searl1986 space: Sports

Rise Again:The undefeatable Kobe Bryant(Kobe Bryant 's Blog Day '08)

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:49:22 GMT

Posted on March 11, 2008

Welcome to RespectKobe.com on this, the first ever Kobe Bryant Day. Here’s what Hardwood Paroxysm, where the idea of “Kobe Bryant Blog Day” was born, has to say about it:

But we wanted a day. One day. To celebrate Mamba. To be able to speak positively about him and to let our critics know that we do see his greatness. We just don’t care. We chose March 11th, as he is facing the Toronto Raptors that night, who he famously shredded for 81. At Staples. What better setting to celebrate his wonderment? It’s therapy. It’s masochism. It’s Kobe Bryant Blog Day.

Their instructions include the following:

This isn’t facetious. If you have negative things to say about Kobe, save it for every other day of the year. We may even have a Kobe hate day, but we’ll have to see about that. For this day, though, you should let out all your positive stuff that you keep inside. For example, about ten times per Laker game, Kobe does something that my instinct is for me to suddenly stand up, mouth agape, throw my arms in the air, and go “Wahoo!”. But just before I’m about to take that leap, I realize it’s Kobe, and I act like I was just getting up to go get some tuna salad (mmm….pickles…).

No hating on the others. Just as those of us that aren’t so much fans of Mr. Bryant should refrain from dogging him on this sacred day, so should his defenders refrain from trying to drag down the King. This day is about no one but the Mamba. Keep your eyes on the prize. The total adulation of Kobe.

Fair enough. With that, I give you a look back at the greatness of Kobe Bryant over the past 12 years.

Rise Again: The Undefeatable Kobe Bryant

Twelve years is a long time. But for Kobe Bryant, who is in his twelfth year, it is still only the beginning. He is only 29 years old, and who knows how many years he has left? He is in the best shape of his life, takes care of his body religiously, and is a workout fanatic. It’s assumed that he’s got at least 4 to 5 years left at the top of his game, and given his versatility and ability to score from anywhere on the court, it’s not impossible that he could be dominant for years after that. (Bryant already has a better jumpshot than the fade-away jumper Michael Jordan developed in his thirties.)

This is the start of the third phase in Kobe Bryant’s career. First came the “Kobe-Shaq” years, when the dynamic duo led the Lakers to three straight championships. More recently, in the post-Shaq era, Kobe struggled to carry a poorly constructed Lakers team — but succeeded better than anyone could have (or should have) expected. Finally, now, Bryant enters a new era, with a team built around and led by him, and seemingly destined for greatness. It is mind-boggling to think of what he could accomplish over the next several years, with this Lakers team. But as much promise as the future holds for Kobe Bryant, it is often easy to forget all that he has already accomplished.

The sports fan is, by nature, a forgetful creature. And why shouldn’t he be? We are constantly inundated with visual stimuli, and it is only natural that those events and accomplishments for which we have little or no visual reminder would fade in our minds. Furthermore, every new generation of sports fans sees greatness before their eyes, but, not having watched previous generations, they have no context within which to evaluate today’s players. This applies not only to the relatively distant past, dominated by Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain (30 years are an eternity in sports), but also to much more recent years. Time has caused us to forget the flaws in Michael Jordan’s game, and that he was once criticized as the most selfish player ever. It has caused us to view Steve Nash and Jason Kidd as two of the best point guards ever to play the game, while Magic Johnson and John Stockton go unremembered. And it has caused us to forget, all too quickly, the greatness that is, and has been, Kobe Bryant.

We’ve allowed ourselves to forget the years in which Bryant, along with Shaquille O’Neal, led the Lakers to three consecutive championships. And even when we do remember, absent-minded revisionism gives all of the credit to O’Neal, wiping from memory the countless clutch performances from Bryant, without which the Lakers could not have won a single championship. Bryant is retrospectively painted as a cancer, rather than a leader on the team that dominated the early part of this decade. He is portrayed as “selfish” and a “ball hog,” rather than the primary distributor and facilitator for a teammate with a reputation for pouting when he didn’t get the ball as much as he wanted. And in many cases, he is remembered as a detriment to his team, rather than the very reason the Lakers have had any success at all.

Not today. Today, he will be remembered as he truly is.

When It Matters: Coming Through in the Clutch

Today, we will remember that Kobe Bryant is the most clutch player in the game, and that whenever the Lakers have needed a close win, he has provided it. Sacramento, Portland, and Phoenix, among others, remember this all too well. But because the Lakers have dominated this season, rarely needing Bryant’s fourth quarter heroics — and because they have failed to win in the Playoffs over the last few years — many have forgotten his past exploits. Some have even written his status as the most clutch player in the game off to hype and reputation, rather than reality. But when his team has needed it most, Kobe Bryant has always provided, and he continues to do so.

To that end, witness the following videos, courtesy of YouTube, and remember. Watch Kobe Bryant drain a deep, off-balance three-pointer over Ruben Patterson to take Portland to overtime, followed by a falling-down three-pointer to win the game in overtime — and remember that there is no such thing as a “Kobe Stopper.” See him make one clutch play after another, and remember that he has been doing this for years. And witness him do to Phoenix what he once did to Portland — first sending the game to overtime, and then winning it in overtime — and remember that this was nothing new.

After 12 years, we’ve come to take Kobe Bryant’s greatness for granted. But he has always done this, year in and year out, whenever necessary — and, as we were reminded earlier this month, he will continue to do so, whenever it is asked of him.

Colorado: The Downfall

In the 2003-04 season, following the Lakers first Playoffs exit after three championships in a row, the Lakers were re-tooled for another run. They added veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and they dominated from day one. It was then that Kobe Bryant’s world came crashing down around him. A young woman in Colorado accused him of rape and was bringing charges against him. In a moment, Kobe’s squeaky clean image was forever tarnished, and his personal life threatened to fall apart at any moment. But after Bryant admitted to — consensual — sexual relations with the woman, a long, drawn-out trial ensued to determine the validity of the rape charges against him.

Throughout all of this, Bryant continued to play basketball, and the Lakers continued to win. He made a regular habit of spending the day in court, only to fly back to Los Angeles and play some of the best basketball of his life, consistently scoring 30 and 40 points while also recording high assists and rebounding statistics. Bryant was eventually cleared of all charges, guilty only of infidelity — something that he shares with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, among many others. (Remember, this is the United States of America, where people are considered innocent until proven guilty, and Kobe Bryant was never found guilty.)

Colorado should have destroyed Kobe Bryant. But it didn’t. Bryant emerged from the crisis stronger, more determined, and with greater resolve. He had lost his endorsement contracts, but it did not matter. He was a basketball player, first and foremost, and even this could not keep him down.

Scapegoat: The Breakup

The star-studded Lakers rolled through the 2004 playoffs, meeting Detroit in the Finals. In Game 1, the Pistons surprised the Lakers and stole home court advantage. In Game 2, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and handed out 7 assists to keep the Lakers in the game until the final second — at which point, he stepped up and forced overtime. With 2.1 seconds remaining and Detroit up by three, Bryant hit a three-pointer to send the game to overtime. The shot so devastated the Pistons that the Lakers won easily in the extra period.

Despite Kobe Bryant’s efforts, the Lakers would go on to lose to the Pistons. Karl Malone’s sprained ankle, which took a beating against Minnesota, rendered him completely ineffective on both ends of the court. Gary Payton was completely overmatched and outplayed by Chauncy Billups. Shaq was productive, but not his dominant self. And Detroit’s defense was smothering.

Meanwhile, contract negotiations between L.A. and O’Neal, which were already falling apart during the playoffs, deteriorated to the point that Shaq demanded a trade during the summer. Lakers owner Jerry Buss complied. Karl Malone retired, and Gary Payton moved on. And while the departure of Shaq was a decision made by Jerry Buss, and was a direct result of his unreasonable contract demands and Buss’s unwillingness to meet them, Bryant took the blame. The media claimed that he had forced Shaq out, no longer interested in sharing leadership of the team. This could not have been farther from the truth, but Shaq was the more “likeable” of the two, and more endeared to the media, so Kobe took the fall.

Bryant’s public image was at an all time low. Viewed as a sexual offender, blamed for the Lakers loss to the Pistons, and accused of forcing Shaq out of L.A., his future looked bleak.

Rebuilding: The Post-Shaq Era

The 2004-05 season was a disappointing one for the Lakers. Bryant missed nearly 20 games, and the Lakers finished with a 34-48 record and missed the Playoffs. But in 2005-06, Kobe Bryant showed the world that he was not done yet. He would rise again.

Playing with a Lakers team that started Smush Parker (who is unable to get a job as a reserve guard on the worst team in the league, Miami, which desperately needs a point guard and is currently riddled with injuries), Kwame Brown (widely considered a bust, and now racking up DNP CDs on the third worst team in the league), and Brian Cook (a below average second string player at best), Bryant led the Lakers to a 45-37 record, and nearly upset the heavily favored Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Playoffs. Along the way, Kobe Bryant showed the world that he is the greatest offensive player ever to play the game.

On December 20th, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarter against a Dallas team that would go on to reach the NBA Finals. A month later, he scored 81 points, the second-highest single game scoring total in NBA history, against Toronto. His 81 points in a single game are second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100, but because of the competition Chamberlain faced, the much faster pace of the game at the time, and the way in which each scored their points — Wilt scored virtually all of his points within a couple steps of the basket, where as most of Kobe’s came off of mid-range and long distance jump shots — most consider Bryant’s 81 points to be a more impressive accomplishment than Chamberlain’s 100.

The sports world was in awe, completely dumbfounded, but Bryant was not yet finished. Despite playing with a simply awful supporting cast, he led the Lakers to the Playoffs, and nearly upset the Phoenix Suns, going up 3-1 before losing the next three games. In doing so, Bryant completely and unexpectedly changed his game, playing the role of pass-first facilitator and only looking for his shot later in the game. But after his inexperienced teammates crumbled under the pressure of a 7-game playoff series, Bryant was blamed for the loss, because he had only taken a single shot in the second half of Game 7.

Bryant explained: “If we were going to get back in this type of game, we have to have everybody contributing.” Indeed, by the second half the Lakers were already down by 15, and all three of their wins against the Suns had come as a result of team play, facilitated by Bryant — not as a result of Bryant flying solo. But as things typically go for Kobe Bryant — damned if you do, damned if you don’t — he was blamed for playing with the same game plan that enabled the Lakers to win three against the Suns in the first place.

The Lakers exited the Playoffs in Round 1, but Kobe Bryant had undeniably returned to relevance — and he wasn’t finished. In the 2006-07 season, he picked up where he left off, facilitating the offense and getting his teammates involved before looking for his own shot. As a result, the Lakers lept out to a very surprising 27-13 start, before injuries swept through the roster and sent the Lakers into a massive losing streak. Nevertheless, Kobe stuck to Phil Jackson’s game plan, staying true to the triangle offense and doing his best to facilitate for his teammates. After the Lakers dropped 13 out of 16 games, Phil Jackson and his assistant (and creator of the triangle offense) Tex Winter asked Bryant to carry his team.

Bryant responded by posting 4 straight games of 50 or more points — a feat accomplished only by himself and Wilt Chamberlain. All four games were wins, which was most important to Bryant, and with Kobe shouldering the load, the Lakers went 9-8 in the final 17 games of the regular season. And while the Lakers had Kobe Bryant, the rest of the team was weak and devastated by injuries, and they were no match for Phoenix in the Playoffs. But the world had taken notice, once again, and finally they recognized what had been true for several years.

Kobe Bryant was the best player in the world.

Full of Surprises: The Bright Future

After the Lakers’ second first round exit from the Playoffs, Kobe Bryant could take it no longer. Lakers management had failed to build a solid team around him in the time frame that they had promised, instead trading now-All-Star Caron Butler for Kwame Brown and wasting two years on an experiment with Smush Parker. Lamar Odom was not fit to be the second option on the team, and Andrew Bynum was a kid with plenty of potential that was unlikely to be realized while Kobe was still the best in the game. His notorious trade demands of this past summer reflected poorly on him, and his method of expressing his frustration was questionable at best, he was nonetheless correct: Lakers management had failed, dismally, and he had every reason to be upset.

He was the anti-Garnett; he refused to allow incompetent management to waste his best years, and he would either compel them to improve or leave, but he would not be a part of an organization that had displayed no desire to win, and seemed unwilling to take the risks necessary to do so. He was willing to risk everything, and he did. And fortunately for him, it worked. Feeling the heat, the Lakers front office finally sprung into action, replacing Smush Parker with Derek Fisher, and later, Kwame Brown with former All-Star Pau Gasol. Meanwhile, Bryant’s teammates stepped up to the challenge, working harder than they ever had to improve and meet his standards.

Suddenly, it is 2008, and the Lakers are sitting atop the strongest conference in the history of NBA basketball. Through all this, the single constant has been Bryant, who, despite numerous key injuries to his teammates and playing on a team that is rebuilding on the fly, has propelled them forward, defying the critics and overcoming every negative prediction. He has refused to make this about himself, maintaining a team perspective, even when injuries to Bynum and Trevor Ariza resulted in widespread predictions that he would go back to the old, selfish Kobe, abandoning his team-oriented, facilitator approach. Bryant has stayed the course, and now, with the end of the regular season in sight, the Lakers have the best record in the West and are strong favorites to win the 2008 NBA Championship.

In training camp, Bryant set the tone for this Lakers season with a single sentence: “Hi, I’m Kobe Bryant, and I want to win a championship.” He has kept this team focused, refusing to allow them to dwell on past losses or look to future challenges, not allowing them to become overly excited about their accomplishments. He has led by example, and he has kept the team’s accomplishments in perspective, and his teammates have followed his lead.

Kobe Bryant: Here to Stay

The lesson of recent history, as it concerns Kobe Bryant, is clear: He is here to stay. Time and time again, seemingly insurmountable obstacles have presented themselves. Time and time again, Bryant has been criticized, derided, and written off — sometimes even forgotten about. But time and time again, he has overcome. He has risen to the challenge. And he has triumphed. And now, with the future in his hands and the Lakers looming large, the time has come for him to prove to the world what he has always known — that he is the best, and that there is nothing that can keep him down.

It is worth noting that many challengers have come and gone, over the years. At Hardwood Paroxysm’s request, these will remain nameless, as it is not about them, but about Kobe. Suffice it to say that time and time again, a challenger to Kobe’s status as the best basketball player alive has arisen, and the declaration has been made that Kobe Bryant has been surpassed. The masses have always sought “the next Michael Jordan,” and Kobe has been given that label, at times, along with at least a half dozen other players. But every single time, the player heralded as his replacement — his superior, even — and the “next Michael Jordan” has faded. Without fail, time has shown that the comparison was unfounded.

Is Kobe Bryant the next Michael Jordan? No. He is the only Kobe Bryant. Is he at Jordan’s level? Not yet. Might he one day be? Perhaps. But that’s not the point — the point is simply that Kobe Bryant is the only one who, over the course of an entire decade, has consistently received those comparisons. He is the only one who has survived that pressure, and lived up to it. The other challengers have come and gone, and there will be others, but only Kobe Bryant has remained.

Kobe Bryant: Undefeatable

It is easy to forget what Kobe Bryant has already accomplished in the last decade. Newer, younger, more exciting stars will always amaze us, and we are quickly forgetful.

But this much must now be clear: Kobe Bryant may occasionally lose, but he will never be defeated. He is here to stay, and his time has come. He may fall, but he will rise again, stronger and better than ever. It is the most consistent and one of the few reliable truths in basketball: Kobe Bryant will not be kept down.

科比·布莱恩特：无双的道路

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:20:50 GMT

“科比布莱恩特将会成为有史以来最伟大的球员。”（"Kobe Bryant will go down as the greatest basketball player that has ever lived.”）——马克杰克逊
2005-2006赛季，当我第一次在ABC的半场休息节目里听到马克杰克逊说出这番话时，我惊讶到几乎从自己的椅子上摔下来。马克杰克逊是一个成长在魔术师和伯德的时代，经历过迈克尔乔丹辉煌岁月的球员，像他这么一名老将怎么会认为科比——这个一直以来饱受批评的球员——将会成为有史以来最伟大的篮球运动员呢？特别是在科比经历了两个失败的赛季，至今仍然没有证明自己没有奥尼尔还可以赢球的情况下；科罗拉多的丑闻之间还阴云未尽。在马克杰克逊对科比作出这番赞美之词的那一刻，我觉得他真是在胡说八道，他一定会因为这个失误而被ABC炒鱿鱼的。而现在是2008年了，转眼之间自杰克逊做出这番评论已经过了两个赛季，而我开始慢慢地，但是肯定地开始相信也许杰克逊真的说对了一些东西……
是什么让我改变了自己原本的看法呢？也许是下面这些我逐渐意识到的东西：和沙克并肩作战8个赛季，拿到3座总冠军；五次最佳防守阵容；六次最佳阵容；六次全明星首发阵容；1次全明星赛MVP；03年在队友沙克的强力竞争下仍然在MVP票选中名列第三。更不用提在三连冠时期科比让人印象深刻的季后赛统计数据了：25.3分5.7板4.9助。
还有一点是数据无法显示的：在他的得分、传球、防守之外，他对三连冠时期的湖人队作出的最大贡献是他在关键时刻接管比赛，以及投中制胜球的可怕能力。由于沙克的罚篮水平一直摆烂，同时还经常陷入犯规麻烦，科比在那些艰苦的季后赛拉锯战比赛里投中关键球的能力堪称伟大（他最著名的关键时刻表演是在2000年总决赛湖人队与步行者比赛的第四场，他在加时赛4投4中，包括最后的制胜球）。对于一个当时只有22岁的球员来说，他在和沙克搭档那段时期里所做的一切简直是难以置信。
也许是他不断打破记录的那个2005-2006赛季让我改观：场均35.4分5.3板4.5助1.8断的数据华丽至极； 05年12月20日他在三节时间里狂砍62分，比小牛全队得分还多一分的那场表演；更加恐怖的是在06年1月22日，他在湖人与猛龙的比赛中46投28中，其中三分球13投7中，罚球20罚18中，逆天般地豪卷81分。35.4的单季场均得分可以排在史上第九位。他还打破了一系列的得分记录：连续4场45+是1964年以来的第一次；06年一月平均得分43.4分是NBA史上单月第八高的得分；单季27次得分破40，单季总得分2832分都是湖人的队史新纪录。不仅仅是自己的数据惊人，他还带领着一只非常年轻、同时人才“寂寂”的队伍在竞争激烈的西区拿到常规赛第七名的成绩。连续第八次入选全明星，同时入选年度第一队和年度防守第一队。在2005-2006赛季的中期起，科比已经开始被大众逐渐认同为世界上最好的球员。
也许是2006年的季后赛（让我认可他的）吧。他让大家看见他可以根据队伍的需要改变自己的比赛模式，在季后赛第一轮与太阳的七场大战里湖人差一点就完成NBA史上最伟大之一的“低位种子战胜高位种子”的壮举。想要击败太阳，对于湖人来说至关重要的就是要利用球队的球员身材优势在太阳的防守中寻找破绽。为了做到这一点，科比开始打团队篮球，让自己的队友不断找到错位的机会——他是真心真意地在做着这些事情。他们成功地减缓了太阳了进攻速度，把比赛的节奏握在自己的手中，撕破了太阳的阵线。在第四场交锋里，总比分以2-1领先的湖人在最后7.9秒还落后太阳2分，接着历史性的一幕上演了：斯马什帕克从史蒂夫纳什手中盗球成功，把球传给科比，后者在最后0.7秒时完成了一个难度极高的抛射把比赛带进加时赛。在加时赛里，湖人在最后6.1秒还落后1分，他们又一次站在了悬崖的边上，但是让人没有想到的是卢克沃顿争取到了和史蒂夫纳什争球的机会（也许这个机会要部分感谢裁判）。他们俩在中圈跳球，沃顿轻松得抢得先机，把球拍往科比站位的方向。科比从一路带球杀过半场，蜂鸣器响起的同时在太阳的两名防守队员头上命中一记后仰跳投！不过可惜的是，湖人在接下来的3场比赛全部告负，科比在第六场里缴出50分-8板-5助的数据也无济于事。
也许是他2006-2007的赛季（打动了我）。科比在那个赛季场均可以得到31.6分5.7板5.3助。他又一次地通过得分大爆发创造历史：单季10场50+让他成为继威尔特张伯伦之后第一个能够在一个赛季做到10场或者10场以上50+的球员。此外还有一项壮举也是只有他和张伯伦才做到过：在3月16日至23日期间，科比连续4场比赛得到50+（65，50，60，50），该月他场均得到40.4分，这是他职业生涯第三次月平均得分过40。赛季结束后科比再一次入选第一阵容和第一防守阵容。还有在自己连续第九次首发的全明星赛上以31分6板5助4断的成绩拿下MVP。再次杀入季后赛，但是在5场大战后又一次倒在了太阳脚下。
也许是他2007年的夏天（加深了我对他的印象）。当媒体和球迷一起对他的交易申请作出猛烈抨击时，科比让自己完全不受外界影响，而是专注把自身状态（包括身材）调整到职业生涯最佳水平，因为他将代表自己的国家，以美国队成员的身份出战美洲锦标赛。那个休赛期对于科比来说与过去没有任何的不同，为了美洲杯的比赛他非常努力的训练，体重成功地减轻到了201磅。在美国队内部举行的蓝白对抗赛中，科比在最后阶段接管了比赛，在关键时刻里压倒了勒布朗詹姆斯。他先是在比赛还剩六秒时在泰夏安普林斯面前后仰命中，接着在接下来的防守中成功地阻止了詹姆斯的最后一击。在美洲杯比赛开打前，科比是K教练口中队里最杰出的防守者，而他也表示要做回职业生涯早期那个锁死对方王牌的自己。结果他言出必行，在整个锦标赛里他几乎全部封锁了自己负责防守的球员，场均数据是15.3分2.0篮板2.9助攻，投篮命中率54.8%（三分命中率45.9%）。他所做的一切让这只美国队无可争议地成为继1992年梦一队最具统治力的美国队阵容。
也许是他在2007-08赛季目前为止所做的一切（打动了我）。赛季之初，随着安德鲁拜纳姆和乔丹法玛尔等等新人的涌现，加上老将费舍尔的回归带来的欣慰，科比遵照球队的需求打着团队篮球。他明显成熟了，而且对自己的队友抱有绝对的信心，同时把他在美洲锦标赛里展现出的防守能力也带入了湖人的比赛之中。在他场均27分5.9板4.9助的贡献中，湖人也顺风顺水地拿到25胜11负的漂亮开局。
然而在一切看起来都在朝着有利于湖人的方向发展的时候，噩耗传来，新星拜纳姆在1月13日的时候因为膝盖撕裂而倒下了，形势岌岌可危。科比在接下来的10场比赛里帮助球队拿到5胜5负的成绩，他的场均数据是33.6分7.9板和5.6助。接着奇迹发生了……湖人用夸梅布朗，克里坦顿，阿隆麦基加上一些选秀权从灰熊队“偷”来了保罗加索尔。这名前全明星前锋的加入让科比和湖人重新恢复了活力，争夺总冠军的希望又重新被点燃。自从这笔交易达成以来湖人的战绩是恐怖的14胜3负，目前仅以半场之差落后于西区龙头圣安东尼奥马刺。科比连续第十次入选全明星，而在球迷的眼里，这一季也是科比夺得MVP的最佳时机。
也许是这一个事实打动了我。在自己NBA生涯闪亮的第十一年，科比也仅仅29岁，他保持身体状态方式和他优雅的球风都将让他在未来五年左右免受伤病侵扰，他将依然是这个联盟里最具统治力的球员。
又或者也许仅仅是这个事实感动了我：在过去的几个赛季里，科比一直保持着全面的发挥，这种模式对于外线球员是前所未有的，或者说，自乔丹时代以来我们第一次看到这种比赛。在我看来（尽管这个观点总会引来大家的责难），我觉得科比布莱恩特是NBA有史以来最具天分，并且技术最为出色的球员。联盟历史上从来没有一名球员像科比这样作为一名得分手拥有如此众多的得分武器。他无视所有距离的投篮能力、他的射程、他的运动能力、他作为一名得分手的攻击性和冷酷无情、他让自己的比赛变得如此美妙而展示出的各种动作（抛射、转身、后仰跳投、背后传球、胯下运球、强力冲击篮筐等等）……加之他过去几季累积的一大堆华丽的得分数据，一切都已经标示着科比已经成为有史以来最危险、最具技巧性的得分手。
随着个性的愈发成熟，他作为得分手的效率也在持续增长，最后他会取代乔丹，成为史上最伟大的得分手。不算他不可思议的得分能力，打2号位的他篮板能力也非常可怕，同时还是一个被低估的技巧杰出的传球手和控球者。必要时刻他还能变身成为一名恐怖的防守者，封锁所有与其对位的球员——不管对手是超级巨星还是一个角色球员。科比还是NBA历史上最伟大的关键先生之一，他接管过无数的比赛，投中过大量的制胜球。更不要说他那每晚都要“掏出你的心脏然后狠狠践踏”的罕见特质，这点是让他成为一名如此特殊球员的重要原因。
不管是以上哪件事情，科比都让我慢慢地确信，在退役之前他会成为史上最伟大的球员。他曾经做到的，他正在做的，以及他在未来会完成的一切都让我坚信，如果他走在正确的路上，那么他一定会超越乔丹，会以史上最伟大篮球运动员的身份被人们所熟知。
就像湖人评论家斯图兰兹所说的那样，“你们要为自己有机会看见这个24号的比赛而高兴，因为你下次再看到有像他这样充满技巧的球员出现在篮球场上的时候，会是很久很久以后的事了。”