With the Byron Scott era well underway for the Los Angeles Lakers, former coach Mike D'Antoni commented on the hardest parts about coaching five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant.
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D'Antoni coached the Lakers from 2012-14 before resigning this past offseason, and he shared the difficulties of trying to coach the oft-hard-headed Bryant.
"He has that determination and near-sightedness that he doesn't see the fringes too much. He sees one goal and he's going for it," D'Antoni told Sirius XM NBA Radio via Yahoo Sports. "He's going over you, under you, whatever, but he's getting right where he wants to go. And sometimes that makes it a little tough to coach him."
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D'Antoni led an injury-riddled Lakers team to a franchise-worst 27-55 finish in the 2013-14 campaign that saw Los Angeles miss the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Bryant, 36, was around for only six of those games after myriad injuries kept him sidelined. He has since changed his regimen to stay fresh in his 19th NBA season. D'Antoni went 67-87 overall as head coach of the Lakers.
The Lakers had a summer-long search for a new coach before landing on Scott, who is going through the same kind of headaches his predecessor did as the team is 6-16 and sits in fifth place in the Pacific Division.
Bryant had been highly critical of D'Antoni during his two-season tenure in L.A. and said his philosophy wasn't about winning while also criticizing his fast-pace offensive coaching style.
Bryant signed a two-year $48.5 million extension with the Lakers last season that keeps him on the team through 2016. General manager Mitch Kupchak recently said he thinks Bryant will retire at the end of that contract.
While D'Antoni discussed the hard parts about coaching Bryant, he also praised the 16-time All-Star's work ethic and said that his determination is inspirational.
Through 22 games this season, Bryant is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
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