Lakers and NBA legend Kobe Bryant announced his retirement and all things Lakers changed in an instant
What a week! The pressure is now off the entire organization for the season.
What started as a season of hope for Lakers fans and doom for sports broadcasters has changed, in an instant, to a season of dedication and celebration. Lakers fans worldwide are paying boatloads of money for the chance to catch a glimpse, if they’re lucky, of vintage Kobe Bryant.
The first game after the announcement was an away game against a winless Philadelphia 76ers team. The Lakers weren’t far behind with their own losing record of 2-14.
The Sixers organization put on a pre-game tribute show for Mr. Bryant, which was heartwarming. This is one thing Lakers fans will need to get used to.
Dear Kobe,
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 2, 2015
You'll always be that kid from Philly, & we knew you before the world did.
Much respect, Philadelphia.https://t.co/vxOojxn4xp
All said and done, the game was a disaster for the Lakers: Kobe seemed sad and his teammates looked lost.
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The Lakers all expected to be winning more games but it didn’t help that they were playing under the shadow of indecision and constant questioning of their star Kobe Bryant’s intentions.
Would he ever retire? If so when? Would he ever be able to show brilliance on the court again after his second season-ending injury?
The Lakers lost to the Sixers 103-91, and it was the ultimate embarrassment which left everyone shaking their heads. Kobe had only made 11 out of the 43 total shots he took.
It was so painful listening to Mike Trudell ask the players questions once again after a loss and the players looking and sounding utterly defeated spouting the same tired platitudes and one-liners they were trained to answer with.
Why were the sixers hungrier than the Lakers..."you know what? I can't tell you, I can't tell you." - Larry Nance Jr. #outofmycontrol
— Shereen Rayan - Sports Broadcaster/Writer (@SportsCrazee) December 2, 2015
In contrast, Kobe was jubilant during his post-game presser after the loss to the Sixers. He recounted his experiences pre-game, during the game with his fans in the stands, post game goodbyes, and then he shared his experienced on a
jump ball which he lost to McConnell
. Smiling from ear-to-ear.
Newsworthy and priceless, a rookie faced off against a childhood hero and let him know during the game.
So what changed?
As long as Kobe had to prove himself to the world, the pressure was on him, and the coaches and his teammates had to make sure he had the chance to get a hot hand each game. It didn’t matter whether he was cold game after game, the plan was that if Kobe was playing, he would have the ball.
In November, Kobe only made 29.3% of his field goals and 20.6% of his three-pointers playing an average of 32.1 minutes in 11 games.
Can you imagine how you would feel if you were a rookie or young player excited to play with and learn from a legend, but instead were forced to endure the possible wrath of Kobe Bryant (think soft as Charmin comments)?
With retirement announced, it’s now obvious that the proverbial monkey is off Kobe’s back.
He was so worried about what the reporters thought of him; he thought they hated him. And if you listened to them talk you might have come to the same conclusion. Almost within a flick of a flame, post-retirement announcement, the press loved Kobe, he just gave them a story they could report on for the entire season!
Dec 2, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) waves to the crowd while leaving the floor after the Lakers
Now Kobe can relax and enjoy all the fan adulation, because this season has become all about celebrating Kobe and his retirement.
But after losing to the Sixers, something happened overnight. Maybe on the bus trip to Washington D.C. the players spent time with a different, “happy” Kobe?
Honestly, these NBA players and their fans have not been having any fun this season, it’s been excruciating. But things turned around the next evening in the nation’s capital. The 2-15 Lakers were about to take on the 7-8 Wizards.
In the first minute of play, with what seemed to be a majority of Lakers fans in the arena, both teams appeared to want Kobe to succeed. He hit a three, then he hit two more.
Kobe was back and Kobe was happy, winning was no longer the ultimate goal, it was to show off to his fans. He had so much fun that it was contagious and his team was pumped up. Everyone was performing at a high level and as a team!
It ended up being a very exciting competitive and close game and the Lakers pulled out their third win.
Maybe the team has finally found their groove, and these young Generation-Y players responded to a happy supportive and demonstrative Kobe Bryant.
Next: Kobe Bryant 'I Thought Everybody Hated Me'
Being serious and a perfectionist who had to prove himself to the world wasn’t working, but it’s nice to see Kobe finally adjusting to the end.
Hallelujah! Let’s hope it lasts.