You don’t have to be a fan of professional sports to know the name Kobe Bryant. He’s undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers in the NBA, with an electrifying style of play and a swagger to match. The Mamba will suit up in purple and gold for the last time on April 13th, in front of a home crowd that is sure to hold more celebrities than the Grammys and Oscars combined. Tickets are such a hot commodity that former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has asked the Lakers to sign him to a 10-day contract just so that he can see the game from the bench. After releasing this emotion filled poem (Dear Basketball) announcing his retirement, the sports world is reminiscing on all of the greatness Kobe has shown us.
Coming straight from Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania, Bryant was taken 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, which would come to be known as the worst trade in sports history since the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for money to finance a musical. He was also the youngest player ever drafted into the league up until that point. Right away Kobe set out to make a name for himself, putting up solid numbers his first few years in the league and building hype around the dynamic combination of himself and teammate Shaquille O’Neal. They were perennial playoff contenders, but something was keeping the Lakers from reaching their full potential. Enter Phil Jackson, now considered one of the greatest coaches of all time. He saw the potential in Bryant, and knew how to utilize him to the fullest extent. In his first season coaching the Lakers he took them to the NBA Finals, where Bryant took over the show and won his first championship. The Lakers proceeded to win the next two championships after that, further cementing Kobe as one of the premier players in the league.
The next few years proved tough for the Lakers. Roster moves and coaching changes made it hard for the players to feel any sense of stability. Despite making the playoffs each year, the team had lost their spark, and it seemed a dynasty had come to a close. O’Neal was traded to Miami, and Jackson’s contract was not renewed. Kobe Bryant found himself surrounded with unfamiliar faces, with an offer on the table to make a change and play for cross-town rivals the Los Angeles Clippers. But Bryant wasn’t looking for a way out. He was now the cornerstone of a Lakers franchise that had made him who he was. He spurned the Clippers offer and signed a new contract to stay a Laker for seven more years.
The mid-2000’s saw the Lakers decline in status, while Bryant seemed to flourish on his own. Although he couldn’t produce enough to keep the team afloat himself, he did show the world that Kobe Bryant was a force to be reckoned with. On January 22, 2006 Bryant put on one of the most unforgettable performances in all of professional sports, posting 81 points in a win against the Toronto Raptors, coming closer than anyone before him to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point single game record. It wasn’t until the 2008-09 season that Bryant reclaimed his throne as a champion, leading the Lakers over the Orlando Magic and earning Bryant his first MVP honors. The next season saw Kobe triumph over long-time rivals, the Boston Celtics, for his FIFTH title and second MVP trophy. This would be Kobe’s climax, but no one knew it at the time. The new decade brought new problems for Laker fans, as they saw their championship roster dismantled, and their hero began to show that he was in fact human. Bryant’s body began to show signs of prolonged physical activity. His knees, ankles, back and shoulder have left him on the sidelines more often than not through the last years of his career. Though he still shows flashes of greatness, his best years are behind him.
Throughout 5 championships, 18 All-Star appearances, and over 1500 career games, Kobe Bryant has changed the game in more ways than we can count. He has been an inspiration, a role model, and a symbol of the game of basketball. While there is no doubt his name will be on a Hall of Fame ballot one day soon, he will go down as one of the greatest players to step foot on the court. So thank you, Kobe Bryant, for mesmerizing us with acrobatic dunks and buzzer beating three pointers for the last 20 years. Thank you for inspiring multiple generations of players to push themselves, all in hopes of emulating your success. Although you may leave the game, your game will never leave us.
