LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant isnt sure hell be ready to play when the Los Angeles Lakers open the season on Oct. 29, although he remains ahead of schedule in rehabbing his surgically repaired Achilles tendon. Bryant turns 35 next week and he vowed that his 17-year career is "definitely not over." "I just want that jewelry," he said, referring to the possibility of claiming his sixth NBA championship. "People just dont understand how obsessed I am with winning." Bryant made his comments to late night host Jimmy Kimmel during "Kobe Up Close," a one-on-one conversation with the NBA superstar on Thursday night at Nokia Theatre across from Staples Center. He had a one-word answer when Kimmel asked whether he would finish his career with the only team hes ever played for: "Yeah," Bryant replied. The 7,100-seat venue was full of Bryants fans that cheered, jeered and interrupted freely during the one-hour program. Ticket proceeds benefited the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, which works to help end homelessness. In keeping with the reason for the event, Kimmel asked, "If there was only one homeless person in the world, would you be happy if it was Dwight Howard?" The audience roared, mere weeks removed from Howards decision to leave the Lakers for Houston after one season. "Dwight is a great kid," Bryant said, nearly drowned out by boos. "We have different perspectives on what it takes to win." Kimmel kept the questions light while touching on a variety of topics well known to Bryants most ardent fans. Bryant recalled that before he was drafted in 1996 by Charlotte and then traded to the Lakers, he worked out for Boston and the Clippers. "I had a really fun and good workout with the Clippers," he said. "They told me, This is the best workout weve ever seen." But he said the team told him it wouldnt be drafting him out of high school. "We want to turn things around with our organization and we felt like if we drafted a 17-year-old kid, the city of L.A. wouldnt take us seriously," Bryant said the Clippers told him. Kimmel retorted, "They always make the best decisions." Bryant said Chris Paul should have ended up with the Lakers instead of the Clippers. The NBA office, which owned New Orleans at the time, decided against a deal team officials had agreed to with the Lakers. "Chris called me and told me it was a done deal," Bryant said. "Then he calls me back 30 minutes later and says, You wont believe it. David Stern killed the deal." Before Bryant jumped directly from high school to the pros, he said he was recruited by Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and West Point. The military academy sent him his first college letter. If he had gone to college, Bryant said he likely wouldve chosen North Carolina because Vince Carter had gone to Chapel Hill the previous year, and Bryant would have wanted to compete with him at practice every day. As a teenager with a lucrative NBA contract, Bryant said he wasnt interested in big expenditures. "The game consumed me," he said. Bryant recalled his first meeting with Shaquille ONeal over dinner at a Beverly Hills restaurant. "I thought it was the coolest thing in the world that he had a cellphone that was the biggest in the world," he said. Together, they won three consecutive NBA titles from 2000-02. But they eventually fell out and ONeal was traded after the Lakers lost in the 2004 finals. "It was a tough period. He and I just werent going to play together anymore," Bryant said. "I had to prove I could win without him." It would take a while, though. Bryant and the Lakers didnt capture another NBA title until they won two straight in 2009 and 2010. Bryant credited Michael Jordan for giving him "phenomenal advice" on how to elevate his teammates. "My demeanour and my temper probably calmed down a little bit," he said. "I go into games today looking at what are my guys going through, who is struggling, what can I do to help." Among the famous faces in the audience were Lakers owners Jeanie and Jim Buss, general manager Mitch Kupchak, Hall of Fame baseball player Dave Winfield and former NFL receiver Terrell Owens. Jeanie Buss was visibly touched when Bryant spoke about why so many Lakers players loved her late father, Jerry. "He knew exactly what his vision was," Bryant said. "He was very patient, he was very understanding. He allowed me room to grow as a person." Bryant said his daughters, ages 10 and 7, are playing sports, although he didnt specify which ones. He described them as "insanely, insanely competitive." Ray Ban Outlet Stores . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Ray Ban Wholesale . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. http://www.raybanwholesale.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Ray Ban China Wholesale . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Ray Ban Sale Online . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. Coach Mal Meninga has named four current Test players in a powerful Prime Ministers XIII to take on the PNG PMs XIII in Port Moresby on September 24.Captain Greg Inglis, Semi Radradra, Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson, who all appeared in the May Test against the Kiwis, will be heading to Port Moresby with the team next week.The exciting backline also includes Wests Tigers guns James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses plus Mitchell Pearce at halfback.While the squad is comprised wholly of players not involved in the last three weeks of the NRL finals, Meninga has promised all can push their claims to be in his Kangaroos squad for the Four Nations tournament starting next month.This is an outstanding squad, Meninga said on Tuesday.There are four representatives from the Test match against New Zealand and on top of that, no less than nine of the players were a part of Origin this year.ddddddddddddThe PNG tours are some of the most enjoyable trips I have been on but they are no holiday when you run onto the field.The PNG boys play a tough and energetic brand of football and they will be well backed by a huge crowd, all willing the home team on.Australian Prime Ministers XIII: James Tedesco, Semi Radradra, Greg Inglis (capt), Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson, Mitchell Moses, Mitchell Pearce, Aaron Woods, Jake Friend, Ryan James, Boyd Cordner, Tyson Frizell, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Moses Mbye, Dylan Napa, Jake Trbojevic. 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