Kobe
Bryant is arguably one of the ten best basketball players to ever play the game.
He is widely regarded as the second best shooting guard in the history of the
game behind Michael Jordan (who he is inextricably tied to). I still
remember when he arrived in the NBA during the 1996-97 NBA season as an
arrogant teenager with the wherewithal to force his way to a more glamorous
city—sorry Charlotte. Nearly nineteen years later, he is still as
arrogant as ever, but his older age has forced him to think about the
end. He has finally reached a point in his career where he knows that he
does not have many years left. A life
dedicated to basketball has nearly reached an end—but not yet.
During
Kobe's career, he has prided himself on being able to do things that should not
be physically possible. So many times he returned early from an injury,
or played through torn ligaments or partially torn rotator cuffs. So many
times his body—through extensive rehabilitation and sheer will power—has responded
by allowing him to laugh at physicians' timetables. He is like Tupac in
the regard that no matter how many times you heard Tupac had been shot, you
believed he would recover, just as he always had done. However, Father
Time is undefeated and Kobe Bryant can only prolong the inevitable. Soon it will be all over.
When
reflecting on Kobe's career, you have to think about the number of games he has
played. Also, think about how many thousands of shots he has attempted
during practice. His joints have withstood more pounding and wear and
tear than almost any professional athlete, ever. During his prime years,
his LA Lakers teams made deep runs into the playoffs, winning five championships.
He was also a fixture on Team USA when Coach K called upon him to represent his
country. To say that Kobe has been a gym rat would be a drastic
understatement. His work ethic has helped many of his contemporaries
develop similar work ethics in their quests to become all-time great
players. Despite his other-worldly talent and work ethic—there are only
so many times a person's body can be put through the ringer before breaking
down. Kobe's body is broken, which is evidenced by his inability to finish a
NBA season in a number of years, including this year.
Great
players in many different sports all seem to share one flaw—hanging on to their
respective sports for too long. How many athletes have we seen dominate
during their primes, then retire before completely “falling off.” Barry
Sanders left the NFL during his prime, which some might argue was too
soon. Do you remember seeing Michael Jordan when he played for the
Wizards? What about seeing Roy Jones Jr. hang around boxing too
long? These great athletes share this trait that pushes them to the brink
of greatness, but also causes them to not be able to retire while still at the
top of their respective sports. As much as I respect Kobe Bryant and want
him to accomplish other great milestones, those days are behind him. He
will never win a championship in LA and he is too much of an alpha dog to ever
play second fiddle to another bona fide star. That being said, he might
consider retiring.
Kobe
Bryant has been the face of the LA Lakers franchise for many years. They
would not dare force him out, but he needs to make a decision with respect to
his playing career. I suppose he has a number of options that include
playing out the last year of his contract during the 2015-2016 NBA Season. He
could retire now and forego the twenty plus million he is owed for next season.
I would like to see him have his farewell tour, but his body simply cannot hold
up for an entire year. If he does decide to play next year, he needs to
be under strict minute restrictions. Again, it is hard to believe that he
would abide by such restrictions and even harder to believe that Byron Scott
has any degree of control over Kobe.
Kobe's
legacy is solidified whether he plays another game or not. He has nothing
else to prove on the court and can only detract from his accomplishments at
this point. He will never catch Kareem Abdul Jabbar; he will never win a
sixth ring; he is still going to be regarded as the second best shooting guard. He is a first ballot hall of famer and his
legions of fans will echo his name for years to come. These things are certainties, but I hope Kobe
makes the right decision and does not end up limping off the court again—unable
to finish yet another season.
Peace
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