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The day Kobe Bryant was almost sent to Dallas

Even the legends most loyal to their franchise have sometimes had moments of doubt. Kobe Bryant, for example, spent his entire career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers but came close to being traded twice. Already in 2004, when he thought of joining the Chicago Bulls because he no longer saw himself playing with Shaquille O’Neal (it was finally the Shaq who was sent to the Miami Heat). Then in 2007. Obviously, his arrival at the Dallas Mavericks was then imminent.

“I thought it was done,” admits Mark Cuban, the owner of the Texas franchise, interviewed by Taylor Rooks. “I was on the Dancing With the Stars cast and we practiced 7 or 8 hours a day. I don’t remember who called who first but I think it was Jerry Buss who contacted me to saying that the Lakers might be parting ways with Kobe. I remember that very well because there was a production assistant named Elvis who was a Lakers fan. He only had Kobe at the We were talking. I told him we were going to get Kobe back and then the deal fell through. I think Mitch Kupchak managed to convince Kobe to stay.”

Kobe Bryant reportedly played with Dirk Nowitzki. What form a sacred tandem. It is ultimately with Pau Gasol that he played three finals in a row to win two titles between 2008 and 2010.

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