# Chucky Atkins lashes out, calls Kobe Bryant the Lakers' GM



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

It came Sunday with a snarled answer from Chucky Atkins that silenced the locker room as soon as the words escaped his mouth. The question put to Atkins was what he would do as general manager to remake the 10th-place Lakers. "I ain't no GM," Atkins said. "Ask Kobe. He's the GM. It's his team.


Go ask him Atkins, who has grown increasingly frustrated in recent weeks, was asked to clarify if he was, in fact, saying that Bryant was calling the shots for the organization. "I don't know," Atkins said. "Last I heard they told me that (general manager) Mitch Kupchak was supposed to make the decisions around here. So you all going to ask him those questions, please

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2785705,00.html


----------



## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

This season sucks.


----------



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

This is starting to remind me of the Lakers pre-Phil Jackson. You had Shaq, Kobe, and Van Exel taking turns bashing each other. Even the role players would get into it.


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

I was going for lakers yesterday and they lost


----------



## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

Laker Freak said:


> This season sucks.


Tell me 'bout it.


----------



## BBB (Jan 19, 2005)

But wouldn't all superstars of any team be involved in the "GM-ing" of the team in one way or another, anyway?


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Sadly what he said is the truth.. You dont have to believe it though.. This is the team Kobe wanted.. Sure he didnt want a team to lose and certainly he didnt think they'd be this bad but if he believes this team is something special, he's got a long way to go. 

I'm not gonna side with Kobe or really against him but at the same time even had this team had Shaq and/or Phil they still wouldnt win a title.. It was time to move on.. I always love the "Well with Shaq they'd win a title, yada yada yada." 

NEWSFLASH: They didnt win a title the past 2 years together, why the **** would they now? :laugh:


----------



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

On the bright side, the likelihood of us using our #1 pick on a PG just went up. Maybe I don't have to worry about Mitch drafting some big stiff anymore.


----------



## SoCalfan21 (Jul 19, 2004)

it dont matter anywayz because chucky is going to get traded anyway


----------



## Fracture (Mar 31, 2004)

SoCalfan21 said:


> it dont matter anywayz because chucky is going to get traded anyway


I hope you're right.


----------



## Copper (Dec 9, 2004)

I dont think anything good can come from a player running the team. Ever hear the phrase " inmates running the assylum"? Kobe has the god syndrome and until he takes a step back and loses a bit of ego? I dont see his teams ever ammounting to much. He doesnt seem to make those around him better. He shines and everyone else fails.


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Good thing about being player GM; you get to kick sorry *** players like Chucky Atkins off your team. Chucky didn't like being called out for defense? Gee, perhaps that's because he can't play any, and is arguably the worst defender at his position in the entire NBA.



Copper said:


> I dont think anything good can come from a player running the team. Ever hear the phrase " inmates running the assylum"? Kobe has the god syndrome and until he takes a step back and loses a bit of ego? I dont see his teams ever ammounting to much. He doesnt seem to make those around him better. He shines and everyone else fails.


It's a wonder he won 3 titles and went to 4 Finals! :laugh:


----------



## Copper (Dec 9, 2004)

EHL said:


> Good thing about being player GM; you get to kick sorry *** players like Chucky Atkins off your team. Chucky didn't like being called out for defense? Gee, perhaps that's because he can't play any, and is arguably the worst defender at his position in the entire NBA.
> 
> 
> 
> It's a wonder he won 3 titles and went to 4 Finals! :laugh:


 Its no wonder, he had Shaq. I guess we'll see how each of them do now. Also, if Chucky said it, do you think he is the only one thinking it? I dont, hes just the only one fed up enough to voice it.


----------



## Lakerman33 (Oct 16, 2004)

I just wanna cry at this point


----------



## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Copper said:


> I dont think anything good can come from a player running the team. Ever hear the phrase " inmates running the assylum"? Kobe has the god syndrome and until he takes a step back and loses a bit of ego? I dont see his teams ever ammounting to much. He doesnt seem to make those around him better. He shines and everyone else fails.


This is why Kobe is hated right here. 

Because some people actually think Atkins, Mihm, Grant, Walton, Jones, and Butler can be made better . 

Please read those names out loud to yourself and then repeat your statement. 

He shines and everyone else fails how exactly is this. 

I'd say its the other way around. Everyone's fg % is up and overall numbers are up its his that are down. He's shooting a career low fg %, creating a career high to's. and generally because of the lack of support around him has to work twice as hard. 

Nothing you've said adds up really. 

Atkins is just a poor defender that Kobe cracked in private that got mad for being exposed for his terrible defense. 

Atkins is a back-up playing starter. 

Kobe should have say on the decision making process I can guarantee you Kobe wasn't consulted about the Mihm trade he surely wouldn't have signed off on that bum either. 

Unless you think Kobe is a moron as a talent evaluator which is possible because MJ wanted Pippen gone badly in the early years. Shows you how much those great players really know.


----------



## Ghiman (May 19, 2003)

After the Philadelphia game:

Kobe :boxing: Chucky 

After we finally get out of this loosing streak: 

Kobe :kiss: Chucky


----------



## Copper (Dec 9, 2004)

Mj was surrounded with mediocre players and Pippen. He played his game to their strengths. Kobe plays his game. His stats are down because he doesnt have Big Daddy anymore and teams can play him harder, plain and simple. Kobe wanted to be the man, now he is. If Kobe is the team leader? lead. How is a team gonna follow a player they dont like? Sure hes talented, but if nobody wants to play with him? good luck. Atkins isnt a great defender, never was never will be. Did you guys expect him to become the glove when ya got him? He is a scoring pg that is hitting a slump now that Kobe is back. Coincodence? probably.


----------



## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)




----------



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Copper said:


> Mj was surrounded with mediocre players and Pippen.


Please stop.


----------



## rellim (Nov 12, 2002)

Copper said:


> Mj was surrounded with mediocre players and Pippen. He played his game to their strengths. Kobe plays his game. His stats are down because he doesnt have Big Daddy anymore and teams can play him harder, plain and simple. Kobe wanted to be the man, now he is. If Kobe is the team leader? lead. How is a team gonna follow a player they dont like? Sure hes talented, but if nobody wants to play with him? good luck. Atkins isnt a great defender, never was never will be. Did you guys expect him to become the glove when ya got him? He is a scoring pg that is hitting a slump now that Kobe is back. Coincodence? probably.


Jordan played his game. Players who played with him, played better because they were motivated by fear. Jordan was cut throat, and to assume that he was "well liked" by those around him is a gross assumption. Ask Bill Cartwright who threatened to end his career by breaking both of his legs after Jordan told teammates to freeze him out. Or Steve Kerr, whom Jordan punched in the face in practice after Kerr attacked him aggressively offensively. Kobe simply doesn't have matching pieces of the puzzle around him yet. The problem with Chucky is his defense...defense is about will or want to...Chucky has no desire to play it, and that makes him a lazy POS.


----------



## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

rellim said:


> Jordan played his game. Players who played with him, played better because they were motivated by fear. Jordan was cut throat, and to assume that he was "well liked" by those around him is a gross assumption. Ask Bill Cartwright who threatened to end his career by breaking both of his legs after Jordan told teammates to freeze him out. Or Steve Kerr, whom Jordan punched in the face in practice after Kerr attacked him aggressively offensively. Kobe simply doesn't have matching pieces of the puzzle around him yet. The problem with Chucky is his defense...defense is about will or want to...Chucky has no desire to play it, and that makes him a lazy POS.



rep for you, great reply, to think that Jordan was warm and fuzzy guy is stupid... he was ultra competitive

As for Chucky, he is just a chuckler, and he will be replaced by a point guard this draft anyways who can actually defend.


----------



## hotel312 (Jul 13, 2004)

Atkins is doing fine as a role player, that is what he is. He leads the team in 3pt % and is shooting a higher % than Kobe, thats what he is supposed to do. He does play the matador defense but Kobe has this year also. A leader shouldn't let that happen 

Of course Kobe is calling the shots, and I'm glad some of you guys will finally admit that. Someone said you wouldn't win with Shaq anyway, at least you would have a chance. 

The correct answer is you wouldn't win with Kobe. Kobe has decided that he wants to be the man regardless of what happens. The main reason you didn't beat Detroit is because Kobe took 8 more shots per game vs Det than Shaq and he shot 38% while Shaq shot 63%. The way they won 3 titles was riding Shaq, especially at the beginning of quarters to pick up fouls and get in the penalty. 

A team will not win a title with the guy taking the most shots shooting 38% in a series. If they played the way they did in the other Finals they would have won period. You run the offense through Shaq whether he gets the shot attempts or not. Kobe would come down and throw up jumpers on 2 guys w/out anyone else touching the ball too often.

Larry Brown said it before Game 1 last year "Do not double Shaq "they" will not play team ball."


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

So we can add Chucky Atkins to the growing list of teammates that didn't get along with Kobe. :nonono:


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Old news or was it new? Chucky and Kobe were just on SC talkin to the media and everything seems fine? What?


----------



## thegza (Feb 18, 2003)

Ugh, this isn't really shocking. Kobe seems to have a love-hate relationship with many of the guys, and although he may be the leader, he won't be looked upon as a real superstar until he can win with such a team as the #1 option and make the players around him better.

Sad, really. The only comfort that I took after losing all these games was that maybe the environment around the team was fresh and atleast somewhat good, but it seems it's the same ol' drama around.


----------



## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

Teams on a losing streak get frustrated, and start blaming other players. It happened to the Kings last year, it's happening now. Are the statements true? Partially... Is it Kobes fault? Partially... But it's not like some rift going on between the Lakers organization, it's just frustration.


----------



## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Chucky has since backtracked off of this comment. He says his comments were "mangled" by the reporter(s) and that what he really said was that reporters should ask Kobe or Mitch Kupchak since Mitch is the one who makes all of the decisions.

Strangely enough, how would anybody know who makes what decisions since no decisions have been made this season? Rudy quit, and the only trade that ocurred was Rush to the Bobcats. I guess Kobe traded Rush eh? Or that the reason we didn't see any trades at the deadline was because Kobe was too busy playing ball to work the phones.

Whether or not Atkins was misquoted you can tell by some of the things he's been saying over the past month or so that he's unhappy and probably has some kind of beef with Kobe.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Atkins, Bryant shrug off latest Lakers controversy

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Drama seems to follow the Los Angeles Lakers, win or lose.

First-year Lakers guard Chucky Atkins was asked before Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers what offseason moves he'd make to improve the team.

``I ain't no GM. Ask Kobe. He's the GM. It's his team,'' Atkins said. 

Following Monday's practice, Atkins acknowledged it was ``very possible'' that what he meant to say wasn't what came out, although he insisted the reporter questioning him had been trying to get him to say something negative about Bryant for weeks.

*``I don't think you should try to divide my team,'' Atkins said. ``We're not going to splinter. Kobe's my man. Me and Kobe have developed a relationship where anything I have to say to him, I can say to his face. I'm in a no-win situation.'' *

Bryant, the NBA's second-leading scorer, supported Atkins.

*``We really didn't have much of a conversation (Monday),'' Bryant said. ``He was pretty adamant about how it happened, that it was taken out of context. Everybody here sticks together. We're not going to let anybody divide us.

``If you guys are here to stir something up, you're not going to get it out of me. All we want to do is come here, work hard, play basketball. We had a great day of work. There's nothing going on.'' *


----------



## Copper (Dec 9, 2004)

You guys keep thinking Kobe is the end all be all and that he isnt responsible for all the confrontations he gets into. Jordan made average players better, Kobe makes average players want to leave.


----------



## BBB (Jan 19, 2005)

Copper said:


> You guys keep thinking Kobe is the end all be all and that he isnt responsible for all the confrontations he gets into. Jordan made average players better, Kobe makes average players want to leave.


Well, go read the original article, which first featured Atkins' GM comments. 

Here's the quote...


> Atkins, with his fourth team in six seasons, said he hoped to return to the Lakers next season instead of being traded during the off-season, mindful of a summer that could lead to roster changes.
> 
> "I would love to come back," he said. "We're struggling, but it ain't going to be like this forever."


----------



## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

God damnit! This is why it sucks to get in the lottery...the whole team gets angry at each other and things fall apart.


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Damian Necronamous said:


> God damnit! This is why it sucks to get in the lottery...the whole team gets angry at each other and things fall apart.


BINGO! :clap: 

All this negativity is not worth a lottery pick.


----------



## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> BINGO! :clap:
> 
> All this negativity is not worth a lottery pick.


True, it's not worth it, but we still had plenty of negativity when we were winning championships with Shaq, Kobe and Phil. The winning just masked it. But when we lost to the Pistons it all came to a head and blew up. Negativity is going to continue to follow Kobe Bryant around wherever he goes now because of the reputation he's earned, even if he stays clean from here on out. But some it he rightfully deserves, so he, and unfortunately all of us as fans, have to deal with it.

The question in the long run is, is Kobe worth all these headaches and bad publicity? I say he gets two more seasons max to take the Lakers deep into the playoffs or he'll be actively shopped. Even if the rest of the Laker team is no good he'll still be blamed for the team's inability to win, but that's what a superstar has to deal with.


----------



## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> BINGO! :clap:
> 
> All this negativity is not worth a lottery pick.


 agreed


----------



## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Chucky moonwalks:

_"The 30-year-old Atkins seemed to backtrack almost immediately. Following the Lakers’ 96-89 loss to the 76ers, he acknowledged that while confidence and morale were down, team members were “too professional to point fingers.”

Following Monday’s practice, Atkins acknowledged it was “very possible” that what he meant to say wasn’t what came out, although he insisted the reporter questioning him had been trying to get him to say something negative about Bryant for weeks.

“I don’t think you should try to divide my team,” Atkins said. “We’re not going to splinter. Kobe’s my man. Me and Kobe have developed a relationship where anything I have to say to him, I can say to his face. I’m in a no-win situation.”

Only Atkins knows his true feelings.

“We’re in a bad situation right now,” he said. “We know that.”

The Lakers (32-37), who will try to end their current skid on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, lost their last 10 games of the 1993-94 season to finish with a 33-49 record. That was the last time they failed to qualify for the playoffs, something that will happen this year barring a complete turnaround in the last 13 games and prolonged slumps by two of the three teams immediately above them.

Bryant, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, supported Atkins.

“We really didn’t have much of a conversation (Monday),” Bryant said. “He was pretty adamant about how it happened, that it was taken out of context. Everybody here sticks together. We’re not going to let anybody divide us.

“If you guys are here to stir something up, you’re not going to get it out of me. All we want to do is come here, work hard, play basketball. We had a great day of work. There’s nothing going on.”"_

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7320957/

:whoknows:


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

I uh posted some of that already but it's ok


----------



## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Brian34Cook said:


> I uh posted some of that already but it's ok


Ha, you did, I didn't even realize it! My fault.


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

hotel312 said:


> Atkins is doing fine as a role player, that is what he is.


Not really. If he would pass the rock more and play defense he'd actually be a role player. Right now he's a poor man's Latrell Spreewell. 



> A team will not win a title with the guy taking the most shots shooting 38% in a series. If they played the way they did in the other Finals they would have won period.


Nope, wrong again. 



> You run the offense through Shaq whether he gets the shot attempts or not. Kobe would come down and throw up jumpers on 2 guys w/out anyone else touching the ball too often.


Get your facts straight kid. Shaq averaged as many shots in last year's finals as he normally does. 



> Larry Brown said it before Game 1 last year "Do not double Shaq "they" will not play team ball."


No, he didn't. 



Copper said:


> You guys keep thinking Kobe is the end all be all and that he isnt responsible for all the confrontations he gets into. Jordan made average players better, Kobe makes average players want to leave.


Anyone can make baseless claims, congrats on yours. Then again, in your world Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman were "mediocre role players". :rofl:



Copper said:


> Its no wonder, he had Shaq.


It's a wonder Shaq didn't win any titles before then, eh?



> I guess we'll see how each of them do now. Also, if Chucky said it, do you think he is the only one thinking it? I dont, hes just the only one fed up enough to voice it.


Really? Odd that today Atkins denied that he meant any of this yesterday. Convenient for the reporters that the cameras weren't on. 

That said, it "probably" doesn't mean anything. When his teammates start calling him out, there will be reason to worry. If Atkins is just covering his butt, it's definitely a bad sign for Kobe and the Lakers.


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Here's more: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/sports/11254405.htm

Los Angeles Lakers guard Chucky Atkins went on the attack Monday, his latest verbal jabs aimed at the media.

Atkins was backtracking from comments he made before Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Staples Center. Atkins said Sunday: "I ain't no GM. Ask Kobe (Bryant). He's the GM. It's his team."

Atkins said his words were taken out of context. Later, he said his statements might have been misunderstood. Then he voiced his support for Bryant.

"The comments that I made weren't right," Atkins said. "They were the wrong things, and they (the media) know what's up.

"What's sad is a lot of the media wants to take shots at Kobe Bryant, and they want to use us, as his teammates, as scapegoats. Instead of them having the guts ... to write it themselves, they want to use the team. Instead of the beat writers around here saying what they really want to say and write what they really think, they want to use myself and Caron Butler and Lamar Odom to be the scapegoat to say what they want about Kobe Bryant.

"Guys have been taking shots at Kobe Bryant all year. He hasn't broken, and he ain't going to. My teammates, they know me. If I want to say something to them, I won't go through the media and say it. I'll go to them as a man.

"I'm in a no-win situation. They're going to make it seem like I'm the scapegoat and the (expletive) for the whole thing anyway."

Atkins and Bryant spoke Monday and said there weren't any hard feelings between them. Atkins said he considered Bryant his friend.

"We just come out here and play basketball, man," Bryant said. "We just play ball.

"I know you guys want to talk about stuff. I know you want to make some type of headline or anything like that on talk shows and whatever, but there's nothing going on.

------------

Yeah, nothing new there. Tim Brown was the master of using "anonymous team sources" as his way of snipping at Kobe. Which is why he was moved to baseball.


----------



## Diesel (Apr 1, 2004)

A blind man can figure out that #8 in presently the HC/GM and if he can save enough money to buy out Buss, he may be the sole owner in a couple of years. #8 is the Barry Bonds of the NBA.


----------



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

Diesel said:


> in a couple of years. #8 is the Barry Bonds of the NBA.


If he can produce like Bonds on the basketball court, I'm all for it. I'll take & MVPs and the designation of "best player in the league" for my star player.


----------



## Foulzilla (Jan 11, 2005)

Copper said:


> Mj was surrounded with mediocre players and Pippen.


Rodman, Kukoc and Grant were all definately above "mediocre". Jordan got all the credit but those Bulls teams had some good talent.


----------



## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Are you accussing Kobe of taking steroids? I can't really argue with it. His beard did grow in pretty quick.


----------



## ii9ce (Feb 1, 2005)

Copper said:


> Mj was surrounded with mediocre players and Pippen. He played his game to their strengths. Kobe plays his game. His stats are down because he doesnt have Big Daddy anymore and teams can play him harder, plain and simple. Kobe wanted to be the man, now he is. If Kobe is the team leader? lead. How is a team gonna follow a player they dont like? Sure hes talented, but if nobody wants to play with him? good luck. Atkins isnt a great defender, never was never will be. Did you guys expect him to become the glove when ya got him? He is a scoring pg that is hitting a slump now that Kobe is back. Coincodence? probably.


what the hell dose it matter if they like him or not? they are all professionals. respect is all that is needed. 

not liking your team mate is no excus. mihm, atkins, butler, odom all need to have some professional pride.


----------

