Kobe Explains Why He Won’t Take Charges
Lakers star Kobe Bryant says he doesn’t take charges, and he’s got a reason for it.
Based on his own analysis of NBA greats from Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Bryant believes there’s too much of a health risk to get run over by an opponent and go crashing to the floor repeatedly.
“I learned from my predecessors, man,” Bryant said Tuesday. “Pippen had a (messed) up back taking charges. Bird had a (messed) up back taking charges.
“I said, `I’m not taking charges.’ I figured that (stuff) out at an early age.”
The five-time NBA champion says no one ever presented the theory to him that he could prolong his career if he didn’t try to draw offensive fouls against his opponents. It was just his own observations.
“I’ve seen them take charges and lay there with a messed-up back. I’ve seen Michael not take one … charge and he’s healthy his whole career, and the same thing with Magic,” Bryant said.
“I might not be the smartest guy in the room but I can figure that (stuff) out.”
via Associated Press
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