Bryant Is Fined for Media Snub
WASHINGTON — One media session, no Lakers.
Neither Shaquille O’Neal, who was spotted in the hotel outside the ballroom where the all-star interview session was held, nor Kobe Bryant attended. Bryant was fined a reported $10,000, while the league is still reviewing O’Neal’s absence.
A Laker spokesman had said Bryant, who played the last several games hurt, would get treatment at home Thursday and Friday morning before flying east, which would put him in too late for the afternoon media session.
O’Neal, who has been out and won’t play this weekend, attended the all-star players’ meeting before the interview session, but that was as close as he got.
On the other hand, the Clippers went four for four.
Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette, Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, who are appearing in today’s events, all showed up. Miles and Richardson were making their first public comments since complaining to Coach Alvin Gentry about playing only a few minutes in the team’s recent win over Portland.
“You’ve got to roll with the punches,†Richardson said. “Some days you’re going to play a lot. I mean, as rookies [pointing to Miles], he’s 19 and I’m 20. We’ve got a long time to play in this league as long as we keep just working hard. We can’t dwell on single games like that.
“We probably got caught up in a certain time but afterward, we both evaluated it and said, ‘You know, whatever. Just roll with the punches.’ â€
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