Who wears sweatpants with a leather jacket? A silly choice by the photographer. I am giving Kobe the benefit of the doubt.
The GQ article was great, but that last line... yikes. Any who, I'm working on an editorial for the site on Kobe and how he's affected not just our past, but made it so difficult for our future. I'll try to have it up later today.
That was classy. Good thing ESPN didn't do it. Hopefully he can have a good farewell season. He just earns it to go out the right way.
It's incredibly sad to see his career end on a low note. Very best case scenario we fight and claw our way to the eighth seed next year and get bounced in the first round. Which wouldn't be bad, but I know Kobe wanted to win another ring.
I love that video probably more than I should LOL. LeBron wanted no part of that, kobe with just absolute ownage, LeBron looking as anti-kobe or anti-MJ as the supposed heir possibly could. Not even prime kobe defense either, that was old man kobe, not the Kobe that guarded every and any guard to small forward that got hot in the Shaq team title runs. I remember in game 7 vs Portland Kobe guarded like 5 different guys that game from stoudamire to Pippen to Bonzi Wells. Anyway, Kobe gushing, reminiscing rant over.
Omg he really is close to retirement. I knew it was coming sooner or later, but the reality of it actually coming has got me into my feels. I mean I wouldn't be so emotional if he went out on a high note, especially considering all of the slander he's dealt with throughout his career that has clouded his accomplishments. People were so bent on making sure he wasn't becoming Jordan Jr. than actually basking in the glory of him being such a phenomenal player and athlete. I don't think we'll ever see another Kobe Bryant. I don't care what LeBron does, Kevin Durant does, or anyone else does, there will never be another player to impact the game, the way Kobe has. He was the only player in this era who had that drive and hunger for the game to the point he pushed his body beyond the limit. **sigh** I have to prepare myself for when they retire his jersey. Basketball is going to have a emptiness to it for me after he's gone. I just feel sad for him in many ways.
Hm... This is all very interesting, but I would love for him to still be involved in our franchise after he leaves. I'm glad for him on a personal level that he's going to have all these new adventures and projects, but selfishly I'd love for him to still be involved on some level with us as well. His influence would be just really incredible for the young team we're trying to build here.
I think the past 4 years of the Bryant ERA will be seen as legacy building for his effort to be 'loyal' to the franchise and make good on a promise he made to Jerry West - to be a laker for life. I cant blame a guy for hanging them up when his body is breaking down and wont let him be anything close to the player he wants to be. If you noticed this year (before the injury), Kobe's new signature move was the base line turn around. It made me sad to see how hard he was working to find a place on the floor where he could get off a shot. Players were jumping into his space at corner of key and blocking his shots because Kobe did not have the lateral movement or trust that he could use his footwork to punish them without risking another injury. Kobe tried to evolve his game and was succeeding only to tear his shoulder on a dunk. What can you do if you are mamba except smile, shrug your shoulders, and keep playing until they carry you off the court. But you know Kobe wont allow himself to go out like that and is playing out the string here out of loyalty to the lakers and being a supportive member of the franchise as he looks in the rear view mirror at his time with us.
That documentary, Kobe Bryant's Muse, is going to be something incredible because of the layers we're going to see Kobe uncover about himself that we all have wondered about all these years.
Well, that was what I was thinking and what Mitch really drove home - we're not building around Kobe any more for one last ditch effort at a championship. He's done after one more season, which is what seems sadly appropriate given all of these injuries. I hope very much that he can at least play through the season itself next year for his final run. But we are rebuilding and it's official now. Get that pick.
Yep...that is the reality of it. 24 has had a hell of a career. He's not done yet... There's a jersey retirement party, an impending speech at Springfield and watching him build businesses around SoCal like another retired Laker icon.
And maybe, just maybe, just like Larry if he gets one more run in the playoffs - something special from Mamba to show just what a competitor he is.
Silver Screen & Roll @LakersSBN · 2m 2 minutes ago Kobe Admits to Rejecting a Trade to the Pistons in 2007 http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2015/2/22/8088471/kobe-admits-to-rejecting-a-trade-to-the-pistons-in-2007…
