Center Roy Hibbert, guard Lou Williams, and forward Brandon Bass are officially introduced Wednesday as members of the Los Angeles Lakers and the three faced a tough question during the press conference that got them all silent.
It was a normal conference for new players being introduced until one member of the media asked, "Have any of you guys heard from Kobe? And if so, what did he say?"
Hibbert shook his head a little, Williams looked at the big man and did not utter a word while Bass was smirking a bit.
There was silence for a few more seconds until a new question was raised during the conference.
ESPN said it is almost customary for new Lakers players to be asked if they have heard from franchise star guard Kobe Bryant and in this case these three have not.
Bryant has been blamed in the past few years for the Lakers' incapability to sign big name free agents and perhaps this is one of the reasons why people think it is his fault.
But for NBA great Charles Barkley, Bryant not reaching out to his new teammates is not new as he called him a loner.
"Do I think it's unusual? No. Kobe is a loner. He's obviously one of the 10 greatest basketball players ever, and he's always treated me with respect. But he's a loner. He's got a one-track mind as far as basketball goes, and I don't think he's the type of guy — doesn't make him a bad guy — who's gonna reach out to guys like that. He will see them in training camp," Barkley said on the "Mike and Mike" show as transcribed by Fox Sports.
The Lakers did not have a failed offseason so far although it is not that grand either, still they have done a decent job in landing players like Hibbert who is a two-time All-Star and is known for his defense.
Williams is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and Bass has always been an efficient big man in the league.
But still it would be a different scenario if the purple and gold franchise acquired their main targets, which included All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
