What's y'all best/favorite memories of Kobe? I know there's hella Laker fans in here.
I always respected Kobe and the Lakers (Magic is my GOAT), but as a teenager growing up in Brooklyn in the early 2000s, I LOATHED them. My foster brother was a Pippen fan, but also loved Jordan and had both #23 and #45 jerseys... home, away and alternative. When Pippen went to the Blazers, bro became a Blazers fan. From there one of their biggest obstacles was the Lakers, whom at that point everyone considered Shaq's team. Bro always made fun of Shaq for gassing out by the 3rd quarter, but that's when Kobe would turn up. Bro always pointed that out to me and likened his game to Jordan's... not just the style, but his 3rd quarter rallies when the Lakers were down. Once he realized the Blazers weren't gonna be shit, he became a Lakers fan, because of Kobe... mind you this is like '01 when Shaq was still the undisputed leader.
Our mans was a Kings fan, so '02 was a riot for us. As a Magic fan I had no say in the matter (more on that later), but I liked the Kings so I was going for them in the WCFs. That series was where I realized with my own eyes Kobe was THE star. All cheating aside, Kobe went off that whole series even tho Shaq scored more. He scored when it counted, and kept the Lakers in the game at pivotal moments. The 15 year old I was back then wanted to make anything purple and yellow bleed, but damn that was some of the best basketball I ever seen in my life.
Fast forward to '04 (that number is giving me PTSD already), my hatred for the Lakers was rejuvenated by that Derek Fisher shot. At this point I'm rockin with the Spurs heavy. I'm still a Magic fan... yes, even the '03-'04 19 straight losses T-Mac screamin "I JUST WANNA WIN!" lookin like he goin thru a billion dollar divorce Magic. I'm on my way out of my mother's house going back to my foster mother's crib when the game was on, and figured the Spurs won. I turn my back to open the door when I heard the buzzer and my mother scream. I turn back around and see Derek Fisher hop away like he just fucked Catwoman and Supergirl in a threesome. I dreaded going back to the crib cuz I knew my foster brother would be waiting for me. Longest train ride of my life.
Best time of my life as a basketball fan was the '08-'09 season when the Lakers and the Magic made it to the Finals. I can finally talk shit to my brother... Howard was that dude and the Magic defense was tight, plus we had shooters. In my mind the Lakers wasn't doing shit with us. Obviously I was wrong, but by now I'm a lot more mature and understand the game so I was proud that the Lakers won. It proved what me and my brother knew along... Kobe was not only the real star of the Lakers, but he was one of the GOATs and at any point could start a dynasty with who he wanted. The Spurs have been a problem in the West for a good part of 2 decades so it wasn't easy for Kobe. He did the best he could with an inconsistent roster (him calling Howard soft still burns me to this day), and even those valleys of his career he showed greatness. Anyone who has a competitive bone in their body should strive to do what Kobe did in the last day of their profession. And I'm proud as hell to live in Cali and see Dwight Howard and Lebron, the next GOAT in line, win one in LA for the Mamba.
