Official Site of the Suns · Mar 23, 2016
The Suns and Kobe Story: Part One
KOBE AND THE SUNS: Part One | Part Two | Part Three
Twenty years ago, the Suns wanted to draft Kobe Bryant.
Phoenix held the 15th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but by the time the calendar flipped to June 26, Bryant’s stock had risen to the point where the Suns knew they couldn’t bank on him falling into their lap. Their efforts to trade up for Charlotte’s pick (13th overall) were trumped by a Lakers’ offer centered around center Vlade Divac.