Greetings from your humble narrator! I’m nursing a bit of a cold, and it sucks. Though, I’m not one to let my public down. I’m just like Kobe Bryant. Kobe wouldn’t let torn ligaments in his pinkie stop him, and I won’t let a cold stop me. It’s obviously the same thing. Considering all of this, I thought I would throw out some thoughts on The Black Mamba.
Kobe Bryant may be the most controversial player in the NBA today, and perhaps of all time. As Kobe once said in a commercial a few years ago, fans either love Kobe or hate him. The fans that love Kobe will never give an inch on their praise, and neither will the opposite side with their venom.
You could argue that Kobe Bryant was the biggest steal in draft history. He fell all the way to number thirteen, when he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 draft. For a point of reference, Erick Dampier was taken with the tenth pick. In one of the most lopsided trades in history, Kobe was sent to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac. The then General Manager of the Lakers, Jerry West, thought he would make a strong second option behind the newly acquired Shaquille O’Neal.
The first few years of Kobe’s existence in Los Angeles were good or bad, depending on your perspective. Kobe was being compared to a young Michael Jordan and Shaq had grown into the best center in the league. The two superstars managed to make the playoffs for their first three seasons, but were spanked by the Jazz and Spurs each time. The Lakers brought into Phil Jackson once his year long sabbatical after leaving the Chicago Bulls, and we all know the rest.
We all know about the three championships and Kobe and Shaq’s feud. We can all remember how ugly it had gotten. What am I talking about? It’s still ugly. When you have Shaq free stylin’ in New York about how Kobe can’t win without him, four years after the split, it feels like a divorced couple.
Kobe may have done some image rehab over the past year, but the funny thing is, as ridiculous as it was, Shaq was right. That’s right, I said it! I’m not saying that Kobe is incapable of winning a championship unless he plays with Shaq. It would take the biggest Shaq fan in the world to deny that Kobe Bryant isn’t looking a hell of a lot better than Shaq these days. Though, Shaq was still right. To this date, Kobe Bryant has yet to win a championship without Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaq won his post-Kobe ring, even if he should be thanking Dwyane Wade every time he looks at it. Shaq has been in a championship parade that didn’t involve Kobe Bryant. Kobe has yet to have a parade where Shaq wasn’t involved, and until he does, he’ll never be his own player.
Kobe Bryant is as talented as any player in the history of basketball. Still, there’s always a catch with him. The guy is a three time champion; he’s won the MVP award, has two scoring titles and has the second highest single game scoring performance in NBA history. Though, with all of that, Kobe is defined by not being Michael Jordan or not being the best player on those championship teams.
The two chances Kobe has had to prove himself truly worthy of being placed along side Magic, Larry or Michael, against the Pistons in 2004 and the Celtics in 2008, he failed. He won scoring titles, but then was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. He won an MVP trophy, but was then outplayed in the Finals by Paul Pierce. He won championships, but he wasn’t the man on those teams.
I believe this is Kobe’s history so far. I do not believe this will be Kobe’s story forever. Am I wrong?
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