The scoring. The clutch shots. The desire to take command. All such qualities define both Kobe Bryantand Antawn Jamison.
For Bryant, it's cemented him among the NBA greats. The Lakers star has five league championships and a fifth-place standing on the NBA's all-time scoring list to show for it. For Jamison, it's ensured relevance in his 15-year NBA career as he's played varying starting and reserve roles for four other teams.
That bond could come together in miraculous ways for the Lakers in the 2012-13 season. Bryant should have an easier time scoring in the post and elbows with elite veteran Steve Nash running the point guard spot. Jamison, who agreed to terms Wednesday with the Lakers on a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, will fill a key role in ensuring that the team's bench climbs out of the league cellar in point production.
But although it's understandable for the Lakers to feel giddy about the upcoming season, it also raises nostalgia about the past. Nearly a dozen years ago, Bryant and Jamison went head-to-head in a matchup that made the late Chick Hearn gush, "What a treat for the fans. What a treat for everyone."
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