bearister said:
"The ball when it bounces, the sound that it makes, the smell of the basketball -- not one that's completely brand new or one that's too old. But one that's right in the middle. It's kind of worn down a little bit. It just smells -- it smells like NBA," he said. And that's not all. "The nets -- when you shoot the ball and it goes right through the net. That noise that it makes when it pops the net up -- the sneakers as they squeak on the wood. The strategies -- the competition, the camaraderie, the fans - and you can just go on and on and on."
-Kobe Bryant, 60 Minutes, 2016.
Over his 20-year career, Kobe won me over. Initially, I disliked him for being an arrogant rookie who airballed his first couple shots in the NBA. When Jerry West traded away Eddie Jones to get Kobe more minutes, it made me dislike #8 more (Eddie Jones was beloved by Lakers fans for being so approachable and fan friendly). Then when Shaq left the Lakers for Miami because of his feud with Kobe that really sank the latter in my books.
Yet, Kobe persevered. He gave his all every night on the floor, even when he was running with guys like Smush Parker.* He demanded a trade to get the Lakers' front office to make some trades and make the team contenders, again. He led a collection of Lakers (whose only other true star player was Pau Gasol, a player I really liked but also found to play too soft) to win two championships; the last over the hated Boston Celtics.
Even in his decline, Kobe gave his all. He reminded me of Joe di Maggio, who once stated he always played his heart out because there might be someone in the stands who'd never seen him play and he didn't want that guy thinking he sucked. Kobe never shortchanged his fans. After tearing his Achilles, he got up, sank two free throws then shuffled off the court. Even in his final game, he scored 60 points, thought it took him 50 attempts.
I don't know when, but at some point, Kobe won me over. I found myself rooting for him. When he retired, I was actually sad. When the news of his helicopter crash and death was reported, I actually found myself griefstricken. I never thought I'd feel that way about an athlete, except maybe Magic Johnson (who was my basketball idol when I was a boy).
For all his faults, and Kobe had many, he was and always be one of the greatest of all time. He wasn't as athletic as Tracey McGrady nor could he jump out of the gym like Vince Carter. He wasn't a physical freak of nature, like Lebron James not was he a pure shooter, like Ray Allen. But Kobe maximized what talent God blessed him with and he dominated the league by sheer force of will.
I'm glad the Lakers decided to memorialize Kobe in front of the House that Kobe built.
*Incidentally, a law school classmate of mine was Smush's roommate on one of the European pro teams.
