Black Mamba

Son of a former NBA player, Philadelphia high school basketball legend Kobe Bryant became the first guard to be drafted by an NBA team straight out of high school in 1996. Before the 1996 draft, Kobe made it clear that he would play for no one but the Los Angeles Lakers. After the Charlotte Hornets drafted him with the 13^th pick, Bryant held out and refused to sign a contract or play for the Hornets. Eventually, L.A. general manager Jerry West traded Vlade Divac to the Hornets for the rights to Bryant.

The Lakers also acquired Shaquille O’Neal before that season, and the foundation for a dominant NBA franchise was laid in place. The pair really began clicking after the arrival of mastermind coach Phil Jackson in 1999, and the Lakers won three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Despite this success, a growing feud developed between the two superstars, culminating in a 2003 ESPN interview in which Bryant called Shaq “fat”, “out of shape”, “unprofessional”, and an injury exaggerator. Kobe also blamed O’Neal for publicly lobbying for a contract extension, only taking credit for wins and not responsibility for losses, and said Shaq had threatened not to play his hardest unless he was passed the ball more often.

In the summer of 2003, Bryant was arrested in connection with a sexual assault charge filed by 19 year-old Eagle, Colorado hotel employee Katelyn Faber. Bryant admitted to a sexual encounter with Faber, but stated that it was consensual. A year later, the case was dropped after Faber refused to testify. Bryant’s public mea culpa stated “Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.” Those focusing on the criminal degree of Bryant’s actions are missing the point entirely – the man had been married for two years, had a six-month old daughter and had sex with a girl he just met at a hotel in Colorado. I mean who does this? What kind of a man fucks random girls he meets at hotels while his wife and six-month old daughter are at home? Kobe apologized for this sin by buying his wife a $4.3 million diamond ring and the world’s first automatic Lamborghini.

After the Lakers were defeated by the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals, the team did not renew coach Jackson’s contract. Speculation was that Kobe’s dissatisfaction with Jackson was the reason for the coaching change. Kobe had constantly had difficulties with his coach, despite the fact that Jackson is considered to be one of the best at dealing with the NBA’s combustible personalities, and his overwhelmingly outstanding results. At one point Jackson had told Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak “I won’t coach this team next year if [Bryant] is still here. He won’t listen to anyone. I’ve had it with this kid.” Jackson also referred to Bryant as “uncoachable” in one of his books and noted that Kobe had grown unwilling to accept playing with Shaq anymore as he was “tired of being a sidekick.”

Upon hearing of Jackson’s exit, O’Neal (who wasn’t consulted on the coaching situation) stated his belief that the Lakers front office was making decisions to placate Bryant and asked to be traded. That same summer, Kobe, who was due for free agency, strung the Lakers along by discussing a potential move to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was never known if Kobe’s Clipper flirtations were as serious as his flirtations with Katelyn Faber, or merely a ploy to make the Lakers give him full attention. In any case, the Lakers decided to trade Shaq to Miami and sign Kobe to a new long-term contract. So instead of mining three more championship-caliber years or so out of the Kobe/Shaq/Jackson triumvirate, the Lakers wound up with Kobe and a collection of disgruntled weaklings. Shaq’s impact on Miami was immediate, as the Heat narrowly missed the NBA Finals his first season there and won the championship in his second. Meanwhile, Kobe’s legendary ballhogging reached new heights that season; though he finished second in the league in scoring, his shooting percentage was lower than it had been since ’97-’98, and the Lakers missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, going through two coaches in the process.

Jackson returned to coach the Lakers in 2005, and the Lakers put together two garden-variety seasons both ending in first round playoff losses to the Phoenix Suns. Last summer, talk swirled surrounding Bryant’s discontentment with the Lakers, particularly after he expressed a desire to be traded. I’m not sure exactly why Bryant wanted to be traded – the Lakers had coddled to his every need, forgiven his every sin, and put together a young, potent, and competitive team. The team turned out to be good enough to compete for the West’s best record, and solidified that status as the best team in the West after acquiring Pau Gasol in a midseason trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Now the Lakers are in the Western Conference Finals and are the favorite to win the NBA Championship once again.

I think I’ve given enough reasons here why you should root against Kobe, but if you feel otherwise, just watch a Laker game. Although Kobe won the MVP award for this season and should probably be considered the league’s best player, he is the most naturally dislikable superstar athlete in the world. His play is fantastic and has grown stunningly unselfish, yet you can still see the disdain Kobe feels for others in his face. You can see the sense of entitlement he has. You can tell his laughter is not genuine. You can practically see conceit dripping along with the sweat off his brow. This is a malevolent, odious man. I will never be able to appreciate the Lakers or any team Kobe plays for. He is the villain of the NBA, like the New York Yankees wrapped up into one player.

The San Antonio Spurs may be old, and boring, but Tony Parker has never been accused of rape or caught committing adultery. Tim Duncan has never asked to be traded, and Manu Ginobili hasn’t demanded the Spurs move Duncan because he is “tired of being a sidekick.” Although next to no one wants to see another Spurs appearance in the Finals, the thought of Kobe Bryant hoisting a fourth NBA Championship trophy is even more revolting.