Big Apple Wants to Take a Bite Out of Kobe

Kobe Bryant says he will explore all options in the free-agent market after the season. He might consider scratching off New York as a destination.

Wrote George Willis in Monday’s New York Post: “Bryant should be thankful he doesn’t play in New York, where he would be exposed for what he has turned into -- another selfish, ungrateful superstar who can’t see beyond his own persona.”

Trivia answer: Who is the Lakers’ all-time leader in three-point shots made? And who is the leader in three-point percentage, with a minimum of 100 shots?

A different concept: According to the New York Times, here’s what Shaquille O’Neal told reporters when asked about team harmony after the Lakers’ victory over the New Jersey Nets Sunday: “I think it’s overrated, because I know you guys don’t like your editors. You don’t like your printers. You don’t like your delivery people.”

A new goal: “We already knew Kobe hates Shaq, Shaq hates Kobe and Kobe hates Phil,” says Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post and aol.com. “Now comes word that Gary Payton plans to opt out of his Laker contract because he’s tired of everyone else getting all the shots. Let me guess. Instead of getting diamond rings for winning the NBA championship, these guys want brass knuckles.”

A lesson here: Larry Bird, whose Indiana State No. 33 jersey was retired Saturday, told the crowd in Terre Haute, Ind., “We had a special team. We played together, played to win, and everyone knew their roles.... Everyone knew I was going to take all the shots.”

A dissenting vote: Sean Elliott, formerly of the San Antonio Spurs, said on ESPN Radio, “Teams no longer fear the Lakers. In fact, they are now lining up for the chance to be the team to knock them off, come playoff time.”

A bear of a typo: An expansion team scheduled to play in the ABA next season is the Gwinnett Gwizzlies. (Gwinnett is a suburb of Atlanta.)

“Actually, it was a typo,” said team President Embry Malone, a former assistant coach at Pepperdine, in explaining the name. “But we liked it, especially since we’re in Gwinnett.”

Catching a few Zs: The Utah Starzz of the WNBA only looked like a typo. The team, which is now the San Antonio Silver Stars, was purposely named Starzz to fit in with Salt Lake City’s other teams -- the Utah Jazz, the Salt Lake City Buzz of baseball’s Pacific Coast League, and the Utah Grizz of the International Hockey League.

Trivia answer: Nick Van Exel is the leader in three-point shots made with 750. Mike Penberthy is the leader in percentage at 41.4%.

And finally: David Letterman, on reports of friction between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez: “But listen to this. The San Francisco Giants have a very different problem. I was stunned when I heard this. Their shortstop and their third baseman got married.”

Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.