Allen ripped Bryant after it was revealed former Lakers coach Phil Jackson was also very critical of No. 8 during their championship run together in Los Angeles.
"He's going to be very selfish," Allen said of Bryant this upcoming season. "And he feels like he needs to show this league and the people in this country that he is better without Shaq. He can win championships without Shaq. So offensively, he's going to jump out and say, 'I can average 30 points. I can still carry the load on this team.'"
Allen, like Bryant, was selected in the 1996 NBA Draft. But the former UConn star doesn't seem to question whether Bryant could average 30 points.
"He has the talent, he can do it," Allen said. "But is his attitude going to allow him to take a back seat and let Lamar Odom shine and let Caron Butler have his nights and bring those big guys along with him?"
Allen also feels much of the Lakers' success will ultimately be determined by Bryant's willingness to incorporate others into the offense.
"If Kobe doesn't see he needs two and a half good players to be a legitimate playoff contender or win a championship in about a year or two he'll be calling out to Jerry Buss that 'We need some help in here,' or 'Trade me,'" Allen said. "And we'll all be saying, 'I told you so,' when he says that."
Bryant re-signed with the Lakers during the summer for more than $130 million over the next seven seasons. But Allen seems to feel Bryant likes to turn their meetings into personal one-on-one battles due in large part to being drafted the same year.
"He thinks — in his mind — that he's going to shoot and try to show me up at any point in time on the floor," Allen said. "But his mentality and mine are different. I've got to do what it takes to help the team win."
At one point during the Sonics' exhibition victory Tuesday night, Bryant blocked a layup attempt and stared at Allen, who had fallen to the floor. At another point, Bryant reportedly bumped into Allen and talked trash.
"I think he talks because he feels like he has to talk," Allen said. "He's out there playing, and if he does something good I feel like he needs to pat himself on the back because to me, it seems like he's isolated out there. As much as it's five-on-five, I don't see much camaraderie going on out there with his teammates."
Seattle hosts the Lakers during the regular season Dec. 14.
Stay tuned.
