When someone gets what he or she wants, they are usually satisfied. In the case of Kobe Bryant, this theory may not be so true. People for three things best know Bryant. He was first known for being Shaq’s sidekick for seven years, and producing three championships. Second, people who aren’t avid basketball fans know him for his incident in the infamous Colorado hotel room. Lastly, people know Kobe Bryant for his decision to run two of the biggest names in the history of basketball out of Los Angeles. All of things Kobe have brought on himself, and two of these Kobe probably wishes he could take back.
Coming into the NBA, it was obvious what the one goal of Kobe Bryant was, to become the next Michael Jordan. However, this was close to near impossible mainly because people would not allow him simply for what Jordan did for the game of basketball. But if he were to meet such expectations, then Bryant was for sure on the right track. Playing in Los Angeles, having one of the best big men in the history of the game playing beside you, and having endorsement like qualities always helps a player look better, especially with Bryant with his high level of basketball talent and I.Q. Some of Bryant’s talent and knowledge of the game of basketball can be accredited to his father, who was a former basketball player himself, always having Kobe right by his side studying his father’s profession for hopes of some day being on the same level as the like of Magic, Bird, and of course Jordan.
As the 2004 NBA Finals came to an end, it could be seen the Kobe’s and Shaq’s tenure as teammates would soon come to an end. Both were unhappy with their current situations, and the Lakers organization would soon have to make a decision of dealing one of the two because keeping both of them was simply not an option. With the difference in Bryant and O’Neal’s age, both the owner and the general manager of the Lakers had decided to keep Kobe. Maybe the two needed their state’s governor to tell them that they had just made a “Big Mistake”. The general manager of the Lakers, Mitch Kupcheck, had then made the decision of trading O’Neal to Miami for three players in return- Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and Lamar Odom. All three would soon prove that they would not be able to equal the value of Shaq alone, and if three starters on a playoff team don’t equal the value of Shaq, then how many actually do?
Judging from just the two times in which the Heat and the Lakers faced each other, it is easy for anyone to tell that the Heat got the better end of the stick. Well, you could probably tell just by the Heat getting Shaq- it doesn’t take a rocket science to figure that out. The first match up had been scheduled for Christmas Day. Every one knows who was behind that scheduling- who knew that ABC was in such desperate need of ratings. As the game on Christmas Day folded out, it could easily be seen that Dwayne Wade and Shaq suited each other a whole lot better than Kobe and his Three Stooges of the Lakers. Both Wade and O’Neal have worked together incessantly to prove that they are together the NBA’s next dynamic duo. And while Kobe and the Lakers stare in amazement of the Heat’s success, all the Lakers can do is just sit there and hope for something to happen that might be in their teams favor.
Both now have what each have loathed for. Kobe’s got his own team, while Shaq has his. However, Shaq’s got a sidekick accepting the fact that the team does indeed belong to Shaq, while Kobe has eleven other guys knowing the Lakers belong to him, but don’t know which one out of the eleven play roll of Kobe’s little man. While Kobe has been given the city of Los Angeles, Shaq has been given the city of Miami, the Sixth Bureau, along with South Beach and the many things that come with it. Kobe is stuck with having to battle with teams such as San Antonio, Sacramento, Dallas, and Houston, while Shaq is dealt a hand of cards that include the likes of Detroit, Indianapolis, and that’s about it. The Lakers are on the verge of pretty soon, becoming the doormat to the NBA, while the Heat has already proven to be the best of the best. Hopefully, Kobe won’t mind Shaq getting a little mud on him, while Shaq walks all over him and his former team. Where is Phil Jackson during all of this, probably somewhere in a cabin in the mountains of Montana near a lake practicing Zen? Or he could be waiting for the perfect coaching position to suit his needs–one that includes a superstar and enough talent to where they could run right to the top of the NBA, and Jackson could claim his tenth Larry O’Brien trophy. The only struggles he must have faced as a coach were working out his players’ differences among fellow teammates. Frankly, I’m surprised he only has nine with the amount of time he spent with both Michael and Scottie at one point, and then Kobe and Shaq for another.
With the current NBA season half way complete, Los Angeles and Miami find themselves in two totally opposite positions. Miami sits atop the NBA with the best record in the league and in first place of the Eastern Conference, while Los Angeles finds themselves towards the bottom of the Western Conference, and fighting to earn a spot in the race for the eight spot in the playoffs. Los Angeles will have to do more than just fight, they’ll also need a little luck and help from other teams among the league.
And all of this has happened just to suit the needs of Kobe Bryant. MJ wouldn’t do this. He would have found a way to work it out. He and Pippen eventually worked things out to lead the Bulls to six championships. Who knows what Shaq’s fate is with the Heat? With he and Wade’s potential, who knows how many championships the two can win together. And as for Bryant’s fate, who knows how many games he can actually win with the excellent array of talent that has been assembled around him. Hey, Kobe said he wanted his own team. Hopefully, Kobe is happy by now with what he got. And next time Kobe; be careful what you wish for!