March 9, 2024

‘I Can’t Wait ‘Til You Come Back to Coaching’

Coaching is an industry that has been struggling to find ways to stay relevant. It’s no longer a one-on-one coaching experience, but the sharing of information and knowledge through social media among many people in pursuit of self growth.

The “i walked away and she came back” is a story about an athlete who walks away from his coach, only to have the coach come back to him.

When fans think about Kobe Bryant’s NBA career, a few particular phrases undoubtedly spring to mind, and “points” is certainly one of them since he scored a lot of them with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant, on the other hand, didn’t only find ways to put the ball in the hoop; he also played outstanding defense. Mamba promptly put a former NBA coach on notice when he questioned his performance on that end of the floor.

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In 2007-08, Jeff Van Gundy did not believe Kobe Bryant deserved to be named first-team All-Defense.

On June 17, 2010, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers plays in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. Getty Images/Ronald Martinez

As the head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the NBA, Jeff Van Gundy enjoyed a lot of success. In 1998-99, he even guided the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals.

Van Gundy, on the other hand, hasn’t coached since 2007 and is now one of the league’s most well-known announcers.

Van Gundy admitted to making a remark regarding Kobe Bryant’s defense when announcing a 2008 NBA Finals game between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics early in his broadcasting career. Bryant was named first-team All-Defense that season, but Van Gundy didn’t believe Kobe deserved it, and he was predictably frank while discussing it on television.

“In Game 1 (of the Finals), I stated I believed ‘Kobe would be on my first team All-Last Five Minutes of a Tight Game Defensive Team,’ but ‘I don’t think he deserved to be on the All-Defense,’ because he had so much pressure on him to score,’” On a May 2021 broadcast of The Rich Eisen Show, Van Gundy noted. “I believe Shane Battier, whom I coached in Houston, should have been,” I replied.

Bryant, on the other hand, had overheard Van Gundy’s remarks against him and had a message for the coach-turned-broadcaster before Game 2.

Jeff Van Gundy has been placed on notice by Kobe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlu sdP69ko

Van Gundy claimed he and his colleagues spent time interviewing players and coaches before meeting with an unhappy Bryant in advance of Game 2.

“Bryant is coming in, and he comes around the hall, and he walks in, and he says to Rich Eisen, ‘I can’t wait ’til you get back to coaching because I am going to effing shut down your greatest player in the first game,’” Van Gundy recounted. “…That was one of Bryant’s best qualities. “Everything was a challenge; everything was personal.”

What was Van Gundy’s reaction to the Lakers legend?

“I said, ‘We’re coming straight at you the first five plays because I know you’re not going to defend all five plays,’” he said. “And he had a couple more choice words for me,” says the narrator.

Van Gundy went on to remark that trash-talking back and forth with Bryant was “easy to speak to” since he didn’t get upset. But Bryant took pleasure in his defense, as seen by his old coach’s account.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was a fantastic defender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c – HLHNNTo

Regardless of what Van Gundy believed of Bryant’s defensive ability, Kobe dominated on that end of the floor for the Lakers during his whole career.

While the five-time NBA champion led the league in scoring twice and is presently fourth in overall points with 33,643, Bryant was also named to the All-Defensive Team 12 times and the first team nine times.

In his career, the 2007-08 MVP averaged 1.4 steals per game, with a high of 2.2 in 2002-03. With 1,944 thefts, he is No. 16 on the NBA’s all-time steals list.

Kobe Bryant had a killer attitude on both ends of the floor, and his words to Van Gundy demonstrated just how much he cared about playing excellent defense.

Basketball Reference provided the statistics.

RELATED: Kobe Bryant Greeted a New Lakers Teammate by Immediately Asking if He Was Ready to ‘Black Out’: ‘You See Spots,’ says the narrator.

“I Can’t Wait ‘Til You Come Back to Coaching” is a song by the band “The Fray”. The lyrics of the song are about how much it hurts when someone leaves and how much they can’t wait for them to come back. Reference: will she be back.