Kobe Bryant was keen on joining city rivals Clippers in 2004: Jerry West

NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 7 others lost their lives during a helicopter crash on Sunday. The group of 9 were headed towards Gianna's basketball game when the helicopter crashed. The NBA world was devasted after the sudden tragedy, offering their condolences and tributes to the legend. 

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Kobe Bryant death: Jerry West opens about Kobe Bryant considering joining the Clippers

While talking on Inside the NBA, Jerry West revealed that he stopped Kobe Bryant from joining the LA Clippers. Jerry West could not allow Bryant to play for the Clippers former owner – Donald Sterling. According to Jerry West, Bryant was headed to sign with the Clippers as he was unhappy with the Lakers. Jerry West now works as a consultant for the Clippers.

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Jerry West revealed that Bryant and he had two conversations about the topic, as the five-time NBA Champion was 'mad at everyone'. Bryant had been a free agent in 2004 and was having problems with his then-teammate Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal was traded to Miami Heat on July 14, 2004. Bryant re-signed with the Lakers a day after the trade. 

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According to reports, Bryant had given the Clippers verbal confirmation. However, he played 20 seasons with the purple and gold, winning two more championships. In 2004, West was the Grizzlies general manager and advised Bryant as his close friend. They met when West was an integral part of the trade that brought him to the Lakers. Sterling, on the other hand, was banned in 2014 after footage of him using racist epithets was leaked. 

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Kobe Bryant death: Kobe Bryant Lakers legacy

Kobe Bryant played with the Lakers for two decades, starting as an 18-year-old rookie in 1996. Bryant retired in 2016, third on the all-time NBA scoring list. He had five NBA championships to his name, winning NBA MVP in 2008. Bryant had a career average of 25 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Kobe Bryant even paired up with LeBron James for the Olympics, winning the country two gold medals in 2008 and 2012 respectively. 

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