Chandler Parsons story on Kobe Bryant: So my rookie year we’re playing in Staples Center. Kevin McHale pulls me aside and tells me ‘you’re gonna see crazy people, you’re gonna see celebrities there and Kobe is gonna try and bust your ass, like he’s gonna be offended you’re guarding him.’ First of all, I’m just looking at the court side. My head’s on a swivel, I’ve never seen this before, right? I’m like, goddamn, this is great. Denzel Washington is there, this chick is there… I’m already distracted. And of course I’m starting on Kobe. A little side note: Jordan Hill that year had got traded from Houston to LA. So the fourth quarter comes around and Kobe looks at me and he’s like, ‘are you guys staying the night tonight?’ And I’m like, making sure McHale is not looking at me and I’m like ‘yeah, what up? We’re staying.’ He goes, ‘I’ll set you up. I’ll get your number from Hill if you want to go out tonight’. McHale is over there grilling me like ‘stop talking to this motherf—–’. So he ends up going off, he scores like 40 that game and we lose. After the game we’re going to have dinner at the Katsuya LA Live. We’re with all the OGs, right? We’re with Marcus Camby and they’re all taking me out. I get a text that goes ‘You’re all set at Supper Club – Mamba’. And I’m like, looking around like ‘alright, who’s f—— with me?’ Like, no way. Courtney Lee was my guy and I’m like, showing him like, is this real? So I write him back. I’m like, are you coming? And he’s like ‘no, I can’t make it but my guy will hit you up’. Guy texts me ‘Hey, you’re set up, let me know what you need at Supper Club’, whatever.
Tag: Staples Center
Chandler Parsons: So at this point, I’m …
Chandler Parsons: So at this point, I’m like, guys, I got you. Kobe’s my guy. He set it up. Let’s go! JB Bickerstaff is there. I’m bringing coaches. I’m bringing trainers. This is ‘I got it’. And we have a blast, right? We have the craziest night ever. Supper Club was the club where the tables were beds. It was awesome. It was nuts. Then 2 AM rolls around. I’m with these guys that made hundreds of millions of dollars and this waitress beelines right to me with the check. And I’m like, ‘oh shit!’… She’s bringing me this bill for God knows how much and I’m like, oh man. I open it and it’s like $22,000 and now at this point I’m like, physically sick. I can’t do this because the card’s gonna bounce! I’ll never forget it, this chick looks at me, hands me a pen and says ‘sign for Mr. Bryant’. And I’m like, what?! A made a video of the whole thing, I’m so excited. I signed ‘Kobe Bryant’ on a $22,000 club bill… This dude was cool as f—.
Chandler Parsons: ‘Kobe Bryant paid me a $22,000 club bill… this dude was cool as f—‘
Chandler Parsons story on Kobe Bryant: So my rookie year we’re playing in Staples Center. Kevin McHale pulls me aside and tells me ‘you’re gonna see crazy people, you’re gonna see celebrities there and Kobe is gonna try and bust your ass, like he’s …
Chandler Parsons story on Kobe Bryant: So my rookie year we’re playing in Staples Center. Kevin McHale pulls me aside and tells me ‘you’re gonna see crazy people, you’re gonna see celebrities there and Kobe is gonna try and bust your ass, like he’s gonna be offended you’re guarding him.’ First of all, I’m just looking at the court side. My head’s on a swivel, I’ve never seen this before, right? I’m like, goddamn, this is great. Denzel Washington is there, this chick is there… I’m already distracted. And of course I’m starting on Kobe. A little side note: Jordan Hill that year had got traded from Houston to LA. So the fourth quarter comes around and Kobe looks at me and he’s like, ‘are you guys staying the night tonight?’ And I’m like, making sure McHale is not looking at me and I’m like ‘yeah, what up? We’re staying.’ He goes, ‘I’ll set you up. I’ll get your number from Hill if you want to go out tonight’. McHale is over there grilling me like ‘stop talking to this motherf—–’. So he ends up going off, he scores like 40 that game and we lose. After the game we’re going to have dinner at the Katsuya LA Live. We’re with all the OGs, right? We’re with Marcus Camby and they’re all taking me out. I get a text that goes ‘You’re all set at Supper Club – Mamba’. And I’m like, looking around like ‘alright, who’s f—— with me?’ Like, no way. Courtney Lee was my guy and I’m like, showing him like, is this real? So I write him back. I’m like, are you coming? And he’s like ‘no, I can’t make it but my guy will hit you up’. Guy texts me ‘Hey, you’re set up, let me know what you need at Supper Club’, whatever.
Source: Apple Podcasts
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Karl-Anthony Towns in his 60-point performance:
21 points off 3s
22 points in the paint
He is the first player to score more than 20 points off 3s and more than 20 points in the paint in a game since…
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006 – 10:08 AM
Karl-Anthony Towns in his 60-point performance:
21 points off 3s
22 points in the paint
He is the first player to score more than 20 points off 3s and more than 20 points in the paint in a game since…
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006 – 10:08 AM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Kuminga’s Kobe 8 rotation this season 🐍 pic.twitter.com/fZ9plhqRZe – 12:16 AM
Kuminga’s Kobe 8 rotation this season 🐍 pic.twitter.com/fZ9plhqRZe – 12:16 AM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Jordan Poole’s Kobe 11 rotation this season 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/5SgW0fwyGs – 12:05 AM
Jordan Poole’s Kobe 11 rotation this season 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/5SgW0fwyGs – 12:05 AM
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
So far in March 2022: 60, 56, 54, 53, 50
Kobe in March 2007: 65, 60, 50, 50 (in 7 days) – 11:56 PM
So far in March 2022: 60, 56, 54, 53, 50
Kobe in March 2007: 65, 60, 50, 50 (in 7 days) – 11:56 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Give me a Kobe-Shaq season of Winning Time just so I can see Jeff Bridges play Phil Jackson. – 11:15 PM
Give me a Kobe-Shaq season of Winning Time just so I can see Jeff Bridges play Phil Jackson. – 11:15 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
LeBron has more career assists (regular season and playoffs combined) than Oscar Robertson or Chris Paul or Steve Nash.
And LeBron has more career points than Michael Jordan or Kareem or Kobe.
lol – 10:03 PM
LeBron has more career assists (regular season and playoffs combined) than Oscar Robertson or Chris Paul or Steve Nash.
And LeBron has more career points than Michael Jordan or Kareem or Kobe.
lol – 10:03 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2005, the @Toronto Raptors Donyell Marshall set franchise records for 3P made (12) and attempted (19) in a 128-110 win over the 76ers.
Marshall tied Kobe Bryant’s NBA record for most 3P made in a game, a record which is now held by Klay Thompson (14). pic.twitter.com/Rdfqd40REj – 3:01 PM
📅 On this day in 2005, the @Toronto Raptors Donyell Marshall set franchise records for 3P made (12) and attempted (19) in a 128-110 win over the 76ers.
Marshall tied Kobe Bryant’s NBA record for most 3P made in a game, a record which is now held by Klay Thompson (14). pic.twitter.com/Rdfqd40REj – 3:01 PM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
3D Kobe 11s for @DeMar DeRozan tonight. 👓 pic.twitter.com/h95q3MUAZ9 – 9:04 PM
3D Kobe 11s for @DeMar DeRozan tonight. 👓 pic.twitter.com/h95q3MUAZ9 – 9:04 PM
Jason Dumas @JDumasReports
Kobe Bryant started a fun tradition at LM by gifting a pair of Kobe’s to each player on teams that made the state playoffs. This was the first year that an LM team made it since he passed.
Nike didn’t honor it, but @aceshoops alums were determined to keep the tradition alive. pic.twitter.com/FXHjjNOlgC – 4:54 PM
Kobe Bryant started a fun tradition at LM by gifting a pair of Kobe’s to each player on teams that made the state playoffs. This was the first year that an LM team made it since he passed.
Nike didn’t honor it, but @aceshoops alums were determined to keep the tradition alive. pic.twitter.com/FXHjjNOlgC – 4:54 PM
More on this storyline
Chandler Parsons: So at this point, I’m like, guys, I got you. Kobe’s my guy. He set it up. Let’s go! JB Bickerstaff is there. I’m bringing coaches. I’m bringing trainers. This is ‘I got it’. And we have a blast, right? We have the craziest night ever. Supper Club was the club where the tables were beds. It was awesome. It was nuts. Then 2 AM rolls around. I’m with these guys that made hundreds of millions of dollars and this waitress beelines right to me with the check. And I’m like, ‘oh shit!’… She’s bringing me this bill for God knows how much and I’m like, oh man. I open it and it’s like $22,000 and now at this point I’m like, physically sick. I can’t do this because the card’s gonna bounce! I’ll never forget it, this chick looks at me, hands me a pen and says ‘sign for Mr. Bryant’. And I’m like, what?! A made a video of the whole thing, I’m so excited. I signed ‘Kobe Bryant’ on a $22,000 club bill… This dude was cool as f—. -via The Athletic / March 15, 2022
Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal is glad Staples Center is undergoing name change
Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal explains why he’s happy Staples Center is changing its name, and it involves Kobe Bryant.
The Los Angeles Lakers will soon be playing in Crypto.com Arena, the new name for the building once called Staples Center.
Crypto.com, a crypto exchange company based in Singapore, agreed to a $700 million naming rights deal to have the iconic building undergo a name change. Staples Center had been the building’s name since 1999.
READ: Crypto.com CMO says people resist change about still calling arena Staples Center
There have been plenty of negative reactions to the move, but Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal had a different perspective.
Shaq explained why he’s happy about the name change on an episode of “The Big Podcast” (h/t: LakersNation.com):
“It was a blessing to be able to play in that building. To play in front of my favorite actors and actresses, to play in front of my family, score 61 points on my birthday, win championships, three in a row for the city. I’m glad they’re taking the name of the Staples Center down because that was our building. Congratulations to the owners for getting a new deal, but, hey, the Staples Center belongs to Shaq and Kobe forever.”
Of course, Shaq and Kobe led the Lakers to a three-peat from 2000 to 2002, which is one of the memorable eras the franchise that is rich in history has had.
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Crypto.com CMO on fans still calling arena Staples Center: ‘People resist change’
Steven Kalifowitz, CMO of Crypto.com, gave his thoughts on fans still calling the arena Staples Center despite the name change.
The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams that will soon refer to Staples Center as Crypto.com Arena.
Crypto.com, a crypto exchange company based in Singapore, recently made a deal worth $700 million to have the naming rights to the arena in downtown L.A. that has been called Staples Center since 1999.
The move, which was announced in mid-November, began trending on social media almost immediately, and the general consensus for fans was that the arena would always be called Staples Center.
The chief marketing officer of Crypto.com recently discussed the company’s thoughts on the matter in an interview with Bill Oram of The Athletic:
“He or she will call it whatever they want, and we’ll be OK with that,” said Steven Kalifowitz, chief marketing officer for Crypto.com. “It’s part of a broader strategy of getting people to know who we are.”
“I’m happy for them to say, ‘The company that took over Staples Center,’” Kalifowitz said. “Over time, it’s really about growth of the business.”
Kalifowitz said the change should come gradually instead of referring it to Crypto.com Arena right away:
“People resist change. I realize that,” Kalifowitz said, adding that he’s still slightly taken aback to see “Citi Field” instead of “Shea Stadium” exit signs when he’s home in New York. “People will change when they’re ready.”
Kalifowitz then said Staples, the company behind the name change, is just the name people are hooked to, not the actual company itself.
“The Staples Center is not that old; the naming rights partner, I don’t know if they’re still in business,” Kalifowitz said. “There is an attachment to the name but not company.”
The name change will go into effect on Christmas, so it’s not long until Staples starts to slip away from people’s mouths. Arena officials have already started the process of removed the Staples signage, so Crypto.com will soon have its name around the building.
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LeBron James attends Bronny’s high school game against his alma mater at Staples Center
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James supported his son, Bronny, playing against his high school’s team at Staples Center.
The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t play a game Saturday, but many of the stars came to watch LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, play at Staples Center.
Bronny and Sierra Canyon faced off against St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, LeBron’s alma mater, in The Chosen-1’s Invitational.
Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul and Nick Young joined LeBron in watching the contest, which featured potential NBA players down the line.
Bronny stole the show with 19 points, which marked a game-high. After the game, Bronny explained what it meant to play in the same arena as his father, via Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports:
“It felt special playing on the same court as he’s played,” Bronny James said of his father after the win. “I’m getting a lot of confidence from that, and it was a really special game for me. Afterwards, he just said he liked everything I was doing, with my poise and my pace for the game.”
Here’s a video of the NBA stars talking at the game, via @Kharijonesjr:
LeBron, CP3, & Carmelo chatting at Bronny’s game in Staples Center. pic.twitter.com/1e09HHyYGM
— KhariJonesJr (@Kharijonesjr) December 5, 2021
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Three days after Crypto.com and AEG …
Three days after Crypto.com and AEG announced a blockbuster naming rights deal for Staples Center to become Crypto.com Arena, the cryptocurrency platform will talk with officials from the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday to discuss a separate partnership deal after the WNBA franchise was left out of negotiations, sources told The Morning Column.
Crypto.com officials told the team that …
Crypto.com officials told the team that the Sparks were never mentioned during negotiations with AEG. The Lakers and Kings were highlighted, the Clippers’ imminent departure was referenced and Staples Center, L.A. Live, Microsoft Theater and The Novo were obviously discussed, but the Sparks were never presented as an option or possible part of the deal to Crypto.com, according to sources.
Trevor Noah wants hardcore fans of the …
Trevor Noah wants hardcore fans of the Staples Center name to get a grip as owner AEG Live prepares to rebrand the venue Crypto.com Arena, starting Christmas Day. On Wednesday night’s “Daily Show,” the late-night host ran a clip of Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George — a Palmdale native who’s been a Clipper since 2019 — lamenting the change from the only name the place has had since it opened in October 1999. “It’ll be weird … You know, I grew up [with] this being Staples and Staples being, you know, the place to play and the place to be,” George told reporters. “It’s kind of, like, just stripping the history here.”
“I don’t know if you need to get that …
“I don’t know if you need to get that sentimental, Paul,” Noah said. “You know, it’s not like Staples is a sacred name from the ancestors. It’s a store where you buy 50 packs of binders even though you only need one. Then when you get home, you find out they were the wrong size anyway. “You don’t need to get that nostalgic about it. It’s a company.”