As a player, you model yourself after other players. Kobe takes the same approach as Michael Jordan. But I follow someone like Magic Johnson; he showed emotion, he smiled and jumped around, he was happy for his teammates. There needs to be more players like that.
Growing up in L.A., every kid wants to play for the Lakers. As a kid I went to their championship parades, bought a Kobe jersey - I went to the gym and made everybody call me Kobe - loved Shaq, loved the three-peat.
When they talk about you in trades or being let go, there's just so much negativity around, that's bad. But when you're doing good, and teams want you, they want to trade for you, that's good.
I believe L.A. made me, really raised me. I think about that all the time. If I was raised in New York, how would I be? Would my game be different? You know, I think about that a lot, if I was raised somewhere else.
It builds character, it builds chemistry, when you're fighting amongst each other and able to brush it off and still talk and still have fun with each other.