If you haven’t heard about it yet, Kobe Bryant scored eighty one points in a game against the Raptors. Eighty one points, fellas. On the Raps, who, despite their pedestrian record, are playing tremendous team basketball as of late.
Now, Kobe has been the target of a LOT of hate throughout his entire career; some of it well-deserved, some of it unfounded. The alleged rape scandal, the beef with (my idol) Karl Malone, Phil Jackson branding him “the most uncoachable player ever”, the incessantly bitchy Kobe-vs-Shaq-infighting that has plagued sports news headlines for longer than anyone can remember - Kobe’s reputation has taken a severe beating on every single of the aforementioned occasions.
However, team success usually shuts the (playa) haters up, right?
Like in the case of Allen Iverson’s overnight 180 degree transformation in the eyes of the world, where he went from “selfish” and “a thug” to having more “heart” than any other player in the NBA. Real ball fanatics, we know. Iverson didn’t change, it’s just that putting together that amazingly inspirational season back in 2001 which culminated in a tenaciously determined run to the NBA Finals showed the “mainstream” basketball audience what we real fans knew: we loved Iverson, his “selfish” tags, gritty tats notwithstanding, because he made us believe that if you tried hard enough, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, there isn’t anything in the world that can hold you back.
That we knew. We saw the crossover on MJ. The thousands of times he recklessly throws his body into the gauntlet of seven footers’ knees and elbows. Saw him stepping over Tyronne Lue after torching him in Game 1 of that 2001 NBA Finals, watched him carry a Sixer team perenially lacking in depth into the playoffs every damn year. We saw, we knew - and we loved.
How does this have anything to do with Kobe, might you ask?
Because Kobe has proven his greatness already. Iverson hasn’t won a title yet, and neither does T-mac or KG. Kob’ has three. The thing is, everyone knows how good Kobe is… they know there isn’t anyone on earth right now who can guard him one-on-one, hell, three-on-one, even. The success? It’s been there for years, and still - still, the hate continues.
Ironically, unlike most other basketball superstars, Kobe has been an annoyingly private person. He tells us - even today, in his latest interview(s) - to stop comparing him to MJ. Can we help but? From day one, it always seemed like was trying to emulate MJ, on and off the court, from the gorgeous fadeaways to his mannerisms.
While the basketball world has always seemed overly eager to slap on the title of “Next Jordan” on every promising youngster who has emerged in the NBA since The Great One (first) retired, from Grant Hill more than a decade ago to Lebron in the present, no one player has seemed so eager to assume that mantle, literally, as Kobe has, like the bratty ‘keener in the front row of your math class who raises his hand at every damn question.
Moreover, sadly enough, the more Kob’ tried to better his image by hiding his inner emotions from the media, the more the quietly proud superstar tried to keep his peace, the more his reputation plummeted in the eyes of the public. He always seemed too proud to “hang” with everyone else, a fact seemed even more evident in contrast to Shaq’s over-the-top, yet ultimately, genuinely nice demeanour.
Will this 81 - I say again, EIGHTY ONE POINTS - shut the haters up? Deep inside, I honestly hope so… because I was once a Kobe hater myself too.
For every great player out there, there will be haters. Sometimes, however, the odd moment occurs when the hater sees through the bias and dislike. When the hate just disappears, so suddenly, you could swear it never existed in the first place.
That moment for me came in Game 4 of the 2000 Finals, when the Lakers faced off against a veteran Pacer team stacked with depth, firepower and dogged determination. If you can remember, Shaq fouled out in OT against the red-hot Pacers, and Kobe turned to the bench and motioned for the Lakers to “cool down”, then went on to singlehandedly take over the game in one of the greatest clutch performances ever.
With time dwindling down and the game on the line, Kobe pulled up and hit a jumper with a hand in his face at the top of the key. The next possesion, he audaciously did the same move on virtually the same spot - with the same results: net. Sensing danger, the Pacers then denied him the ball on the ensuing possession, but Kobe eluded his defender and hustled inside for the offensive rebound, slashing inside to acrobatically tip the ball in from behind the basket. Lakers win.
That game broke the Pacers, whose hopes of seizing control of the series evaporated with that heart-wrenching loss to the Shaq-less Lakers. From that day on, I’ve been a Kobe diehard fan.
To conclude, I have no idea how this revolutionary performance will affect Kobe’s rep. Hate him or love him, you just cannot knock on someone who’s scored 81 points in a basketball game.
PS. For the record, Mr. Joel’s career high was 24 points in a U-14 South Zone match. Haha.
not quite the mona lisa, but… 