(?) against someone as competitive as the Black Mamba is quite the flex indeed.
Was John Salley a major contributor to Kobe and the Lakers?
Despite the success in one-on-one battles, Salley wasn’t quite the stud on the court for the Lakers. The former Pistons star averaged only 1.6 points per game and started only 3 games for the LA franchise.
A total of 45 appearances averaging 6.7 minutes per game shows how Salley was merely an end-of-the-bench player. Quite the far cry from his important stints as a “Bad Boy” at Detroit.
Regardless, with considerable experience and winning experience, at that – Salley was an important veteran to the Laker group. Young Kobe Bryant’s bond with him and Salley’s narration is merely proof of that.
Not everything can be quantified in numbers, and clearly, such was Salley’s role in the 2000 NBA championship.
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