Kobe Hits Radio Trail To Talk Trade

Kobe Bryant

The highly competitive LOS ANGELES sports radio battle between ABC Sports KSPN-A (710 ESPN) and CLEAR CHANNEL Sports KLAC-A resulted in both stations trumpeting their own exclusive KOBE BRYANT interviews TUESDAY afternoon as the LAKERS superstar continued his media tour in the wake of weekend reports that he is asking for changes within the team's organization and may look to exit the team if those changes, including bringing back JERRY WEST to run the club, aren't made. 

BRYANT first joined STEVE MASON and JOHN IRELAND at 710 ESPN for a talk in which he said he was "beyond frustrated" with the team, then appeared on KLAC's afternoon show with PETROS PAPADAKIS and MATT "MONEY" SMITH, complaining "there's nobody on this planet that thinks we have a team that can contend for a title right now" but insisting that he wants to be "a LAKER forever." Both stations heavily promoted their "exclusive interviews" with KOBE both before and after BRYANT's appearances.

I would like to be traded, yeah.

And WEDNESDAY, BRYANT went on ABC Sports WEPN-A (1050 ESPN RADIO)/NEW YORK's STEPHEN A. SMITH show to say what he didn't quite say to the L.A. stations -- that he wants to be traded. "I would like to be traded, yeah," BRYANT told SMITH. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative, you know?... I just want them to do the right thing."

But by WEDNESDAY afternoon, KOBE was back on KLAC, this time with the "LOOSE CANNONS" -- STEVE HARTMAN, MYCHAL THOMPSON, and VIC "THE BRICK" JACOBS -- to say that he wants to stay with the LAKERS but has not yet received a call from owner Dr. JERRY BUSS (who is dealing with his own problems after a DUI arrest in CARLSBAD, CA on TUESDAY night). BRYANT talked for close to a half hour with the CANNONS, occasionally pausing to collect himself (or to recover from JACOBS' trademark interjections) and saying, "This is my team. I love it here. I have been a LAKERS fan forever," but professing to have been hurt by the team's actions and grateful for former teammate and rival star SHAQUILLE O'NEAL's support in recent days. KLAC replayed the interview twice during the show.

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