Kobe Bryant demanded Wednesday to be traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, but backed off faster than a defender with five fouls.

Bryant, who turns 29 on Aug. 23, changed his mind after speaking to Lakers head coach Phil Jackson by telephone.

Superstar Kobe Bryant backed off a request to be traded by the Lakers.
(Jeff Lewis/Associated Press)

"I don't want to go anywhere, this is my team," Bryant told KLAC radio. "I love it here.

"I called Phil. Man, he and I talked, it was an emotional conversation.

"But he just said, 'You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out.' Phil is a guy I lean on a lot."

Bryant made a blunt declaration of his dissatisfaction with the Lakers, confirming Wednesday that he wanted to be traded from the only NBA team he has ever played for.

"I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant told ESPN Radio. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there's no other alternative, you know?"

Bryant claimed that there was nothing the Lakers could do to dissuade him, even though he still has four years remaining on a seven-year, $136.4-million US contract inked July 15, 2004.

It was the latest salvo in a growing dispute between the Lakers and Bryant, who was displeased about being eliminated in five games by the Phoenix Suns in the opening round of the playoffs, and, in recent days, expressed a desire that longtime general manager Jerry West would return to the front office.

Mitch Kupchak is the Lakers GM, but West is stepping down July 1 following five years with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Bryant later became enraged when a report in the Los Angeles Times suggested the Lakers' predicament was largely the player's doing because he insisted three years ago that he couldn't co-exist with teammate Shaquille O'Neal.

Bryant shot back, arguing Tuesday that it was Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss who had decided O'Neal wasn't coming back after the 2003-04 NBA season.

"Dr. Buss made it clear that his decision was final, his mind was made up, and, no matter what, I decided to do with free agency, he was still going to move Shaq," Bryant said.

"There is no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth," O'Neal said.

Bryant's trade request came a day after the 74-year-old Buss was arrested early in Carlsbad, Calif., and charged with driving under the influence.

"We are aware of the media reports [about Bryant]," Buss said in a statement. "However, Kobe has not told us directly that he wants to be traded.

"We have made it very clear that we are building our team around Kobe and that we intend for him to be a Laker his entire pro career. We will speak directly to Kobe and, until we do that, we will not comment publicly about this."

MVP-calibre campaign

Bryant finished third behind Dirk Nowitzki and Victoria's Steve Nash for the most valuable player this season, averaging 31.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 40.7 minutes in 77 starts for the Lakers.

He also earned a seventh straight selection to the league's all-defensive team.

Bryant further distinguished himself by becoming the first NBA player since the late Wilt Chamberlain to score 50-plus points in four consecutive games.

Bryant has won two NBA scoring titles and three league championships with the Lakers, though none since O'Neal was dealt, and once burned the Toronto Raptors for 81 points — second to Chamberlain's record of 100 points in a single game.

Bryant is on pace to become the youngest player ever to reach 20,000 points, but has faced criticism for not sharing the ball the past three seasons.

He has averaged 24.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 36.1 minutes in 784 games (636 starts) for the Lakers, who acquired his negotiating rights from the Charlotte Hornets in a trade for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996.

Two weeks earlier, Charlotte drafted Bryant 13th overall out of high school.

With files from the Associated Press