Los Angeles Lakers

Rapper Lil Wayne says he expects Lakers to be a playoff team

Published Aug. 24, 2015 3:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

"Anything is possible." It's a truism in the NBA lexicon thanks to a guttural shout by Kevin Garnett after his Boston Celtics won a title. And it's something that rapper Lil Wayne repeatedly echoed on the set of ESPN's "First Take" when he was asked about the Los Angeles Lakers' playoff chances for the 2015-16 season.

When initially asked for his take on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, Wayne hedged on his response:

"I definitely see them as trying their hardest. You never know, whoever you are, I don't care what team you are, you go out there every night and play your hardest, anything is possible."

It was something resembling a "yes," but there was little confidence to be found. After some needling by host Stephen A. Smith, however, Wayne offered a revised answer:

"Do I see the Lakers being a playoff team this year? Yes, I do. ... Because they have Kobe Bryant, and they have players that are ready to win and are ready to play."

Wayne added that he wasn't sure how great Bryant could be next season, but that he knew one thing for certain about the future Hall of Famer:

"I don't know what percentage of the 'great' Kobe we will see, but I can tell you right now what percentage of Kobe we will see. It's 100 percent, at all times."

In sum, it's not a completely irrational perspective. The Lakers making the playoffs in the Western Conference would be shocking indeed, but if somehow Bryant is able to come back at his all-time level, and Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell emerge quickly, and Byron Scott becomes one of the NBA's best coaches ...

Like the man said, anything is possible. It's just not probable. At all.

(h/t ESPN.com)