Smush Parker has broken his silence and hit back at the Lakers Kobe Bryant for his derogatory comments towards the New York playground legend. Parker played two seasons with the Lakers (he actually had his best season during his first year as Kobe’s teammate) but Smush says that the reason he left the Lakers was because he wouldn’t “bow down” to Kobe, and that even though he respects Kobe’s game, he thinks little of him as a person.
“I’m lost for words. It makes me blush. For my name to still come out of that man’s mouth? It makes me blush,” he told Hard 2 Guard.
Parker says he values his two seasons playing with the Lakers (from 2005-2007), but not his time playing with Bryant.
“The two years in LA were a blessing to me,” he said. “People who ask me how it was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. People ask me how it was playing with Kobe Bryant, I said it 2008 it was an overrated experience. You can’t knock the man’s legacy, you can’t knock what he’s done in basketball. His work ethic is tremendous. There’s not an ounce of hate in my blood whatsoever. The guy can play basketball — you’ve seen that throughout his career.
“What I don’t like about him is the man that he is. His personality. How he treats people. I don’t like that side of Kobe Bryant.”