Let me start this by letting me
share which I think is Kobe’s greatest dunk ever.
It’s definitely one of the most
exciting in-game dunks in the history of the NBA.
Let’s have a closer look…
And from another angle...
Just wow.
I can’t blame you if you would
prefer to gape at those GIFs over and over again rather than proceed to the
rest of the article. It’s
understandable.
But that’s Kobe Bryant for
you. Inciting awe is what he does best. And we can’t help but clap and cheer.
Doc Rivers, of all people, once
said: “I just wish more people would celebrate Kobe, I really do. Of all the guys in our league, that bugs me
more than anything, that it just seems like we spend so much time trying to
tear him apart and I think we're missing how great he is. And I think it's a
shame.”
Celebrating Kobe.
To a Laker and Kobe Bryant fan like me, that
goes without saying. I’ve always celebrated
his talents, his career, his toughness, his work ethic, his victories, and even
his photos. I’ve always looked up to the man. He has always been awesome in
my book.
But after Kobe’s Achilles injury
at the late part of the humiliating 2012-2013 season and Kobe playing just six
games during the abysmal 2013-2014 season, only then did it really sink on me that
Kobe’s best years has passed by already.
Kobe is truly in his twilight already.
The days of Kobe dominating are gone. That is the sad reality.
Can Kobe return back to an elite
(and when I mean “elite,” it means up there with MVP-caliber players like
LeBron James and Kevin Durant) form? The
possibility is there, but it’s highly unlikely.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not
doubting Kobe. If anyone can make an
epic comeback from this situation, it’s Kobe.
But the odds are stacked against him.
I’m just being realistic.
Nonetheless, I desire nothing more than Kobe proving me wrong.
But given the present conditions,
it is only objective to presume that Kobe Bryant’s Golden Age is gone. There will no longer be another 81-point
game. There will no longer be
back-to-back scoring championships.
There will no longer be All-Defensive First Team selections. And if ever Kobe Bryant manages to win more
championships (which I’m still hoping for), it’s not totally because he
steamrolled the opposition.
And it is at this point where we
should appreciate Kobe more. He’ll be
playing at least two more seasons, and any possibility of extension is
dependent on how he’ll perform on those two seasons. During this short remaining time that we can
still witness Kobe on the court, we should savor every moment of it. This goes not only to a LA Lakers/Kobe Bryan
fan like me, but to the typical NBA fan as well. Even if you are Team LeBron, a Michael
Jordan zealot, a Celtic fan, or just a good ol’ Kobe hater, if you are truly a
fan of the NBA and basketball, I am pretty sure you’ll miss Kobe Bryant and what
his career brought to the game after he’s gone.
Seriously. So love him or hate
him as much as you want, but you got to celebrate Kobe Bryant’s greatness. Respect and appreciate the Black Mamba. For he is objectively one of the most captivating,
most phenomenal, and most enjoyable players that ever played the game.
I, for one, am are totally
thankful that I was able to witness and enjoy the Kobe Bryant era.
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