HoopsHype.com Rumors

Kobe Bryant hopes fans can do something his teammates couldn’t in the NBA playoffs. With the Lakers’ star still sidelined from a torn left Achilles’ tendon, Bryant has partnered with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to promote Olympic Day on June 23 and asked fans in the video above to fill his absence. “I can’t run, I can’t jump and I can’t swim yet,” Bryant said. “So I need you guys to pick up the slack for me and be doubly active.” Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Injuries 

Kobe Bryant has been relatively quiet as the NBA Finals have worn on, and now we know what he’s been doing. He was caught on camera at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, taking in the Angels’ Sunday game against the New York Yankees. For The Win

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, MLB 

Should Howard decide to leave the Lakers, sources said, several options have been discussed internally in Lakerland. Among them: The Lakers could simply let him walk, go into the season with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash as their centerpieces -- as they had planned in July 2012 before the trade for Howard materialized -- and focus on slicing into their luxury-tax bill. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard 

Kobe Bryant may still be a ways off from recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, but a horse is picking up the slack. According to the Los Angeles Times, Lee Searing’s two-year-old colt Kobe’s Back was given its name after Bryant’s injury in April. And so far, Kobe Bryant’s winning ways have translated from the court to the track. Kobe’s Back took first place and a $100,000 prize in Hollywood’s Willard Proctor Memorial horse race. For The Win

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

Kamenetzky Brothers: The most significant DH news isn't what the LAC might or might not offer, it's that Kobe plans to play for at least a couple more yrs. BK Twitter @KamBrothers

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard 

Mike Trudell: Where is Bryant in terms of his rehabilitation? Do you think he can play in the season opener, as is his hope? Vitti: We don't know yet. Kobe looks exactly the way he's supposed to look at this point in time. Kobe makes you look good as a training staff … we always feel good about how he's going to recover from anything, and that's a credit to him. He gets all of it. He's the one that has to do it. He's going to be great no matter whom he works with, and right now he's working with the best, in my opinion, Judy Seto. NBA.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Injuries 

Bryant wants to be "back next season with a vengeance," the source said. And he wants "two more cracks at it to win seven NBA titles at least." In other words, it's highly unlikely next season will be his last as Bryant and Derek Fisher lead all current players with five NBA titles, although the Spurs' Tim Duncan could tie them if San Antonio beats the Miami Heat in this year's Finals. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

Bryant has always publicly maintained he will only play while he's able to play at an elite level. Next season is his final season under contract with the Lakers. A source with knowledge of the Lakers' thinking told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the team was planning to open extension talks with Bryant as soon as they were allowed to under NBA rules, which ironically came right after he ruptured his Achilles in a game against Golden State on April 12. Both sides would love to see Bryant retire as a Laker, sources said. But the Achilles injury complicated the issue, and especially the timing of talks about an extension. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

Mike Trudell: Asked Vitti if @Kobe Bryant was on track to play in the opener: "We don't know yet." Then he said everything is fully on schedule. Twitter @LakersReporter

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Injuries 

Kobe Bryant will sit down with late night host Jimmy Kimmel for a conversation at the Nokia Theatre on Aug. 15 to raise money toward eliminating homelessness in the Los Angeles area. "Kobe Up Close" will feature Bryant talking about his career and sharing some of his favorite stories with Kimmel. Tickets for the event range from $25 to $200. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

Metta World Peace was the next victim of 2-year-old basketball phenomenon Titus Ashby. Appearing Thursday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the Lakers forward was out-shot by Ashby, 11-6, in a 30-second competition. World Peace shot on a hoop that was 6 feet, 7 inches high; Ashby's was set at 3 feet. "I've never been nervous in my life, but this kid makes me nervous," joked World Peace before their free-throw battle. Ashby previously tied Kobe Bryant in a pre-taped segment (prior to Bryant's Achilles injury), with four points apiece. He also beat Shaquille O'Neal and Kimmel in earlier episodes. World Peace was a good sport in defeat, presenting Ashby with one of his No. 15 Lakers jerseys. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Metta World Peace, Titus Ashby 

Dave McMenamin: Kobe says on @NBATV he's going to send Mark Cuban his Social Media Award for his #AmnestyTHAT tweet that won him the 140 (character) award Twitter @mcten

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Twitter, Mark Cuban 

Kobe Bryant finally got some shots up Sunday (while recovering from Achilles surgery), but he wasn't about to beat a 2-year old in a shooting competition on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Playing against Titus Ashby, the young YouTube sensation, Bryant hit just four shots on a 6-foot-6 hoop from 18 feet. "I was fouled," said Bryant after struggling to convert. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

The World Series of Poker invited Kobe Bryant via Twitter to play in a tribute to the late Jerry Buss. Poker misses Dr. Buss. Game. Class. We invite @kobebryant to play in tribute. #sharksvsmamba twitter.com/wsop/status/34…Bryant politely declined Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Jerry Buss, Owners 

Kobe Bryant settled two lawsuits with a New Jersey auction house over plans to sell his memorabilia, and the parents of the All-Star basketball guard apologized to him for their actions. The confidential deal averted a trial between Bryant and Goldin Auctions LLC that was scheduled for June 17 in federal court in Camden, New Jersey. Bryant, a Los Angeles Laker, sought to block Goldin Auctions from selling 100 items consigned by his mother, Pamela Bryant. Under the accord, Goldin Auctions can sell six items, and Kobe Bryant got an apology. “We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” Pamela and Joe Bryant said in a statement released by their son’s law firm, Loeb & Loeb LLP. “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.” San Francisco Chronicle

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Law 

Titus Ashby is an adorable 2-year-old from Kansas that challenges current and former NBA stars to shooting contests on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Similarly to Aaron Carter, little Titus beat Shaquille O’Neal 8-0, scoring all baskets in just 30 seconds. Titus had so much fun embarrassing Shaq that he decided to take on Kobe Bryant and see how he’d fare. They ended up tying, 4-4. For The Win

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Titus Ashby 

Collectors of Kobe Bryant memorabilia will get their wish, as ESPN.com has learned that a settlement has been reached between the Los Angeles Lakers guard and a company that was auctioning off his memorabilia. Exactly one week before the two sides were due to go to trial in New Jersey, a deal was reached, Goldin Auctions president Ken Goldin said on Monday morning. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Merchandising 

"We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia," said Joe and Pamela Bryant in a statement, provided by a publicist. "We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years. We also apologize to Goldin Auctions for their inadvertent involvement in this matter and thank them for their assistance." While Goldin said he wasn't free to divulge the terms of the settlement, what is clear is that approximately 90 percent of what previously was being offered has been pulled off the table. Goldin Auctions is now only offering six items for sale, though they are still some of the most highly coveted. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Merchandising 

But Erving also appreciates that so many of the modern stars -- Bryant, James, Kevin Durant -- recognize and speak freely about the path that Erving and others paved for them. "I don't think LeBron is generous with praise of others," Erving said. "Certainly, those first five or six years he wasn't, and now he is in the later years. That's all part of his growth and development where he could appreciate what transpired before. "I'm certainly appreciative of anything he has to say that compliments me or other people who have made great contributions to the game of basketball," he said. "And that is a significant part of his evolution." CBSSports.com

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Julius Erving 

With a Spurs victory, forward Tim Duncan would match Kobe Bryant with five championships, and an argument could be made that Duncan is this generation’s best player. However, talking to Stephen A. Smith on ESPNRadio New York, Bryant said if the Spurs do win, he hopes Lakers management takes notice: “It doesn’t really matter. My goal is to win more then five, if he does win more than five it pushes our organization upstairs to be more driven to make the necessary experiences to continue for the next few years” Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant