Recently, former Lakers athletic trainer Gary Witty talked about the deal between Kobe Bryant and Valard Divac in a podcast.
In 1996, the Lakers traded Divac to the Hornets in exchange for Kobe's rookie signing rights, and used this to clear up the salary space to sign Shaquille O'Neal.
Viti said he was not sure whether it was wise to trade Divac for Kobe, who was only 17 years old: "We traded Valard Divac for Kobe. Do you understand the deal? I mean, he (Devac) is a real seven-foot (about 2.13 meters) big man. He also has a very big hand. As soon as he touches the ball, the ball is his. His footwork is excellent and he is very smart."
Viti admitted that for a long time, he didn't see anything really special about Kobe. But in the fourth game of the 2000 NBA Finals, the defender made an explosive performance, which allowed Viti to see his spiritual excellence. At that time, O'Neal left the game with full blunder in overtime, and Kobe himself seriously sprained his ankle in Game 2. It was in this case that he led the Lakers to a thrilling victory.
source:7m vn1