Digg it!Lakers won and at the risk of being stoned and cursed to death, here it is, the top 10 most badass moments in Kobe’s career. These are the moments that are [so far] honing him to be one of the best players to have ever walked the NBA court… like it or not.
10. The Alpha
There was nothing special about it. He scored his first two points through a non-ceremonial two pointer. He was 17, goofy and happy just to be playing in the NBA. He didn’t look like the guy that would win 5 NBA titles, he didn’t look like the guy who would openly argue with his own coach and own teammates, he didn’t look like the guy who would become the ruler by which every other player measure themselves. But that was to set the style by which Kobe was to live by. He was to be the guy that no one will be able to figure out.
It wasn’t like Jordan. We had him figured out. He was the best player and the best team player. With Kobe, we are not quite sure. He seems to be the best sometimes, an ass on equal number of times, a wild card sometimes, the best in raw talent most of the times, kind to the media and fans all the time, unpredictable to everyone else, most of the time.
No, we were never to figure him out. Perhaps, because he is Kobe and he doesn’t really give a shit. Below is Kobe’s first pro game and first 2 points as a Laker.
9. Shut The Fuck Up
April 23, 2008: Game 2 vs. the Nuggets.
For an entire game, Smith and Martin bombarded Kobe with verbal attacks. Kobe was not the kind to back down from the verbal war and from the basketball war.
Four quarters later, he made 19 points on them in 4 minutes 19 seconds in the fourth quarter. He finished with 49 points and 10 rebounds. Kobe is not the kind of guy that will let you have the last say. No, not Kobe.
8. The Murder of the Phoenix
April 30, 2006: Game 4 vs. Phoenix.
Seven seconds on the clock and they were down by 5. Right before the buzzer, he threw the ball and the game went on overtime. Five minutes later, he hit the most insulting shot in basketball history and the Suns, to this day, never really recovered. They were down by one, he was on the top of the gaddamn circle, pull-up dagger a split second before the buzzer. He made the shot that buried the Phoenix.
To this day, they haven’t had the heart, strength and pride to be reborn.
7. Not Just Yet
December 17, 1997. Kobe faced his idol Michael Jordan for the first time. He delivered 33 points but MJ had 36 rallying his team to a 104-83 victory. The message from Jordan was clear, “Not on my watch Kobe, not on my watch.”
So why is this badass? Scoring two points on Jordan is a dream come true. Scoring 33, that’s like battling Zeus.
6. 81
Wilt with 100 points, that remains to be the record to beat and no one can argue with numbers. Numbers is a physical evidence, it’s a thumbmark, a DNA and that number states, Wilt sank 100 points.
On January 22, 2006, Kobe came 19 points away from 100. Yes it could be argued that Kobe was, is and most likely will be a selfish player. However, he had 17 fewer field goal attempts, played six fewer minutes and was not five inches taller than the guy guarding him. That is what the number states and no one can argue with numbers.
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