“I feel like their grandfather. I’m not like the older guy. I’m like triple OG.” – Kobe Bryant
It is said that everything in life comes full circle. In the case of Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, that is proving to be true. In an announcement that shocked none, Bryant announced he will retire following the 2015-16 season. This season marks Bryant’s 20th in the league. In terms of legacy, accomplishments and court cred, Bryant stands amongst the greatest players to dribble a basketball. However, on the court, these days he looks more like the young 18-year-old chucking bad shots and airballs at every given opportunity.
As a one-time Kobe-hater, one might think I would revel in the superstar’s struggles. However, it’s exactly the opposite. I feel bad for the guy. Though I was never a huge fan of him personally, his game was undeniable. When Bryant got in the zone, he scorched teams. When he was out of the zone, he still scorched teams. He was that good.
Watching Bryant alongside Shaquille O’Neal (one of my all-time favorite players) made for some interesting fandom. For a while, I literally rooted for O’Neal and the Lakers but booed Bryant and celebrated his poor shooting nights (yes, I was that petty and I’m not proud of it). Even during the hater years, I recognized Bryant’s exceptional talent and reveled in the highlights just like anybody else. Now that the highlights are few and far between and the lowlights are front and center, it seems wrong to root against a man who gave so much to the game. It’s like watching Muhammad Ali being bludgeoned by Larry Holmes or watching Roy Jones Jr. squeak out victories over Junebug, the guy down the street who’ll change your alternator for a six-pack of Stag and an open box of Newports.
Nearly all the greats have gone through the same process. Even when defenders aren’t up to the task of shutting down superstars, Father Time is undefeated and undeterred. Think of Michael Jordan in a Wizards jersey, O’Neal in Celtics green or Jerry Rice with the Raiders. After two decades of high-flying, gravity-defying, heart-snatching, championship-winning basketball, Air Kobe has finally been grounded.
After suffering two major injuries in the past two seasons, Bryant’s body simply can’t produce consistent greatness any longer. Every once in a while he’ll have a flash, a great play that instantly reminds you of the player he once was. On cue though, he’ll follow up with an eye-cringing performance like his Philly farewell, where he shot 4-17 from three-point range? Yes, you read that right. Bryant launched 17 three-point attempts in a single game. With wobbly knees and ankles though, it’s no surprise. Without his quickness or agility, Bryant is relegated to the old guy on the court who chucks them when he gets an opening. That’s usually when he’s 24-feet away from the basket.
For all the awful moments on his farewell tour, those will be quickly forgotten once the season is over. When we think of Jordan on the court, we remember the shots over Craig Ehlo and Bryon Russell, or the flu game. We’ve forgotten all about the 6 point, 4 rebound outing against the Indiana Pacers in December 2001. Now the question regarding Bryant is where his legacy will stand once his season, and career, come to a close.
Some call Bryant the greatest player in league history. After all, he has scored more points than Jordan over his career. However, those people are delusional. Bryant was like Diet Jordan or Jordan Zero. He seemingly tried to emulate Jordan from the tongue wag to the fadeaway jumper. No matter how hard he tried to imitate Jordan’s flavor, his demeanor, his moves, he was always just a smidge off the real thing. He has more career points because he played longer. Bryant’s career scoring average is 25.3 points per game (and falling). Jordan’s was 30.1 ppg. Also, from the moment Jordan stepped on an NBA court, until the moment he retired, he was always the best player on his team. The same can’t be said for Bryant, who took a few years to develop into a bona fide baller and who played second fiddle to Shaquille O’Neal for much of their time together. How can a player be considered the best ever, when he wasn’t even the best on his team for numerous years? He may not even be the greatest player in Lakers history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson have a say in that conversation.
Still, Bryant is certainly in the top 10 players in league history. Some lobby for top 5 consideration, however, I would place the following players above Bryant with no hesitation (in no particular order): Jordan, Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird. For those who would argue, Adbul-Jabbar was named NBA MVP six times, Bird was selected three times. How many for Bryant? One. After that, Bryant fits into the next tier of superstars including O’Neal, Oscar Robertson, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jerry West and others.
Oftentimes though, we get so caught up as fans in ranking players that we forget to appreciate them. So as Bryant enters his swan song, I’ll go back and watch the 81 point game, the four straight games with 50+ points, the dunk contests, the Finals with O’Neal and countless other memorable moments in Bryant’s storied career. Love him or hate him, Bryant made the game of basketball better. He made it more exciting. Now that he’s exiting stage left, let’s hope he has a few more legendary nights to add to his highlight reel. Let’s hope that triple OG goes out in a blaze of glory.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk
