The Legacy of Kobe Bryant

                     Legacy of Kobe Bryant 

              

                   By 

               

                    Nicholas Brown 

    How will the world remember the 5 time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP,  fourth on the all-

time scoring list, and a long list of there accomplishment Kobe Bryant. Will he be acknowledged for 

being arguably the greatest competitor, shooting guard, and all around scorer of all time? Or will he 

be remembered for the distractions he might have been off the court, and the effect he has had on the 

Lakers requirement of top talent players? Unfortunately, we will find out soon enough, Kobe Bryant 

this season is entering his first of his last two seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is currently at 

the age of 36, is still averaging 25 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. However, negative allegations 

have been made upon Kobe Bryant on and off the court to question his reputation as the greatest 

Laker of all time. 

  Kobe Bryant started his career 18 years ago in 1996, he came in the NBA as one of the youngest 

basketball players ever at the age of 18. Through his 18 years, Kobe has transformed the game of 

basketball in the NBA and internationally. Basketball players from all over the world have 

recognized kobe as a pioneer for the game of basketball oversees, winning 2 Gold medals for the 

USA in 2008 and 2012. However, approaching his last season as a basketball player kobe has been 

under much criticism.  In a recent ESPN article by Henry Abbott, details of Kobe Bryant has labeled 

him a "tyrant" of the Laker organization, keeping them from gaining other superstars in the league.

The article stated, "I've had a lot of clients in the last five years, good players, who didn't want to play   

with Kobe," says an agent who has had numerous NBA stars. "They see that his teammates become 

the chronic public whipping boys. Anyone who could possibly challenge Kobe for the spotlight ends 

up becoming a pincushion for the media. Even Shaq." Allegations like these have been rumored to 

be true throughout Bryant's professional career. In fact, just two seasons ago the Los Angeles Lakers 

had landed the most dominant big man in the NBA statistically, Dwight Howard. After one season 

with the Lakers, Howard decided to take his talents to the  Houston Rockets. Not only were there 

reports that Howard was frustrated with kobe during the season and let the lakers due to Kobes 

behavior, the two were seen in an altercation in the first game of the 2104-2015 season.  

Through all the confrontation that Kobe 

supposedly has had with his teammates, no one 

has asked him his side of the story. After scoring 

27 points during the Lakers’ 114-108 overtime 

loss to the Phoenix Suns at Honda Center in 

Anaheim, Bryant addressed the story that ran on 

Monday. He stated according to the LA TIMES  

“It’s not the first one, it’s not going to be the last 

one,” Bryant said. “The one thing I’ve come to 

understand over the years is that you’ll have a 

bad story that comes out on a Monday and it 

seems like it’s the end of the world. It seems like   

everybody is taking shots at you.

“But time goes by, and then you look back and it’s just a Monday. Right? Then have another great

story that comes out maybe a month later or something like that and it’s a fantastic story. And then

there’s a bad story that comes out a month after that.“It’s a cycle. And things are never as good or as

bad as they seem at the moment in time. So you stay focused on the big picture. Things are never

really as bleak as they seem at the time. I just kind of roll with it.” Overall, Kobe Bryant is one of the

all time greatest players the NBA will ever see, and will be a first ballot Hall of Flamer. Through all

the reports and allegations not one player has put there name behind any of the comments made

toward Bryant. Also, through all the problems between Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard that have

been reported, according to Howard Kobe was not the reason he left the Lakers.  Howard stated "I

didn’t leave LA because I was afraid of Kobe Bryant,” Howard said. “I went to a good situation for

myself. I can’t change people’s opinions, but I did what I had to do for myself.”

   Overall Kobe Bryant should not be defined by the players he has and has not played with.

However, he should be defined by his success and the success of his teammates around him. If all

these reports about Kobe are true, then how could he be a 5 time champion. This is the NBA, no one

basketball player can win a championship by himself, nor could they have even been in that position

if they were not in unison.   Kobe Bryant if he retired today, should not be defined by the opinions of

others.