Tom Thibodeau is at the head of Kobe Bryant's wish list to man the L.A. Lakers sideline next season as Mike D'Antoni's replacement, according to Yahoo! Sports.
With Bryant and the Lakers desperate to put the franchise's worst season in history far in their rear-view mirror, the 36-year-old Bryant, sensing the end for him could be near, is intent on making next season one to remember.
The 16- time All-Star, five-time champion recently implored fans to "flush" last season, while also assuring them "next season will be epic."
That's where Thibodeau comes in, at least if Bryant has his way. The pair's relationships spans all the way back to Bryant's high school days in Philadelphia when the two worked on drills together while Thibodeau was an assistant for the 76ers.
"I think his defensive schemes themselves as a whole are fantastic," Bryant recently told ESPN of the veteran Thibodeau. "He's a lab rat. He'll stay in there and figure things out and figure percentages out, and who's doing what. He's really focused on that task."
Bulls, Tom Thibodeau at odds, split imminent?
Lakers players didn't always view D'Antoni in the same light last season, as almost from the opening tip there were locker room rumblings about his style and system. After D'Antoni's announcement, Lakers legend and one-team exec Magic Johnson chimed "happy days are here again. Mike D'Antoni resigns. I couldn't be happier."
Though still under contract with the Bulls, Thibodeau's possible availability on the open market has long been rumored given his ongoing feud with the Bulls front office. The dispute stems from the team's recent release of Ron Adams, one of Thibodeau's longtime closest assistants.
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