WONDER WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ??

Well first off, our Lakers NBA star player, Kobe Bryant

just turned 35. He is still nurturing his latest injury,

with rebounding from the surgery on his Achilles heal.

When a one on one TV interviewer asked a question

recently of Kobe about which player he would really

like to see return to the Lakers team, he immediately

said "Derek Fisher" YES!!!!!!

Speaking of Derek who used to be the elected president

of the NBA, we note that the position has now gone to the

Clippers point guard, Chris Paul. Paul was vice president

the past four years.

We used to have Lamar Odom on our team too and in

the newspaper this morning it stated that he has been

isolated for 72 hours in an attempt for rehab. Evidently

he has misused drugs and has been really serious about

cleaning up his act. Lamar was grief stricken when an

unexpected death happened to a cousin of his in a tragic

NYC car crash. Apparently an 18 year old pedestrian was

killed as well. There have also been some concerns over

Odom's reality TV ventures that may have held a distraction

for him. Both events have been downplayed. Odom married

into the Kardashian  family back in 2009. He played ball in Miami,

and with the Clippers team plus with our own Lakers before going on to

the New Orleans Hornets. We sure do hope that some intervention

will be most helpful and that he can be seen once more out on the

Basket ball courts.

Noteworthy News

Those of us that like Pau Gasol so much can

be ever so happy that the Lakers have continued

to keep him on the team. He mentioned that

he is hopeful to get his groove back, having 

been out 33 games without playing. 

He told the Associated Press that he probably

has the most uncertain period behind him. 

Yes, its true the team has suffered a lot of changes.

Gasol averaged a career-low 13.7 points on 46.6%

shooting and played more as a facilitator in the

high post instead of inside. He suffered with

a variety of ailments including knee tendinitis,

a concussion and plantar fascia in the right foot.

He underwent two knee procedures, one involving

a probe eliminating scar tissue and another with

stem cell injections to help stimulate regeneration.

He did have a trip as a UNICEF ambassador to

Iraq which allowed him to have to do some walking.

Iraq was a very dangerous area for him to be in.

In 2005 he was in South Africa, Angola in 2007,

Ethiopia in 2010 and Chad in 2012.

His winning personality has carried him to all of

these parts of the world showing maturity plus a keen mind.

Kurt Rambis, having been in Minnesota with the

Timberwolves 2009-2011 which was after he left the Lakers

as Lead Assistant for 10 seasons under Phil Jackson,

He is now officially back again with the Lakers.

We who knew of Kurt, are very pleased having him 

back with our team as a lead coach under Mike D'Antoni. 

Recently Kurt was an analyst for both ESPN and 

Time Warner Cable SportsNet. D'Antoni noted that Kurt 

has not only had the experience, but many years both as 

coach and as a former player too with the team.

He has such a great basketball mind Mike said, 

and is extremely good at working with big men.

D'Antoni has also hired Larry Lewis and Mark Madsen

to serve as his two player development coaches. Other

than these two, Mikes' brother Dan remains the lone

member of his original coaching staff from last season.

And so, we wander around finding traces of news to relate

to you so hopefully you will hang in there with me.

Babs Wells