Saga just beginning
as Lakers open preseasonBryant confirms that he won't
play tonight and tomorrow
against Golden State here
With the week-long run of Kobe-watch Hawaii approaching its finale, the drama for the Los Angeles Lakers is just beginning.
After the Lakers wrap up training camp in Honolulu with exhibition games against the Golden State Warriors tonight and tomorrow at the Stan Sheriff Center, Kobe Bryant and his teammates will open the next chapter in a story the nation will no doubt be glued to throughout the season.
NBA EXHIBITIONS
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
When: Tonight and tomorrow
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
Tickets: A limited number of tickets for tonight's game were released yesterday and will be available for purchase at the Stan Sheriff Center ticket office. Tickets for tomorrow's game are also available. Call 944-BOWS or the ticket office at 956-4481.
"This is all a soap opera to me," Shaquille O'Neal said earlier in camp. "Reality TV has taken over."
In another year, the prospect of having of four future Hall of Famers trying to share one basketball would be enough of a storyline to keep fans riveted, but even that has been overshadowed by Bryant's sexual assault case thus far.
Bryant cleared up one question regarding his immediate future yesterday by confirming that he would not play in this week's games in Honolulu. Derek Fisher will likely start in place of Bryant.
"I'm disappointed," Bryant told reporters after yesterday's practice at the Sheriff Center. "It's always a great time when we come out here, there's always a lot of energy and I'm sure the fellas will put on a great show."
But he sidestepped a question on whether he'll stay with the team through tomorrow night's game.
"I'm here now and I'm just going a day at a time with this thing and see where it takes me," Bryant said.
Bryant, charged with sexual assault of a 19-year-old Colorado woman, is scheduled to appear in court in Eagle, Colo., on Thursday for a preliminary hearing to determine whether he will stand trial. He has said the two had consensual sex.
There has been speculation that Bryant's defense team will waive his right to the preliminary hearing. Even if the hearing is waived, Bryant will still have to appear in court to show that he is complying with the conditions of his $25,000 bail.
On the court, Bryant increased his workload in practice yesterday, taking part in team drills, and was pleased with the results.
"I found out today I can pretty much do everything except explode," he said. "My leg is weak in some spots.
"I was able to do things today that I didn't think I could do."
But Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bryant won't be ready to play in a game until the team gets back to the mainland.
The Lakers will have six preseason games left after leaving the islands, the next one set for Oct. 14 against Phoenix in San Diego. They open the season Oct. 28 at home against Dallas.
"We have a couple of new players so it would be nice to get out there and try to get a rhythm with them at least a couple times before the season starts," Bryant said.
Bryant said he's working out three times a day with his personal trainer along with practices to try to get back in shape.
Jackson said Bryant lost 15 to 20 pounds in the offseason, some of it by design, some the result of the pressures surrounding him.
But Bryant said he hoped to lose some weight anyway to play a more active role on defense.
"I've been under a lot of stress recently so I didn't really train that much so I lost weight that way," Bryant said. "But I'll pick it back up here. Phil wants me to be on the ball more than I have been in the past and to do that I have to be a lot lighter."
Nearly lost in the Bryant drama is the Lakers' quest for their fourth NBA title in the last five years.
The players on the Laker roster have 21 NBA championship rings between them, but much of the excitement for the coming season are two who haven't claimed rings of their own in Karl Malone and Gary Payton.
And after mostly watching Lakers new and old take their first steps together, Bryant offered an understated outlook for what figures to be a memorable season.
"We have a lot of potential," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
