Kobe Bryant calls ESPN 'a bunch of idiots' for 40th ranking

Kobe Bryant called ESPN "a bunch of idiots" shortly after the Los Angeles Lakers' blowout loss to the Utah Jazz for ranking him as the 40th-best player in the NBA, reports Bill Oram of the OC Register.

Kobe on ESPN ranking him 40th best player: "I've known for a long time that they're a bunch of idiots."

— Bill Oram (@bill_oram) October 17, 2014

More Kobe on ESPN rank: "I tend to use things as motivation that tend to be in realm of reality."

— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) October 17, 2014

ESPN released their 40-36 rankings today, with Kobe behind Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson. Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. It's no surprise Kobe really doesn't care about the ranking, but the quote is just one of many gems he's dropped throughout preseason.

It also comes on the back of his 27-point performance, which was arguably the only good thing to come out of the Lakers' latest loss. Does this man look like the 40th-best player in the NBA, and not even the best shooting guard playing? Only time, and 82 games, will tell: