Today will be filled with a wide range of emotions as the greatest Laker of All-Time will get his statue unveiled at the Crypto arena. You can’t help but reminiscence on the basketball career and life of Kobe Bryant. And what you realized is as extraordinary his career and accomplishments are, you come to realize how tough and difficult the path he walked down for him to be immortalized in bronze today.
Kobe never did anything ordinary. He spent the majority of his childhood in Italy while his dad was playing basketball professionally overseas. Kobe became the first guard to enter the draft straight out of high school. He had the courage and some may say audacity to believe he can become the next Michael Jordan. In his first playoff run as an 18 year old, with the series on the line shot 4 Airballs against the Utah Jazz. He ran Shaq out of town after winning 3 titles and going to 4 Finals.
In every one of those scenarios a lot of people would’ve taken the easy way out. They would have gone to college or been cool with being Shaq’s sidekick. Kobe had the self determined belief that he was an all time great! And nothing was going to stop his pursuit to achieving that goal.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: Shaq Kobe Era
There is no debate on who’s the greatest 1-2 duo in NBA history. Both had an almost joyful enjoyment of destroying their opponent and taking your soul from you. Though with that fire and intensity on the court, they couldn’t have been polar opposites off of it. Shaq is a lovable teddy bear that seeks the approval of others liking him. Kobe has a single minded focus on winning as many championships as he possibly could.
Shaq enjoyed his offseason partying, womanizing, eating, making movies and rap albums. Kobe was training 10 hours a day 6 days a week. He was making sure his body was in perfect condition and ready for the grind of the NBA season. But they needed it each other like a married couple who’s been together for 15 years. Sure you get annoyed at each other for not doing the dishes, but when it’s time of crisis you know your partner will come thru when you need it the most.
Great when it counted most
In the biggest games in the “got to have it moments” where they were pushed to the limit, Kobe came through for Shaq in ways Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson just couldn’t. If you were growing up during that time, as I was, the debate of who’s the best shooting guard was an all out war at the lunch table, barbershop and water cooler across the country. McGrady was KD before KD with his unique size and lethal scoring ability on all 3 levels.
Vince was the most talented of them all. With his ability to jump out the gym and go toe to toe with any player in the league on a given night. Iverson was a cultural sensation. From his iconic crossover to jaw dropping ability on a night in and night out basis drop 30 plus. All while only being 5’10 and weighing 180 pounds.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: Shaq And Kobe Break Through
Yet Kobe’s will, discipline and single minded focus made him the best and perfect partner in crime to Shaq. Whether it was Game 7 in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers are in the midst of blowing a 3-1 lead and blowing up the dynasty. Down 15 entering the 4th quarter, Kobe led all scorers with 25 points and 12 rebounds. That includes game clinching free throws and one iconic lob that sent the Staple Center into a frenzy.
But the job wasn’t finish because in Game 4 of that years NBA finals, Shaq fouls out of the game. With the series potentially being tied at 2 games a piece, Kobe officially arrives and establishes himself as the next young great player in the league. He scored 8 points in the overtime. That includes the game winning lay up that would be the series defining moment of that title run.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: The Greatest Basketball Playoff Run Of All-Time
After a nice and breezy ’01 campaign where they put themselves in the conversation of greatest team of all time posting a 15-1 postseason record that year. ’02 was a lot more bumpy. The team got pushed to the limit by a Sacramento Kings team that was about team basketball and unity. They pushed the Lakers to Game 7 in their building. Once again Kobe delivered scoring 30 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists. They secured their 3rd consecutive Finals appearance. They would go on to join the Jordan Bulls and Russell Celtics as NBA franchise to win 3 consecutive titles.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: The Beginning Of The End
But all good things must come to an end. For the Shaq-Kobe Lakers came at the hands of a prime Tim Duncan the following season. The Spurs marched their way to their 2nd championship in 5 seasons. Shaq was determined to go back and win his 4th title. So he picked up the phone and recruited Karl Malone and Gary Payton to come to the Lakers. Though it wasn’t all good news for the Lakers that offseason. That summer Kobe was hit with a sexual assault trial. It resulted in him fighting for his freedom as he was being accused of rape.
This led to an entire offseason of back and forth bickering between the two co-stars. This resulted in an epic near fight between them. Shaq has been on the record saying he was ready to kill Kobe for calling him fat, lazy and childish. Despite a rocky regular season, the Lakers somehow make their way to their 4th NBA Finals in 5 seasons. But they are derailed by a key injury to Karl Malone. And the friction between Shaq and Kobe had festered so much that they couldn’t overcome it. The Detroit Pistons shutdown Kobe in the worst series of his career. He averaged only 22 ppg, 4 assists, 2 rebounds on 37% from the field. That truly ended the dynasty era of Shaq and Kobe. That summer Shaq would get traded to the Miami Heat. While Kobe signed his extension to be with the Lakers for the foreseeable future.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: Life Without Shaq
Kobe was hated and viewed as a selfish egomaniacal person for the way he ran Shaq out of town. So the pressure was truly on him for him not only to perform but to win championships. Which only became increasingly harder when Shaq in 2006 on the back of Dwayne Wade won his 4th and final championship. From 2005-2007, Kobe put on one of the greatest stretches of scoring the NBA has ever seen. He averaged a little over 33 points per game. That includes outscoring the Dallas Mavericks by himself through 3 quarters, a 4 consecutive 50 point game streak and of course the iconic 81.
He went on a scoring tear that only a few players in the history of the game have done. Yet it wasn’t resulting into any wins in the playoffs. Those 2 seasons resulted in one epic collapse against the Phoenix Suns in the first round. Then they missed the playoffs completely. Before midway through the ’07-’08 season the Lakers trade for Pau Gasol. Life changed for Laker fans and the legacy of Kobe Bryant forever.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: Thank God For Pau
Shaq might’ve been Kobe’s best teammate but his true favorite would be Pau. Because of the way Gasol was able to play off of him so smoothly. He was a 7 footer that had great touch around the rim. He had a lethal midrange jump shot and was one of the best passing big men in the entire sport. The second Gasol became a Lakers player they went to Finals. But faced the organizations most bitter and fierce rival in the Boston Celtics. That summer the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to pair with Paul Pierce. The Celtics had created their own Big 3 for the next generation of Celtics fans. Kobe won his first and only league MVP that season. All signs were pointing to a movie book ending. With Kobe tying Shaq with 4 rings and taking down the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Unfortunately for Kobe his movie book ending would be coming 8 years later. But for this moment, the Hollywood writers were writing in green and white ink. The Celtics physically imposed their will on the Lakers to a dominating 6 game series victory. Kobe said that season he was too soft on his teammates. He felt he didn’t fully prepare them to play against the more mentally and physically tougher Boston Celtics.
Roadblocks and hurdles
Though come the following season he was hell bent to make sure that ending didn’t happen again. The Lakers unlike the earlier part of the dynasty with Shaq didn’t face as many roadblocks and hurdles. This Laker era with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom faced a Game 7 in the semi finals that playoffs against the Houston Rockets. Then a grueling physical 6 game series against the Denver Nuggets. But those series prepared them to take on the Orlando Magic who upset the league MVP LeBron James in the Eastern Conference. The closest we would have ever gotten to a LeBron vs Kobe finals.
The Lakers dismantled the Magic in 5 games. And Kobe, after a long 4 year journey that faced him almost going to prison, becoming hated in his own city and be viewed around the league as a ball hogging bad teammate, had climbed the mountain with his daughter Gigi in one arm and the Finals MVP in another. Kobe had finally conquered the doubt that he couldn’t win a title without Shaq. Now comes can he get one more and end the argument once and for all on who was the better player.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: The Year That Made Kobe A Legend
Entering the following season, Kobe was a made man and could truly rest on the fact that he had silenced all of the doubters that said he couldn’t win without Shaq. But we all know Kobe to be pursuing greatness and his 2010 season craved him in stone as a walking legend in the league. That season Kobe would hit multiple buzzer beating shots to steal victories from his opponent. Then in the 2010 playoffs they would have to take out in the first round 3 future league MVPs in Durant, Harden and Westbrook in the upstart Oklahoma city Thunder. The Western Conference meant a matchup against a low-key bitter rival in the Phoenix Suns. Kobe 2 of the most insane shots you will ever see to clinch the series in Game 6.
But what truly made him a legend was getting his sweet sweet revenge against the team that beat him in the Finals 2 years prior in the Boston Celtics. Kobe said on the stage as he accepted his 2nd consecutive Finals MVP that this was by far the sweetest. Because it was against the Celtics and knowing what it means to Lakers fans to beat the Celtics immortalized him as not only a Laker legend but arguably the greatest Laker of all-time.
Oh yeah he didn’t forget his former teammate that everyone thought he couldn’t win without in Shaq to let the world know what a 5th title meant to him, “Just means I have one more than Shaq. And you can take that to the bank!”
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: The Night That Changed Everything
Kobe won his 5th and final title at the age of 31. So Father Time is undefeated yet Kobe being the ultimate competitor was determined to conquer him in his quest of surpassing Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. Unfortunately over the next 5 seasons, poor management decisions in the front office following the passing of Dr. Jerry Buss along with his body breaking down resulted in the sad but realistic ending for all of our favorite players. Despite trying to will his team to the 7th seed of the playoffs during the 2013 season, that had a Mike Brown get fired not even a quarter way through the season. The Buss family passing on the opportunity to bring Phil Jackson back and instead hire Mike D’antoni. His first decision was to bench Pau Gasol so that he can run his 7 seconds or less offense.
Addition that didn’t pan out
The Lakers big offseason acquisition Dwight Howard was struggling coming back off of back surgery and didn’t click with the always serious, basketball is life mentality of Kobe. So averaging nearly 40 minutes a night while averaging 27 ppg, 8 assists and 7 rebounds for a team that was fighting tooth and nail to just make the playoffs came to a crashing halt the night of April 12 2013.
The Lakers were playing against the eventual dynastic Golden State Warriors in a game to stay in the playoff race. Kobe was on his usual scoring 4th quarter tear hitting back to back clutch 3s to give him 10 points in the quarter, when he catches the ball on the elbow with Harrison Barnes guarding him. Makes one strong move to his left and goes right to the ground grabbing his Achilles. The loud LA crowd goes so silent you can hear a pin drop as Kobe massages his heel hoping he can reattach his severed Achilles.
What happens next just adds to the legend of the Black Mamba.
Incredible Freethrows
Kobe limps to the free throw, with a frustrated disappointing look of knowing his season for sure but maybe his career is officially over. The Lakers are down 109-107 with a little over 3 minutes left in the game. Kobe takes two dribbles and releases — NOTHING BUT NET. Then gets the ball to attempt his second free throw — 2 dribbles, deep breathe and laces the second free throw. Then limps off the court into the locker room.
The Lakers would go on to win the game and make the playoffs to eventually get swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. But every Laker and basketball fan that night knew one way or another that the Kobe Bryant most players feared, all opposing fan bases hated and all Lakers fans adored was never going to walk through that door ever again.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: One Magical Finale
After Kobe tore his Achilles the next 3 seasons was filled in a never ending cycle of rehabbing from injury to only getting injured again. So before his last game in Philadelphia he decided to let the world know that his 20th season would be his last. The farewell tour was absolutely needed for Kobe so the fans got an opportunity to thank him for everything he has done for the game of basketball. And more importantly to feel the warmth that what he done for this game didn’t go unnoticed from the media and fans around the world.
So all eyes was focused in on April 13th, 2016. Where in most regular season finales would mean absolutely nothing since the Utah Jazz were eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the day. But this was a special night in basketball. Because not only was this Kobe’s final game but over in the Bay the Warriors were in the mist of winning their 73 game of the season. That would set an NBA all time record for most wins in a regular season ever. Typical Kobe had to take center stage in the NBA world for the final time.
60!
This played out like the Disney sports movie. Kobe started out so awful missing every shot left and right. Everyone felt that this was going to be a sad way for one of the greatest basketball players of all time to finish his final game. But Kobe was always one to live up to the moment and started going on a scoring rampage that reminded many of us of prime ’06 Kobe. Hitting fadeaway jumpers, pull up 3s and driving layups. Kobe scored 23 of his 60 points in the 4th quarter. That includes a clutch elbow fadeaway jumper to give the Lakers the lead for good.
The crowd acted like this was a finals game with how loud and excited the building was. But the reality was they were just happy to see the man that have given his blood sweat and tears to this franchise for two decades was able to give them one more proper good-bye before he rides off into retirement.
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: The End Of The Journey
Tonight will be the completion of the iconic that is Kobe Bryant. Him getting a statue amongst some of the greatest athletes in LA sports history fits with what he truly meant to the city of angels. The tragedy of his death plays a huge factor of us missing seeing the joy on his face speaking his own words at his hall of fame induction or sitting court side tonight after seeing his statue unveiled. But more importantly we’re sad by the fact we didn’t see him become the amazing girl dad to his 4 girls. Seeing him coaching his daughter GiGi as she continued to pursue her dream of being in the WNBA.
Being an elder statesmen of the league to help give advice to the younger generation like Tatum, Mitchell, Trae Young and so many more. So as a lot of emotions will be swirling through all of us when his statue gets unveiled. As we see his wife Vanessa and 3 daughters smile and enjoy the love their dad is getting But at the same time their will be tremendous amount of sadness knowing that this is another reminder that him and GiGi are no longer with us. Sadly for all of us the end comes eventually but what Kobe has taught all of us, is that you live for the moment and try to win the day. And as the great words of Kobe Bryant once said,
Kobe Bryant’s Legacy: MAMBA OUT
