Zach Lowe: I think I'd rank Tim Duncan above Kobe Bryant

“In 2012, I didn’t get picked because I wasn’t on the level I needed to be,” said Curry about the 2012 USA Basketball gold medal team that included Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. “In ’16, I was coming off the Finals run and I didn’t feel I would get the rest I needed to get ready for the next season. And in 2020, it was a COVID year. And just that whole process, I don’t remember what was going on family wise. But it wasn’t a good time for me. “[Warriors teammate] Draymond [Green] played. He won twice (2016 and 2020). So, obviously I was watching him and missed out. This year, the stars aligned. It feels great. I’ve obviously had some time off for the ramp-up and Paris. It is all really cool.” -via Andscape / July 24, 2024

DeMarcus Cousins on Kobe Bryant when he reach out about his injury: It was dope man, it’s Bean at the end of the day bro. So if you’re even on his radar bro you doing something right, like straight up. Even before the injury me and Kobe were in contact at the time where I was supposed to be traded to the Lakers. I think this was, I want to say 2014 or 2015, it might have been ’15 but I was supposed to get traded to the Lakers. The deal ended up not happening and they ended up firing Mitch Kupchak that summer. -via YouTube / July 24, 2024

The locker Kobe Bryant used at Staples Center from the 2003 to 2016 is being put up for auction by Sotheby’s, The Sporting Tribune has learned. The locker was used by Bryant during the NBA Finals in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010, as well as the NBA All-Star Games in 2004 and 2011. It was also used on the night Bryant scored 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks through three quarters on Dec. 20, 2005, scored a franchise-record 81-points against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006 and scored an unforgettable 60 points against the Utah Jazz in his final game on April 13, 2016. -via The Sporting Tribune / July 22, 2024

Michael C. Wright: Chris Paul said he got texts from Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili once the trade went down. Said it got him even more excited to be here. -via Twitter @mikecwright / July 9, 2024

Kevin Garnett’s bold statement on a segment of Complex’s ‘I Got Time Today’ where he claimed to be a better player than Tim Duncan stirs up an age-old debate between two of the NBA’s greatest power forwards. “I would say so. I didn’t play on probably better teams than Timmy played, but I thought I was a better player. Thought I did more, all around a better player, but shout to Timmy and his body of work and what he did too. Salute.” -via Fade Away World / July 3, 2024

Malika Andrews: The end of an era, as one of the most dominant trios we’ve ever seen is dismantled in the Bay: – Won 4 titles together, tied w/ Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker for the most titles by an All-NBA trio over the last 50 seasons. – Made 6 Finals together, the most by any trio, who each made All-NBA at least once, over the last 50 seasons -via Twitter @malika_andrews / July 1, 2024