Kobe Bryant
“The Most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” Kobe Bryant.
First of all, Rest in Peace to Kobe and Gianna Bryant and all the nine victims of the helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California. You all may be gone, but never forgotten.
Throughout the years observing Kobe Bryant, if there is one word to describe Bryant, it would be “Audacious.” Who was this cocksure teen, bragging about skipping college for the NBA? All while flashing a smug grin in a half-empty gym with designer shades resting on the crown of his head. Who was this kid that demanded that the New Jersey Nets do not draft him, so he could play for his favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers? Who is this guy going to the prom with teenage pop star, Brandy? Who is this kid stealing Jordan’s moves? Who is this guy flexing after winning a contrived and subpar slam dunk contest? Who is this kid that thinks he’s better than NBA legend, Shaquille O’Neal? Who is this teen showing up NBA great Karl Malone at an all-star game? These were some questions going through my head. And I could go on and on with the other question about his early years, but I digress.
At the time, I thought he was a Michael Jordan wannabe that would fade away like all the other Jordan Air Apparent. But in retrospect, I now realize that Kobe Bryant was a wunderkind, and from a young age, Bryant had a clear view of his career trajectory. He also had a ruling class mentality. A lion doesn’t come to fit in with the pride; he comes to eat and rule. So, as a rookie, Kobe wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. In his mind, he was the alpha-male, he decided the rules of engagement. He carried himself as the best, and you must know your place, whether you’re an NBA hall-of-famer or a bench-warmer.
Early in Kobe’s career, many of his contemporaries were blazing their own path – Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Tim Duncan, and Ray Allen were all creating a buzz for themselves and their teams. “Who’s the next Jordan?” That was an ongoing debate. Kobe won his first three titles with Shaquille O’Neal from the years 2000-2003. Still, those Lakers teams were considered Shaq’s team. As a result, Shaq won the finals MVP’s during that title run all three times. In retrospect, many people (in the NBA circles) viewed Kobe Bryant as a franchise player (but also as Shaq’s sidekick). After a couple disappointing seasons, Shaq moved on in 2006 and won a championship with Miami. And Bryant buck head with head coaches and mediocre teammates, before Pau Gasol joined the Lakers, and they ultimately won again in 2009 and 2010.
But my most fond memory (or infamous if you’re a Raptors fan) was on January 22, 2006. The Raptors were facing the L. A Lakers at the Staples Center. The Raptors rolled out their latest underwhelming roster of Matt Bonner, Mike James, Jalen Rose, Morris Peterson, and a 21-year- old, Chris Bosh. And behind enemy lines were a bunch of misfits and Kobe Bryant. At the time, Kobe was in his prime at 27 years. This was a transitional season for Kobe; he was fresh off two straight disappointing playoff appearances and wanted to prove that not only was he better than Shaq but that he could guide the Lakers to a championship by himself.
In the game, the Raptors came off to a great start and led 63-49 at halftime led by NBA journeyman in his contract year, Mike James. They even bumped the lead up to 18 points. And that’s when Kobe spewed his venom. Bryant began an array of jab-steps, pump fakes, and fade-away shots that either eluded or seduced the Raptors’ defense to helplessly watch him score or to foul him. All of those baskets were necessary to get the Lakers back in the game. Otherwise, Phil Jackson would have to rely on Smush Parker or Kwame Brown to score. By the fourth quarter, the game was essentially over, and Kobe’s greatness was on full display. And all I was wondering was, whose idea was it for the Raptors to hire Kevin Garnett’s former bodyguard as their coach? And why won’t he trap or double team? And why couldn’t Jalen Rose’s perimeter defense be as strong as his hairline? In the fourth quarter, the rout continued. It was such a special night in Los Angeles that Kobe didn’t even look like a basketball player anymore. He played with the precision and finesse of an Olympic figure skater or gymnasts doing salchows and pikes in the air all to the awe and the ovations of the adoring Lakers fans. That night went down as arguably the greatest individual scoring night in NBA history.
Fast forward to 2016, 38-year-old Kobe Bryant announced his retirement that his current season would be his last. This was a turning point, not only for Kobe but for the NBA overall. All 28 other NBA arenas began showering Kobe with not only ovations but also video tributes and gifts. He also started doing photo ops and jersey exchanges with NBA stars from opposing teams. This was NBA fans’ last opportunity to say goodbye to an NBA legend, and a chance for fans to show love to Bryant one last time. This was also the last time the Lakers organization and fans had to showcase their legend and to say goodbye to their 20-year love affair with the king of LA. Kobe handled all the praise and attention with grace, humility, and class. When many former superstars like Shaq, Charles Barkley, and Isaiah Thomas were forced into retirement with terrible injuries (on the court), Kobe left on his terms scoring 60 points in his career finale against the Utah Jazz. What a way to end a brilliant career. So we thought…
No one quite knew what direction a retired Kobe Bryant’s life would turn out. We all acknowledged that basketball was all he knew, and he was super competitive. Was he gonna come back and play till his body retired him? Would he join the Big 3 league? Would he join TNT or ESPN’s broadcast crew to become a hater of the new young stars? Or would he just disappear? But Kobe did the unexpected. He used his competitive nature and all the positive energy and turned the tables.
He started off by writing a love letter to basketball (in which he won an Oscar for). Then, he started the Mamba academy to mentor young stars like Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He became an advocate for the WNBA and started coaching his daughter’s (Gianna) basketball team. He also started leaving motivational advice and brilliant quotes to all his adoring fans. Early in Kobe’s career, he had built a reputation as a fiery competitor, a “bad teammate” and a “coach-killer.” But in 2020, we witnessed a 41-year-old man who fully evolved as a person. Now it’s hard pressed to find an image or video of Kobe without a warm smile on his face. Kobe did the unthinkable; he turned the tables and out gave the NBA by giving himself to his family and the world. And for those reasons, he will never be forgotten.
People don’t realize how big Kobe is in Los Angeles. In the city of stars, no star shone as brightly. All the celebrities, politicians, and fellow athletes respected him and looked up to him. That’s why I see the irony in that he passed on above the city he ruled along with his true loves – his family and basketball. Now you can forever play pickup ball with your beautiful daughter. I project that this is only the beginning of Kobe’s legend – he will become the biggest icon in the NBA, and the NBA logo will be changed to his likeness. Rest in peace, Kobe Bean Bryant. “Mamba out!”