Kobe Bryant defended his constant questioning of Phil Jackson’s plays, stressing he was doing it to learn.

Kobe Bryant didn’t get along well with Phil Jackson at the Los Angeles Lakers early in his career. They didn’t have the best relationship, something Bean admitted in 2004. However, that didn’t mean he was against what the Zen Master asked him and the team to do.

Bryant explained that, similar to what he has been doing throughout his basketball career, he was a student of the game. Many singled out his constant criticism and questioning of Jackson’s plays, but “The Back Mamba” explained it was all part of his process to grow.

“I have a lot of respect for Phil because he understands the game so much. If he says run this, that or the other, I’m going to say, ‘Why?’ I want to learn. Our relationship has always been that way, but it’s been successful,” Bryant responded via the New York Times in 2004.

As most know, the Lakers failed to win the championship that season despite being heavy favorites. This was even though Shaq and Kobe had proven stars such as Karl Malone and Gary Payton join them and try to finally win their first NBA titles. The Lakers broke it up in the summer of 2004, retaining only Kobe from that mix.

Jackson was also gone, allegedly for failing to agree to a new deal with the Lakers. But for most, his exit resulted from Bryant’s wishes, although team management rebuked it.