He's All Grown Up

Unlike many other people, I sat and watched the final seconds of the NBA finals on June 14th with a smile on my face. Not because I dislike the Orlando Magic (although they did defeat my Boston Celtics in the second round) and not because I had a rooting interest in the Lakers (in fact, being a Celtics fan, I have been bred over the years to hate the Los Angeles Laker franchise).

Seeing this image didn’t draw a look of disgust from me as it did to other casual fans. They have read the articles that discuss how Kobe is fake, not a team player, etc. The list goes on. Honestly, most of what we have all read is an accurate portrayal of the man.

So why the different reaction from me you ask? Well, I’m not a Kobe apologist, but I am  a supporter of an athlete developing as a human being both on and off the court.

Sure moments like this seem rehearsed (see family photo). I’m not buying into them either.  What I’m doing is recognizing Kobe’s attempt to change the way he is viewed.

We have been witnessing  Kobe maturing since he was drafted by the then Charlotte Hornets (and later traded to the Lakers the same night). Someone who never had the opportunity to develop organically.



Bryant lived in Italy for the most of his childhood. When he came to the USA in 1991, basketball became his main focus, and as he graced the covers of various magazines gaining national recognition, life must have seemed to move at the same pace he improved his basketball skills. Things were about him, and nothing else.

It only makes sense that throughout his career, in his mind, the game was all about him.  

That’s why I don’t come down on him for breaking up this relationship:

He thought we wanted him to be like the person he’s pictured with on the right here:

And in a way, he’s right, we are constantly searching for the next Michael Jordan. Yet even Michael had a hall of fame sidekick in Scottie Pippen, but Scottie was never in the spotlight like Shaq. Lets not forget that Shaq is a bit of an egomaniac in his own right. So, in order for Kobe to elevate himself to an even semi Jordan-like status he needed to make himself the star of the show.

Yes there were bumps in the road. Kobe panicked when he realized he couldn’t win a championship by himself, asking to leave the city that loved him so much.

Finally with the proper supporting talent around him, he made a run at a title in the summer of 08, failing, only to return the following season and finally reach the goal he so desperately wanted to achieve.

Certainly his stats during the 08 and 09 playoffs don’t show much of a difference in Kobe’s play, but the fact remains he created an environment where his teammates could function and play with him, something he had failed to do before.

Yes, the game may still be about him.

When the clock finally hit 0 on June 14th he probably thought he was giving us all what we wanted: to witness a player achieve greatness. It was hard to guess his mindset even as you saw him smile with his family and raise his trophies in what seemed to be joy. His enigmatic personality leaves us with more questions than answers.

But for me, this was the moment I saw a 6’6 kid, who has had a life that none of us could begin to understand, put all the pieces together and grow up.