Los Angeles Lakers: Saying Goodbye To Kobe Bryant
By Greg Chin
“Your rejection taught me courage”
The Lakers proved to be the team to beat, and were so unbeatable that at the time, it seemed like the only thing that could beat them was themselves.
And true to form, they imploded from within. It started with the murmurs of dissent between Shaq and Kobe – two distinctively different personalities that both desperately wanted to be the alpha dog of the locker room. Shaq’s aloofness towards basketball irked the ultra-competitive Bryant, and tensions got worse when it seemed as though Kobe wanted to be the star of the team.
The falling out, coupled with Kobe’s sexual assault charges, led to some dark times with the Lakers. They were able to reach the NBA Finals, but lost to the Detroit Pistons, despite being heavy favourites. That would mark the final game of the Kobe-Shaq partnership, as the Lakers decided to continue with Kobe – Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat and Kobe re-signed on a seven-year contract.
As a result of the breakup, Kobe’s reputation took a severe hit. Many saw it as him leading a mutiny and strongarmed the Lakers into giving him what he wanted, while his defenders were quick to argue that it was a no-brainer for the Lakers to choose the young and in-prime Kobe over the ageing Shaq. Regardless, the sexual assault allegations, the falling out with Shaq, and former coach Phil Jackson’s book (which criticized Bryant as “uncoachable”), resulted in a difficult and dark time for the superstar.
It was all made worse as the Lakers struggled after Shaq’s departure. Meanwhile, the former Lakers’ big man won a ring with Miami, after playing second fiddle to another superstar shooting guard, Dwyane Wade.
Next: Redemption