Kobe Bryant: Lakers’ culture change starts at the top

The 2013-2014 season for the Los Angeles Lakers could not have gone much worse as they were forced to play most of the season without Kobe Bryant who was limited to six games as the team has struggled mightily to the tune of having the sixth worst record in the NBA.

All these struggles and frustrations have taken a toll as Bryant has expressed a change in culture is necessary for this team to get back to where they belong at the top of the NBA.

“I think we have to start at the top in terms of the culture of our team,” Bryant said. “What kind of culture do we want to have? What kind of system do we want to have? How do we want to play? It starts there and from there, you can start building out your team accordingly.”

Starting at the top would be in reference to Jim and Jeanie Buss and their direction for the team moving forward and down to head coach Mike D’Antoni who still has one year left on his contract–although it’s hard to envision him seeing that–and it sounds like Kobe still has some anger over Jim’s decision to hire him over Phil Jackson.

“You know how I feel about Phil,” said Bryant, who won all five of his championships with Jackson as the coach. “I have so much admiration for him and respect and I have a great relationship with him. Personally, it would be hard for me to understand that happening twice. It would be tough. I don’t really get it.”

The last thing you want on your hands is to alienate and upset your franchise player, but it appears that injury, losing and a general lack of direction may have done just that.