With the 16th pick, the Hornets already had their eye on a guard – Santa Clara's Steve Nash, who had worked out with the team shortly before the draft. The Hornets had invited Bryant for a workout, but he cancelled the visit. The team had scouted Bryant twice but wanted a private workout to get a better feel for his potential.

"He wouldn't work out with us and that bothered us," Bass said. "We couldn't meet him. His agent was trying to aim him to the Lakers and they threatened us."

The Hornets got the message that if they drafted Bryant, he wouldn't play in Charlotte.

They weren't the only team to be warned off taking Bryant for their own.

The New Jersey Nets, coached by John Calipari, considered Bryant with the eighth pick but chose Villanova's Kerry Kittles after hearing a similar message.

The Philadelphia 76ers had seen Bryant play regularly but instead used the No. 1 pick to draft point guard Allen Iverson from Georgetown. Twelve teams passed on Bryant before the Hornets took him.

One day later, with Divac still stalling the trade, Tellem(Bryant's agent)was more direct when asked if Bryant might wind up playing for the Hornets.

"That is an impossibility. There are no ifs. It would not happen. He is going to be a Laker and that's the only team he's playing for," Tellem said.

SQ_Crazies wrote: If the Bobcats stay in the 8 spot, I'm telling you right now that the Cavs will beat them in 4 games. 5 IF they get lucky in one. You don't have to believe me now, but watch it happen.

Footwedge wrote:

SQ_Crazies wrote: If the Bobcats stay in the 8 spot, I'm telling you right now that the Cavs will beat them in 4 games. 5 IF they get lucky in one. You don't have to believe me now, but watch it happen.

What? Charlotte is just like the Magic last year. We obviously just don't match up.

Charlotte will hit a buzzer beater to win gome 1 and then win in OT in game 4 on a few fluke plays.

And then the free huddle pundits will claim that Charlotte was 7-3 against us...clearly better than us....and that we need to bring in a few players to stop Steven Jackson.

sportswizuhrd wrote: Nice article about Kobe being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and traded to the Lakers. Almost didnt go down. Vlade Divac had to be talked into going to Charlotte instead of retiring or going to Yugoslavia. Hornets needed a big man but wanted to take Steve Nash. Nets almost took Kobe at 8 but Jerry West talked Calipari out of taking him, and Kobe refused to play anywhere but LA.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/05/1289903/passing-on-kobe.html

With the 16th pick, the Hornets already had their eye on a guard – Santa Clara's Steve Nash, who had worked out with the team shortly before the draft. The Hornets had invited Bryant for a workout, but he cancelled the visit. The team had scouted Bryant twice but wanted a private workout to get a better feel for his potential.

"He wouldn't work out with us and that bothered us," Bass said. "We couldn't meet him. His agent was trying to aim him to the Lakers and they threatened us."

The Hornets got the message that if they drafted Bryant, he wouldn't play in Charlotte.

They weren't the only team to be warned off taking Bryant for their own.

The New Jersey Nets, coached by John Calipari, considered Bryant with the eighth pick but chose Villanova's Kerry Kittles after hearing a similar message.

The Philadelphia 76ers had seen Bryant play regularly but instead used the No. 1 pick to draft point guard Allen Iverson from Georgetown. Twelve teams passed on Bryant before the Hornets took him.

One day later, with Divac still stalling the trade, Tellem(Bryant's agent)was more direct when asked if Bryant might wind up playing for the Hornets.

"That is an impossibility. There are no ifs. It would not happen. He is going to be a Laker and that's the only team he's playing for," Tellem said.

Footwedge wrote:

SQ_Crazies wrote: If the Bobcats stay in the 8 spot, I'm telling you right now that the Cavs will beat them in 4 games. 5 IF they get lucky in one. You don't have to believe me now, but watch it happen.

What? Charlotte is just like the Magic last year. We obviously just don't match up.

Charlotte will hit a buzzer beater to win gome 1 and then win in OT in game 4 on a few fluke plays.

And then the free huddle pundits will claim that Charlotte was 7-3 against us...clearly better than us....and that we need to bring in a few players to stop Steven Jackson.

Benny The Jet wrote:

Footwedge wrote:

SQ_Crazies wrote: If the Bobcats stay in the 8 spot, I'm telling you right now that the Cavs will beat them in 4 games. 5 IF they get lucky in one. You don't have to believe me now, but watch it happen.

What? Charlotte is just like the Magic last year. We obviously just don't match up.

Charlotte will hit a buzzer beater to win gome 1 and then win in OT in game 4 on a few fluke plays.

And then the free huddle pundits will claim that Charlotte was 7-3 against us...clearly better than us....and that we need to bring in a few players to stop Steven Jackson.

This is a serious question...are you actually a Cleveland fan? If so, you are the MOST negative fan I've ever heard. Remind me of Randy Quaid's character in Major League 2

SQ_Crazies wrote: LOL, that's like comparing apples to elephants.

ytownfootball wrote: Charlotte played the Cavs hot when we played them 49 & 54% from the field and 47% from three in both. They won't be able to keep that clip up in a series.