KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! The Staples Center roared with excitement for one last time. A legendary career has come to an end.
Kobe Bryant is, without a doubt, one of the most electrifying players to ever step on a basketball court. From the time he was eleven years old playing in a Pro-Am game against guys twice his age, to him dropping 60 points on the Utah Jazz in his final game, Kobe has always put on a show.
Most NBA fans knew when Kobe was young that he was special, that he could put the team on his shoulders and deliver amazing performances night in and night out. However, one question has followed Kobe Bryant throughout his career, both on and off the court: was he a hero or a villain?
The following quote was on Kobe's website when he announced his retirement.
"No hero is perfect, and no villain is completely void of heroic intentions. We all live as both. What sets the great ones apart is how they use their inner villain to create something epic. It's living as a HeroVillain. The HeroVillain channels fear, rejection, anger and doubt and turns them into strength, courage, power, and determination.''
These words ring true to every Kobe Bryant fan and hater. There were moments in his career where we laughed, cried, booed, cheered and celebrated. The line between hero and villain is so thin. Fans of the Lakers for the past 20 years have been through so much with Kobe that it's hard not to love him, yet hate him at the same time.
He was viewed as a hero when he won his first three NBA championships with Shaquille O'Neal, the tandem delivering the first championship since Erving ''Magic" Johnson left the scene. Kobe and Shaq would light up the city of Los Angeles with highlight after highlight each night. However, many viewed Kobe as a villain when the the pair had a falling out, resulting in Shaq leaving for the Miami Heat.
Kobe was a hero when he delivered a dazzling performance at the 2002 All Star in his hometown of Philadelphia. He scored 31 points, dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds. It was an exciting scene for the entire NBA world. Yet, a year later he was formally charged with sexual assault in Eagle, Colorado. The sides settled, however, and Kobe would be viewed differently from this point on.
The debate will go on forever. There is no right or wrong answer. While winning five NBA championships, being selected to 17 all-star selections and being an 11-time first-team all NBA selection, Kobe's career has caused many to love him and many to hate him. The choice is yours, though. Kobe Bryant is a hero. Kobe Bryant is a villain.
What side are you on?
