Check out Kobe Bryant in Manila catching this SICK reverse off the backboard alley-oop from Chris Paul. The highlight is from July 23, 2011, when a bunch of NBA Stars (Kobe, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant) and JaVale McGee (who had a team-high 25 points) beat the PBA All-Stars 135-105 in a fun exhibition game. I’m sure this highlight might make some Lakers fans literally sick as they think about the vetoed trade that happened five months later on December 8, 2011.
- Lakers Receive: Chris Paul
- Rockets Receive: Pau Gasol
- Hornets Receive: Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, and a 2012 first-round pick
Six days after David Stern nixed the deal, CP3 was traded to the Clippers, and LOB CITY was born, with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan as Paul’s new alley-oop partners.
If you want to hear more details and conspiracy theories about the basketball Gods preventing CP3 and Kobe from teaming up, there are lots of videos about it down below.
If you just want to enjoy some CP3 and Kobe moments, then check out the videos after this quote from CP3 about him and Kobe being cut from the same cloth.
“Me and Kobe were just wired the same. His talent was outrageous but when we played against each other, we were about to fight just about every time because our energy was the same. I don’t know how to not play for real. Preseason, regular season, All-Star game, let’s get to it. Every All-Star game me and Kobe played together, I don’t think we ever lost. So I hate that that opportunity didn’t get to happen, especially at that point of my career.”
“It’s hard to play with me. I have a one-track mind and that’s to compete. And if you not on that same energy, it’s going to be hard for us to get along. One thing you learn in this league is a lot of guys appreciate you after the fact.”
ALL-STAR & USA TEAMMATES
KOBE DUNKING ON CHRIS PAUL
THE 2008 MVP AWARD
Many people thought CP3 was robbed of the 2008 MVP award, which went to Kobe Bryant, who received 82 1st place votes to Paul’s 28.
THE VETOED TRADE
NBA VS PBA ALL-STARS