Since the day I was born, it's like I was destined to be a Los Angeles Lakers fan. Many of my childhood pictures consisted of me wearing my Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal jerseys. I love rocking Lakers attire with all my pride, but being a fan is quite the experience.
I was fortunate enough to witness the team rise to glory time and time again. Now things are different. It's been a struggle being a fan over the past five seasons. Things are not as glorious as they once were. I'm hoping this hard road will lead to a beautiful destination. These are the times when I've had to prove my loyalty.
The Lakers are no doubt the team I have the hardest time being a fan of. The NBA community treats Lakers fans by either loving or hating them. It sucks that some people have tarnished the team's reputation for being "bandwagon fans." I've dealt with all kinds of stereotypes over the years. From your typical trash talk to random high fives on the streets. I definitely feel like I had to develop tough skin while backing Los Angeles' most famous team.
My family has cheered for the Lakers since day one. We all grew up religiously watching games every time they played. Whether it was dinner time at home or traveling on the road, we'd make time to support our favorite basketball team. It's like the world was put on hold just to make time to watch the Lakers. I couldn't see myself rooting for any other side.
I enjoy the rich history of the franchise. It's astonishing to see how many of basketball's greatest players were on the Lakers. I'm referring to guys like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Wilt Chamberlain. These stars shined the brightest while wearing that purple and gold look on their jerseys.
They helped pave the way for how the game is viewed today. Their names soaring high in the rafters of Staple Center to forever go down in the history books. From generation to generation, Lakers fans have witnessed transcendent types of talent. Times have changed as now the team is relying on young players to blossom into potential stardom.
My favorite Lakers player of all-time is Kobe Bryant. I watched Bryant play his entire career as a Laker. Just like how everyone in the previous generation wanted to be like Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls, I idolized Bryant on the Lakers. I still remember how I would head straight to a basketball court after watching every game and practice taking shots.
It's cool that one of my idols surprisingly joined the Lakers this past summer. LeBron James is a phenomenal player and a great addition to a young team that could use some veteran guidance. Suddenly, the momentum has changed and it could be sooner rather than later for the Lakers to succeed again.
No matter what I'll be rooting on the Lakers for as long as I live. Only time will tell how long before a championship returns to the city of Los Angeles.
