Will Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant become the Lakers' version of Jordan and Pippen? Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
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SI.com: How much do you think you've grown as a man and as a player this summer?

Odom: When you grow up as a man it helps you as a player.... When I went through what I went through this summer, basketball was the furthest thing from my mind. But just being here and running up and down the court with the guys, I've already seen how it's going to help me, whether it's dealing with officiating or dealing your teammates. It just so happens that we're a very young team, so I'm going to be called upon to be a leader.

SI.com: How does your leadership role on the team compare with Kobe's?

Odom: Me and Kobe always joke. He tells me, "I play bad cop, you're good cop." Kobe's very intense and he's good and sometimes he can't understand how somebody can drop the ball and miss a layup. He's going to ride you. For instance, one day we were in Washington and I got the play wrong and he got on me. He was right. We just have different ways of going about it, and those ways complement each other. We're brothers like that.

SI.com: There are a lot of people who still think you and Kobe can't play together, that you become less aggressive and less effective when you have to share the court with Kobe. What do you think about that?

Odom: Yeah, well, Lamar doesn't shoot the ball 20 times. That's Kobe's job to get 81. I'm a facilitator, a rebounder, playmaker. My greatest joy is the assists on the basketball court -- throwing that pass to get somebody that dunk. I don't mind doing the dirty work. I've known Kobe since I was 16, so we're going on 10 years together. I know what his game is about.

SI.com: So can you still be the player you know you can be with Kobe on the court playing his game?

Odom: Kobe's a real aggressive basketball player. There's no sugarcoating it. I can be aggressive in different ways. It's more than just shooting a ball. It's rebounding, being the toughest defender, getting into the lane so I can make those plays for everyone. So I can find my man [Vladimir] Radmanovic in the corner or get Kwame [Brown] a dunk. I try to do a little of everything.

SI.com: If you and Kobe finally click within the Phil's triangle, do you envision you two becoming the next Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen? Is that a comparison you're tired of hearing at this point?

Odom: Of course we could become the next [Jordan-Pippen]. It's a tremendous compliment when I hear that. Hopefully people give us the chance to play eight, nine years with each other like those guys did. It took those guys a while to get over the hump. Last year was our first battle together, and I doubt it will be our last. So hell no, I don't get tired of those comparisons. With the way Kobe plays, his fadeaways, his demeanor and the way he attacks the basket and scores 81 points, they're going to compare him to Michael Jordan. And he just so happens to play with a versatile basketball player known for his ball handling and passing skills, so they're going to make those comparisons. Kobe plays this game to be better than Jordan one day. I think people should respect that and not neglect that.

SI.com: Did you like the point forward position you played last season?

Odom: Yeah. I always tell my friends if I was 6-2 I'd still be in the NBA because I'd be a point guard. I love setting the tempo, that's where I get off. It just so happens that I'm 6-10 and my natural weight is 234 and I can still play at 244. I can be a hell of a power forward as well as the biggest small forward in the NBA. So I love having a coach like P.J. [Phil Jackson] who sees my strength is versatility and lets me be versatile instead of sticking me in one place and keeping me there.

SI.com: We've been talking about how good Lamar Odom could potentially be for a few years now. Have you reached your potential yet? Do you still see yourself as a work in progress?

Odom: I guess it depends on what you want. The NBA is such a funny game when you talk about reporters' and fans' outlook on things. I lead my team in rebounding and assists from a point forward position, and sometimes that might not be good enough for people. If I had averaged 20 points, once you get to that 20 mark, people would think I'm good. If I would average 24 points and three rebounds, people would say I had a good year but I wouldn't be helping the team. I'm not a selfish player. I'm going to do what my coach tells me to do and of course I'm going to push myself and play hard every night. You haven't seen the best; of course you haven't seen the best. In this game you're always going to get better. The upcoming year should always be better than your last year.