New York Knicks: Kobe Bryant once ‘dreamed’ about playing in New York
Kobe Bryant stayed with the Los Angeles Lakers from start to finish, but he had thoughts of playing elsewhere, including the New York Knicks.
Star players and the New York Knicks are a combination that rarely transpires anymore. They had Carmelo Anthony as recently as 2017, but his stock faded over those final few seasons, especially as the Knicks missed the playoffs.
Before that was Amar’e Stoudemire, but injuries diminished his New York career before he could get his feet under him.
What about the players that never were, though? The Knicks were always interested in superstars, including their meeting with LeBron James in 2010, but one top name actually pondered the idea of playing in the Big Apple, per Frank Isola of The Athletic: Kobe Bryant.
"“There are some teams … I always kind of dreamed about playing in New York and what that would have been like. It’s true. As a fan, the Garden was the historical arena. It’s like the last one left. So, when I came into the NBA there used to be Chicago Stadium. It’s crazy to think that you guys probably don’t know what Chicago Stadium is. But it was Chicago Stadium and there was the Boston Garden where Tiny did a lot of his damage. Then there is Madison Square Garden.”"
Bryant played at the historic The Forum in Inglewood, CA with the Lakers, before the Staples Center arrived in the late ’90s. The Forum was among the legacy arenas in the NBA, but the Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium also stood tall for their long-standing importance and meaning in professional sports, no matter which event was held there.
Madison Square Garden still stands, however, and recently underwent renovations. It’s called the World’s Most Famous Arena for a reason and remains an icon of New York City culture.
For Bryant to have played there as a Knick, it had the chance to top the hype Anthony walked into The Garden with.
The closest the five-time NBA champion came to leaving the Lakers was in 2007, when he said, he’d like to be traded. Nothing happened, of course, and he went on to win the 2009 and 2010 championships in Southern California and retired in the purple and gold.
A 2007 ESPN True Hoop article speculated on the idea of New York eyeing Bryant. While the idea was intriguing, their assets were limited from trades that moved first-round picks and young pieces like David Lee and Nate Robinson, but neither were cornerstone players to a long-term future.
The only chance could have been for the Knicks to clean out the cupboard. No one did, however, and Bryant now holds up as one of the greatest Lakers ever. So, it’s all fun, hypothetically, but means nothing otherwise.
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In 2019, the New York Knicks may finally have their chance to acquire a big name like Bryant. Kevin Durant arriving would be the closest thing to that, and he can hit free agency this summer. Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving are other potential names set for the open market, so someone’s dream of playing in New York may arrive years after the Black Mamba’s.