Kobe: "Dear Basketball" #AppreciationThread #ISHLakerForum #ThankYouKobe

[$LakerGold]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dear-basketball/



[QUOTE]You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I

[bladefd]

Good writing by Kobe. I'm glad he has decided to retire after a great long career. He will not go down in history as top 5 greatest players ever but very few do. Kobe had one of the top 10 greatest players in NBA history, which is truly marvelous. I am proud to say I grew up as a Kobe fan. As fans, we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of Kobe (on and off the field).

I will always remember the 81 point game (the scoring tear that season has not been seen since Wilt days) and the year we took the stacked Suns to a 7 game series. I will never forget the Shaq/Kobe runs - although I feel we could have gotten more championships from them if they could have made it work, I'm pleased. The Gasol/Kobe runs were marvelous to watch.

I know Kobe was hated by many after the case. I had issues with the whole trade me nonsense. Lakers had many PR issues with Kobe's image. I felt Kobe was selfish often on the court and off the court. He had the feud with Phil Jackson that Phil wrote about in his book. Kobe's ego hurt him very often when he would go on tirades.

As for the ugly, Kobe went into chuck mode often that sometimes won us games, other times hurt us. I wish he could have been more efficient like Jordan but I strongly believe Kobe is the closest we ever will get to Jordan. Kobe practically emulated Jordan.

Overall, it was one hell of a career. Just us comparing him directly to Jordan speaks volumes of how great Kobe was. There were moments I cringed at Kobe, but you get the good with the bad. That's how I see the basketball career of the Black Mamba.

[Lakers91]

This will be long...but to heck with it I think if any time justifies it it's now.

I think if you had a epitaph of Kobe Bryant's career it could simply be stated "polarising until the end"

I don't think many have truly polarised the NBA community more than Kobe Bryant, as a Lakers fan and not so much a Kobe fan there were many times I was extremely frustrated with his playstyle...but with Shaq and then with Pau he still played integral parts in five championships coming to Los Angeles...and for that he deserves nothing but respect.

His career and personality was never far from controversy either whether it was on the court with Shaq or with his legal scandals.

At the end of the day, I may have been frustrated a lot with Kobe's selfish antics or his ego and how he played...but his arrogance and his desire to succeed; the belief that he could beat anybody and be better than anybody was what drove him to be one of the greatest shooting guards and for me a top ten player of all time...he would not have got to where he was without that virtual inhuman confidence in himself...which he had right up until this year.

Kobe you deserve nothing but respect from Laker fans for five championships and carrying the team through a dark era post the Shaq trade and then back to championship glory. - Ultimately it comes down to the proverbial saying when you live by the sword you die by it, Kobe's amazing desire to push himself made him one of the great players but the chickens finally came home to roost and it took an enormous toll on his body in the end, and as everyone knows...you can't cheat time.

On the court also you lived and died with Kobe and his playstyle he could win you games off his own back and he could lose them as well...but ultimately after five championships and one of the greatest careers in history when you consider the good and the bad of Kobe Bryant, would you have had it any other way

That period during the 81 point game and the 62 point game against the Mavs and that whole month was some of the most unstoppable virtual single player performances I've seen.

In the 12-13 season Kobe had a lot of turmoil and in the end virtually dragged a team that didn't fit together to the playoffs and got injured after an enormous toll on his body that year...the bird who flew too close to the sun and who's wings got burned, it was an amazing attempt that began the beginning of the end.

Overall Kobe Bryant...thank you for what you gave to the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, you gave all you had for too long and you've given more than enough...it was a privilege to watch you play for the team I support at your best and a nightmare at your worst , Kobe you were a one of a rare breed of players and your mentality and mental fortitude is among the greatest in sports...thank you Kobe Bryant for all you have given to the Lakers franchise for the better part of 2 decades, through the good and the bad you will always be a Lakers icon and legend.

[tamaraw08]

Im torn if I consider him selfish or not, Yes, he took a ton of shots, stopped the ball movement a lot of times but how could we call him selfish when he dedicated himself in trying to be the best basketball player he could be?
Playing through pain, like shooting leftie when he dislocated his shoulder, that bad sprain vs Indiana, tried to fool Phil by trying to walk without grimace so he can play game 5 vs the Pacers etc etc.
I disagree too that he was always a ball hog bec I am convinced that come playoff time, he actually share the ball more.
I was there in Staples when he dropped 40 vs the Nuggets, game 1 in playoffs, how he shut down Kyrie just a few years back.
I would always cherish how he almost single handedly beat the Spurs ON THE ROAD, game 1 in 2001 WCF, including dunking over DRob and Duncan etc.
THat double pumped 3 pt shotS to tie and then beat the Blazers in Porltand.
Heck even when he played great defense from waay back, blocking a critical shot by Iverson etc.
And yes, I also cringed at the way he forced many shots esp the finals vs Detroit. The Irony is even if the Lakers is my favorite team, I love guys like Chris Mullin who have simplified basketball but moving without the ball, takes a shot when open or simply pass it when he is not.....
But I will be forever be greteful for the 5 rings and his devotion to help this team.

[artex]

Cutthroat . Finesse . Legend .

Benchmark for the 2 guard .

Last of a dying breed , our final game of this season marks the end of an era .

Tight pants , funny haircuts and all-around softness takes over .

[$LakerGold]

Did anyone watch the Bulls/Lakers game? Kobe & Pau's last matchup at Staples, first since 2008. Time flies so fast. :\

[bladefd]

Final game of the Black Mamba tomorrow, ladies and gents. What a career. Never going to forget the talent that was Kobe Bryant.

[zizozain]

his last NBA game in few hours

my favorite player for the past 20 years.

thank you kobe

[$LakerGold]

It's finally happening. Kobe Bean Bryant, salute.

Lakers for life.

[bladefd]

Thank you Kobe Bryant. Thank you for the memories. Thank you. On the days I felt like crap, I used to watch Laker games and forget about my issues. Thank you Kobe for putting everything you had on the line for the W. Thank you for being a Laker till the end. Thank you.

[$LakerGold]

I hope to meet him at his camp if he'll host this summer, taking my lil bro.

My contribution to Kobe's farewell season: https://vimeo.com/162800676

[bladefd]

I hope to meet him at his camp if he'll host this summer, taking my lil bro.

My contribution to Kobe's farewell season: https://vimeo.com/162800676

Nice video. Where did you find the clips to make it? I always wanted to make a Kobe video.

[$LakerGold]

Nice video. Where did you find the clips to make it? I always wanted to make a Kobe video.

Thank you:)

Youtube, bro. The official NBA channel usually uploads raw footages w/ no overlays, slightly edited for the trimming though. As for some if I can't find it there, then I usually look through mixes, documentaries or commercials. It's really hard to choose from & dramatize clips while putting it together. Thankfully most of the people liked it.

For Kobe.

[$LakerGold]

Does it bother any of you that Kobe's last playoff game was back in 2012? Wow, that was a long time ago.

I just thought about it.

[bladefd]

Does it bother any of you that Kobe's last playoff game was back in 2012? Wow, that was a long time ago.

I just thought about it.

5 championships in 13 years from 99-2012, 7 times in finals.. Impressive