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by Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant spoke Tuesday about the team’s hiring of Mike D’Antoni as head coach. D’Antoni replaced Mike Brown, who was fired Friday.

Bryant spoke to news reporters at the morning shootaround at the team’s facility. Here’s a quick transcript of what he said:

On whether he was surprised by the hire…

“Um, a little bit. I mean I really didn’t know what to expect, to be honest. I think we all were kind of thinking it was going to be Phil. It probably caught Mike (D’Antoni) off-guard a little bit too, but I’m excited.”

On whether he has talked to D’Antoni or Phil…

“I spoke to Mike this morning. It was great. Not much (was talked about). It was really short, just kind of a hello type of thing.”

On his relationship with D’Antoni from playing against him and on Team USA…

“I mean, we have a great relationship. The offense that he installed for our USA Team is the offense that we run to the tune of two gold medals. We all know the type of talent that we had on that team, so it was important for us to have an offense that was flexible, that was open, that kept everybody involved. It worked pretty well for us.”

On how D’Antoni’s system will work with this roster…

“It’s going to be fine. It’s not like he takes the same thing that he did in Phoenix and incorporates it here. He has different personnel. He can use Steve to his greatest advantages, and me to mine and Dwight to his, and Pau to his and so forth and so on.”

On the perception that D’Antoni’s team don’t defend…

“That’s just because he hasn’t won any championships. I mean Phil’s been here, and — to be honest with you — we might have, in all the years I’ve been with Phil, (had) maybe three defensive drills the entire time. And I’m not understating it at all. But his philosophy was always — you guys need to figure it out on your own. And that’s what made him … [For more on Kobe 'excited' about Mike D'Antoni hiring as Lakers coach, click here.]