Originally Posted by Steve D
First off, Kobe Bryant is an excellent (perhaps all-time great) player. He just had probably the greatest final game in the history of pro sports, when only considering the individual performance. It was a great way to go out, although personally, I prefer the way Peyton Manning and John Elway went out in their last games.
That being said, it does make one wonder, where was Kobe the rest of the season. The Lakers finished the season 17-65. Last season, they were 21-61. They year before that, 27-55 (each season worse that the previous) Where was Kobe? One could wonder if he was simply saving himself for the final bow; that he was mailing it in the entire season...that he didn't care. He should have been elevating his teammates' performances, so that they could all feed off each-other.
That leads me to the biggest problem I have with Bryant on the court; that he is not a Leader. He does not, and never has, made any of his teammates better. He was/is all about himself. Michael Jordan, as great as he was individually, made his teammates better. Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, Dennis Rodman, et al...became better playing with MJ. The San Antonio Spurs.....they get players who sacrifice for the TEAM; they make each-other better; and as a result, they win Championships!
Kobe Bryant is also the #1 reason Shaquille O'Neal left the Lakers! Kobe drove him away. Kobe couldn't handle having any teammate who competed with him for individual supremacy. Kobe didn't care about the TEAM! If Kobe would have worked with Shaq, each of them feeding off each-other, there is no telling how many championships the Lakers would have won! Instead, Shaq left, and the Lakers declined into an absolute laughing-stock.
Anyway, Kobe Bryant is now done, and the Lakers can get on with building a team that truly deserves to wear the purple and gold!
Steve
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