Cedric Maxwell & Sean Grande with ESPNBoston.com's Jackie MacMullan at halftime of Lakers &Celtics

All right John thank you. Our short list on a big night on the Celtics -- and I are short list of people actually really like -- put into place so shortlist of people that would like talking to begin with Pittsburgh short but obviously at that very short list. Is -- we only get spent time with her we really enjoyed she got to spend time. Yesterday with Kobe Bryant and it's you know I say it this it's obviously in my street do every do favorite book market. And Kobe Bryant is one of the most fascinating people to meet in Boston. Sports history because it really. In his appreciation for the game legacy and all that release comes through in this piece. I asked this question -- who were just talking about cope with the person because you spent time with him yesterday. And after doing this as long as we of all we're doing it after. Eighteen years of watching Kobe Bryant under the spotlight. It's as if we do not know him at all what is Kobe Bryant what is the real -- -- like -- will we have received. Well. Honestly he is. I'm gonna get myself in trouble here but I'm gonna say it anyway he is the most intelligent and BA player I have every time justice he's so Smart. He's witty it's quick. He's knowledgeable about sports about life about politics about everything. That's a pretty strong opinion about everything. Likes to slip into old ghetto talk which I find amusing in itself. Smart enough to understand he needs to do that but let's be honest as a kid that was -- Italy in Pennsylvania. Is very well read. A chameleon of sorts I actually said to him congratulations on reinventing yourself because I think he has. I've always found -- fascinating as well and I think he. There's a lot to Kobe Bryant a lot to him. If you think about him I mean is that that got because I think it's -- Jordan for so long in nearby as well the quote you -- -- -- I don't think anybody ever see is he's Kobe Bryant I think -- He wants to be like -- matured and is being great in the line of all the things that happened to a but he still want the greatest players that played it. And you know what that. Compared to Jordan and you know -- -- Jordan in his prime -- -- Jordan when no one else you know we used to YouTube there a lot of guys there we were forgive us talking who have. And Jordan's great play about in my in my mind Kobe is right there. But you can not compare it. The intellectual curiosity. And knowledge of other things besides best ball and basketball Kobe Bryant this it light years ahead of. But I look at it this way Michael Jordan has taken to -- in the level this one no question I think I -- we probably will never be you -- treat you right. And in intellectual as Kobe did -- think there's. It is only strikes one time like that what basketball player in the fifth. Basketball with Nike and Marreese you're on and went back and think about all of that we'll be back. -- -- right and you mentioned maligned and rightfully going to be that Colorado thing is never going away it's always going to be a stain on -- threatening and he knows it. Expect to get him and his wife his wife no edits and they're back together and you said that I just felt like all the years of preaching. Never quit never give up if this city just I wasn't an arrest until I tried to make that right can never make it right completely very honest about as well. None of us will ever know what it was like to live a life there's one thing to have a public life -- nothing. Every minute -- public from the tigers are very young you know we we've we've talked for the softer itself always fascinated by. When I talked to when I ask any guy what he thinks about Kobe -- the answer is always about basketball I hate him because he's a -- he's a great player right whatever your reaction. To this day when you ask a woman what's the first thing if they go. But when you say Kobe Bryant Naples to Colorado today it strikes me I don't and that's it I don't either but it -- it strikes me what's amazing about his and that same vein of the OJ thing. The split. In this case between male and female interaction is telling that there will be. Can he ever will he ever completely get -- Passed it on the Internet because I don't know what that game Colorado. Only people -- maybe we'll never know the truth. Does is it fair that it defines them it's part of my thinking it is there it is. There was a fascinating part of the of the story today about Boston and this is why. To me if it's one that way I say Kobe is that it took integral figure in Boston sports history because he understands the Celtic mystique. And this goes back to the Celtics you know the story of what happened because the Celtics. One to bring him in for working he didn't wanna do it only to companies that I mean -- seventeen years old boy. That in no way I'm not going there and like listen son. With him the day you're gonna go they have the six -- you're gonna go but I have to throw that greens does -- mean really really. Hated the Celtics but think about it as a kid growing up you know if you get an -- here from the drop in -- And the lakers say come on Michael and Aaron Brown on the island and the fact that he's the law. -- off the beaten them. -- -- -- like the idea that Joseph accurately be right when you put Philadelphia though I'll the that certain victory I -- the film that's well -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I'll stop a guy coming out what the next I was like Utley don't they leave well I'm pretty sure yeah yeah throughout history -- in the history. And it. Does -- sense. Is he. They'll never be satisfied greatest athletes always well I was a proposal -- championship. But when his career unions do you think he will ever feel if he wins by abortion beaches. Then with his mindset now also a subject that was just -- the Larry -- mindset that all of you know -- appropriately -- -- -- ever be satisfied with anything he's accomplished -- he clearly right now is a bond with the war for 567. Greatest players that. -- but it'll do what Larry did a member asked that question you know now that time has passed in your legacy is set is like. We should've won in 85 we should 187. And that's what Kobe's in Kobe's gonna say we should -- 2008. You know we we -- -- -- that -- and that's -- all the great ones do and you know Max says something to me that I haven't forgotten that we just recently said there are very few people. Many of the day they can be like Larry Bird to bring it every single night. Magic is one and let me tell you so it's -- I mean those -- then Jordan that at that their commitment and -- -- know the guys about it when he now it is the difference between my commitment. If they have a faith in the players we talked about that eventually use but the save yourself. If that's what I com. So I know -- there is great that eventually it happens to all all players all athlete Mohammed Ali whoever the is. We've been the leader of one day we view the pictures of the thing. Mean have a good run in and right and and the funny that you look at his stuff on TV from time and time take months ago. I hit that I'll skip out -- code opens -- the victory. The low point of this group may be certainly one of them on the floor was game six that you wrote about this today 2008. It's a colossal blow out the reason you -- -- -- the reason is most to lose that game at home to go to get 3000 mile flight to get blown out for a six game. In the closing moments confetti falling. Who was one of the first people he saw I was living LA it was Belichick Bill Belichick so you know we know -- politics it's Arthur courtside underneath the visitors basket down across right right near the visitors and it. Hope he's feeling down and he's thinking at this point. I don't like this team we don't we're not mentally tough man -- never -- -- here to -- them losing in this building. And also the sky six -- looks up with politics of the -- team and over saint. Which just went through this we just off the giants in the super well. You ready for next year you'll be back will be back and then that started this battle front -- don't like you very much replicate that that would cut. You know it's funny a lot of dealers say -- -- they're mad that bill is in the Laker locker room. So we another bill without meaning to. Will there be a time and I don't know if Kobe voted no wins last year is as it's going on. You know we think about this is back to a different generation win doctor Jamie the farewell tour who recited farewell tour if there is anything remotely like that. Will -- get in Boston will he get that. Career ovation as one of the greatest poets in the history of this project is now my mind let's remember this is the building that started chanting and didn't need me for this guy I have never in my life seen anything before. Or six in his -- So and you know it's not at the bottom of the store today might. Play my Asian Cup let's whenever I read stories sends me this the start with all the comments on the bottom and I didn't have time to read all the but some of them were like. -- -- -- an -- but he sounds pretty cool right now in this in this story. So there's you know. There's some reluctant. Grudging respect there I. I think one of the things we we we we don't give. So they have enough credit for. Is that they will do the usual. They look erratic they appreciate basketball and when they chanted MVP out of school with that's when he was younger I was here. And and we got beat by Philadelphia. And they start -- LA that was cool -- Yeah the most incredibly -- it's not what I'm just walking in his -- young kids and -- talking in front of me and I'm thinking and none of these kids are gonna know who Steve Blake is you know they're going for Steve Nash. Anybody in the -- mr. white mr. Blake can get them like all right -- proved me wrong I love it. I love the young fan base here but you it takes nights like this this is almost like it just it conjures up the romanticism of the rivalry in the history and when -- -- -- Kevin -- over 25000 -- really cool to aboriginal -- we do a song my -- ago really and -- really we could do this -- might have to figure out -- in an accident screenings one night. On the Ottawa senator Max I -- nice not chocolate -- tonight how explicit these days anyway instead mr. Craig -- and money -- by the way to run free tonight it was very public in his did you see that soon it was an -- -- we've got to find -- got a -- not a cynical viral -- gets -- and orange -- I'm not mistaken. -- -- -- -- --