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Chicago Bulls express admiration for Kobe Bryant

And they will throw everything at him Saturday night

By K.C. Johnson | Tribune reporter

March 21, 2009

Here's how transcendent Kobe Bryant's talent is: It makes Vinny Del Negro drop his guard.

"I'm a fan because I know him a little bit and know how hard he works," Del Negro said after Friday's practice. "I'm a fan of guys who work hard and prepare. People think guys roll out of bed and they're Kobe Bryants or LeBron Jameses. Those guys work.

"Those guys are in the weight room. They're leaders. They practice. When the game is on the line, they want the ball. They get on teammates in a constructive way. They pull everybody in the same direction. That's what superstars do. Kobe is as good as anybody at it."

Del Negro's association with Bryant dates to when he played against his father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, in Italy in the early 1990s. It continued to include matchups against the younger Bryant in the NBA and then Lakers-Suns playoff series when Del Negro worked in Phoenix management.

If the Bulls are to post their first four-game winning streak in nearly two years, limiting Bryant's impact will be imperative. That's easier said than done, of course, against the league's third-leading scorer—and someone who can turn opponents into fans.

"It's always fun playing against a guy like that," swingman John Salmons said. "You always like playing against the best, just to see where you're at yourself."

Salmons' association with Bryant dates to summer league matchups from their shared Philadelphia roots. He already has guarded Bryant three times this season, in Kings-Lakers matchups before his trade to the Bulls.

Salmons won't be alone on Bryant. Ben Gordon, who has called Bryant his favorite player in the past, likely will start on him. And Del Negro said defenders as diverse as Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas would get turns on Bryant, who is averaging 27.7 points.

"We'll probably throw everybody on him," Del Negro said.

Even that approach can be futile.

"You just kind of hope he misses shots," Hinrich said.

kcjohnson@tribune.com