On Kobe
A tribute to the enduring legend of Kobe Bryant on Mamba Day, 8/24.
Kobe Bryant’s legend is eternal.
Even since his passing, not a day goes by that he doesn’t show up in my sphere. I see his smile on social media. A friend will share a favorite anecdote. One of our daughters will throw a piece of trash toward the can and yell the required “Kobe!”
Kobe’s career was divided neatly into two Acts: #8, Kobe and #24, the Black Mamba.
When Kobe burst onto the scene, he was cocky, he was hated, he was loved and he was supremely skilled. He didn’t seem to be from this earth. His mentality, even at 18 was drawing from a perspective beyond his years, while at the same time, very much a teenager. Almost instantly, he became a polarizing figure. The next in a long line of Michael Jordan imitators. Little did we know at the time, Kobe Bryant would prove to be a worthy disciple.
Kobe Number 8 was insane. Unapologetic. Illogical. Even as a rookie, he was willing to go toe to toe with the immortal Shaq, and battle for control of the Lakers team. Who did this kid think he was? How could be be so entitled? Yet, at the same time, he kept putting in the work, and building a head-turning highlight reel that no one could deny. The boy was young, but there was something absolutely mesmerizing that happened every time he touched the ball.
Yet the deck seemed stacked against him. The era seemed to be pumping the brakes on straight out of high school pros, and Kobe didn’t even start on a Laker team that was going nowhere. But eventually he broke through. It was undeniable. Kobe was a force to be reckoned with. Even as a young gun, in the shadow of the mythical Shaq, Kobe pulled equal spotlight. It was clear early on, Kobe would be no one’s sidekick.
The years went by and Kobe’s game matured. Each year he would add something noticeable to his game. His legendary 4 am training sessions bore iconic results. Kobe was putting in the time and taking his already prodigious talent to another level. At a certain point, sometime after the three-peat of titles with Shaq, it seemed like Kobe might very well be the basketball reincarnation of Jordan. The accolades and highlights simply never stopped.
Early Kobe was surly. He bristled and smack talked the media. He seemed utterly unconcerned with building his personal brand or trying to shape his narrative like other stars of that time. Kobe’s magnetic appeal was as a cult of personality. He sucked the air from every arena he played in. Happily taking all the heat and hate. Even from the top row of a 25,000 seat arena, Kobe’s aura exuded a sheer badness. For every team not called the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe was a vaudeville villain. You could see him charging up on the boos and insults. He was drawing motivation from every point of the game.
Once Shaq left LA, Kobe was the singular superstar left behind. The Lakers were now his team. While the team took a hit in the standings, Kobe further cemented his legacy by making his case for one of the greatest individual performers the game has ever seen. This was capped off in legendary style with an epic 81 point performance.
Then, he switched his number to 24 and moved into the second half of his career. #24 Kobe was the same animal, but a different beast. Much as Jordan adjusted his game as father time slowed down some of his early career freakish athleticism, so too did Kobe’s game evolve. While some of the explosiveness was tucked away, Kobe leaned into his alter ego, The Black Mamba, to become the living embodiment of the competitive spirit. No one had a greater will to win.
As new stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant entered the league, Kobe shifted naturally into wise elder mode. He even softened up to the media and gave long, sprawling and philosophical answers. We got to take a peak behind the curtain at what made him tick. And Kobe’s story became even more fascinating as he started narrating his thoughts and approach to the game. He was articulate, charismatic and a proven champion.
Next, he lifted his Lakers back up to the top of the mountain, with a pair of championships and Finals MVP awards. He could have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame at that point. There was quite literally nothing left to prove, aside from catching Jordan’s six championships. However as time went on, it became clear that Bryant would top out at five. While that undoubtedly rubbed Kobe the wrong way, he had left an indelible mark on the game and younger generation in a way that very few athletes ever do. His Mamba Mentality has become a guiding light for the next generation.
As Kobe’s career came to a close in 2015, we would start getting a glimpse into his Third Act. As he gracefully turned away from the game and put a clear focus on his family and daughters. Even in retirement, you could see the other players looking up to him. Watching how he handled himself. Seeing how he treasured his family. As he started making moves in storytelling and media, you couldn’t help but be drawn into the laser focused energy, just as he had given on the court. We had all grown to expect Kobe to do something utterly spellbinding.
Sadly, Kobe’s third act was cut short. The world was robbed of decades of intrigue and inspiration from one of its most fascinating figures. Or was it? I mean, just this morning someone posted an interview with Kobe giving his definition of “love.” And my Instagram is filled with Hall of Fame highlights and next level poster dunks from Kobe 8 and Kobe 24. And then there are the podcasts, where guys who played with or against Kobe detail some new story we’ve never heard before. And in every one of these encounters, you feel Kobe.
Long ago, Kobe became an idea. A living myth. The embodiment of a specific set of ideals. A larger than life and ambitious world view. And the idea of Kobe transcends basketball. Once you become aware of his mentality and hear a story or two, something switches on inside of you. Suddenly you can rise up with your own version of the Mamba Mentality. Suddenly you can have the courage to never back down and push yourself beyond your limits.
Kobe’s life and career articulated in specific detail what we witnessed from Jordan. But Jordan never really got teacherly about it. He just went about his business. The gift of Kobe is that we are all lucky to know what was going through that Mamba head of his as he was obliterating his opponents. We understood the psychotic thought process that directly led to his heroic play. He went farther than anyone else. He loved the game more fiercely. He was allergic to shortcuts. He had no respect for anyone who didn’t actively try to sharpen their talent. If the best player in the world could remain hungry and unsatisfied, then who are we to call it a day in whatever we endeavor to do?
Post Kobe, the NBA has changed. The contracts have continued to bloat. The idea of “load management” has become common. Killer instinct is in short supply. Kobe’s reign already feels like ancient history.
But that’s the funny thing about inspiration. All it takes is one player to obsess over the Legend of the Black Mamba, and the seed will be planted. Just as Kobe once obsessed over Mike. So keep all the stories going. Talk about the things you loved and hated about Kobe. Remember all the personality quirks that made him different. Kobe is a folk story, a modern myth. And the best myths are the ones that make you believe in possibility. And Kobe’s story showed us that possibility doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s expectations.
So on Mamba Day, here’s to you Kobe. Thank you for the eternal example. Know that we are all still inspired and grateful for your legacy. Thank you for proving to us that there is a better beast inside of us all just waiting to be unleashed.
Mamba Forever.