When you’re Kobe Bryant everything you do becomes news. When you’re Kobe Bryant in the midst of an NBA lockout everything you do, don’t do, consider doing and wish you hadn’t done becomes news.
So far during this uneven off-season we’ve mused on such scintillating topics as why Kobe hasn’t spoken of Mike Brown, if Kobe will play in Turkey, whether or not he accosted a man at church and now we’re spiraling into new territory as Kobe’s social media moves are hogging headlines.
Today the sports world was abuzz as Mamba officially joined the world of Twitter…briefly.
After promoting his Twitter account on his Facebook page (yes, this is where we are in the hoops world these days) more than 30,000 Tweeps quickly followed the most decorated baller in the game. The real kicker is that Bryant’s account was active for a period of time shorter than Earl Boykins.
After sending out an introductory Tweet reading “Can you hear me now?” Bryant’s account was canceled.
Was this the real Bryant? Were thousands fooled by a clever hoax? Is this all part of Kobe’s master plan to one-up LeBron’s decision?
Thankfully we’ve got ESPNLosAngeles.com to get right to the heart of these pressing matters. A “source close to Bryant” informed the website that Kobe is consulting a social media professional (yes, we are at that point in the evolution of mankind) to better familiarize himself with Twitter before going all-in.
Can’t fault Kobe for wanting to be cautious in his approach. Twitter has been the undoing of many a public figure. Just ask Anthony Weiner about that.
Now don’t get me wrong, since I’m writing about this issue it means there is some part of me that takes an interest in it. Still I’m fully aware that we’ve reached the early tipping point in the NBA work stoppage. As much as I’d love to spend my time discussing Andrew Bynum’s parking habits and Ron Artest’s inability to pay parking tickets, I’d much prefer to get back to bashing Jim Buss.
In other words, let’s get back to the business of hoops…now!