Kobe Bryant passes away, it’s time for Lakers Nation to unite eras

Lake Show Life celebrates Kobe Bryant’s life the best we can while showing Lakers Nation that it does not matter who you love. Whether it be Kobe Brant or LeBron James, Lakers Nation is family.

Kobe Bryant was passed by LeBron James last night in a loss to Philadelphia for 3rd place in NBA’s all-time scoring list. The next day, Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash.

This was supposed to be a different article. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Kobe Bryant is in the news for a reason that makes every typed word filled with tears and genuine heartbreak.

Kobe Bryant perished Sunday along with his daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash. He was 41, she was 13. The information is very fluid as of this writing. There were no survivors.

It is reported that five people in total were killed in Calabasas, California, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That number rose to nine according to CNN with later news updates.

The crash comes one day after Bryant was passed by Lakers forward LeBron James for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

As late as 10:39 p.m. ET on Saturday night, Bryant was active on social media, congratulating Bryant on Twitter during the Lakers 108-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Who knew that classy post this might have been his last post on Earth.

https://twitter.com/kobebryant/status/1221276426164269056

LeBron James marked his sneakers with a gold marker with “Mamba 4 Life” and “8/24” out of profound respect for Bryant. LeBron James had the kindest words of respect for the man he would eventually pass on the scoring list via ESPN.

"“It’s another guy that I looked up to when I was in grade school and high school,” James said. “Seeing him come straight out of high school, he is someone who I used as inspiration. It was like, wow. Seeing a kid, 17 years old, come into the NBA and trying to make an impact on a franchise, I used it as motivation. He helped me before he even knew of me because of what he was able to do. So, just to be able to, at this point of my career, to share the same jersey that he wore, be with this historical franchise and just represent the purple and gold, it’s very humbling and it’s dope."

Even though this is a great achievement by LeBron that is now completely bittersweet, now there is a way to really honor Kobe Bryant, the way he would want us to. He really would want all Lakers fans to unite and let the fanbase or “stans” that quote who is the better player while demeaning the other.

For the next few days, this horrible tragedy on a large-scale and LeBron’s achievement on a smaller scale will be scrutinized and overly analyzed by sports media outlets around the world. After they are done, social media will carry on the debate of who is the better player of all-time. It doesn’t matter, Kobe Bryant is an icon, he passed the keys to the franchise’s future.

LeBron’s fans will come out of the woodwork to talk about how LeBron James is the greatest Laker of all time even though he hasn’t played a full two seasons yet. With the power of editing video clips from Cleveland and Miami, they will make their arguments. It needs to stop.

Kobe’s fans will point to the 20 seasons he gave to the franchise, with the three final seasons played after a career-threatening torn Achilles tendon. Bryant shooting his free throws before walking off the floor cemented his legacy in the pantheon of Laker icons. That and the five championship rings that he was a major factor in bringing throughout the early 2000s. It needs to stop.

There was no real beef. Only rumors. Hear it from the legend himself when LeBron James was signed to the Lakers last year.

Lake Show Life takes a look back at the relationship between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

LeBron James came to the NBA straight out of high school. Kobe Bryant had to pave the way.

After the game last night when LeBron James passed Kobe’s scoring mark, LeBron James talked about what Kobe Bryant meant to him from his as far back as high school. It’s a must listen and it does sum up the amount of respect that LeBron has for his NBA colleague.

He stated his feelings via ESPN after the game.

"“I’m happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant. One of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers,” James said Saturday night. “The man got two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center. It’s just crazy.”"

At this time, it really is important to resist the now common urge to compare eras and careers of these two all-time greats. On Saturday night, James eclipsed one of the more significant milestones in his career passing Kobe Bryant for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Being a part of one of the biggest fan bases in not just the NBA but of all sports in general, Lakers Nation needs to celebrate the great history of the 20 years of two separate eras of Kobe Bryant in two separate jerseys. That’s history. That’s a part of the great lineage that is the Los Angeles Lakers franchise that spans 60 years.

Just as you celebrate Kobe Bryant, enjoy the current era of LeBron James’ journey and appreciate his part in breathing life back into a franchise that was struggling.

With all the comparisons between LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and even Michael Jordan with the G.O.A.T. conversations, there are similarities with these players, but there are many more differences. No matter what those are, the admiration, love and respect of the game are what all basketball fans should focus on.

Being great men that influence other people around the world is what’s important. Statistics are unimportant. But all three men actually influenced each other.

Kobe actually influenced LeBron James by paving the way for high school players to have a chance to BE drafted in the NBA. In the 90’s there was no one and dones or playing overseas like things go today.

They competed against each other and trust Lake Show Life on this point if not anything else. Kobe Bryant made LeBron James a better player through competition. Why? Because of Bryant’s competitive drive. If LeBron doesn’t match that intensity, he’s going to get destroyed on the basketball court.

Sometimes, in life, you have to be around people who are better than you at your craft so you can learn. Michael Jordan knew it. Kobe Bryant studied Jordan and took it to the next level. Now it’s up to LeBron to carry on that legacy.

But this is bigger than basketball here. Listen to Jay Williams‘ plea about what’s really important in life and how Kobe Bryant helped him to see that there are bigger things than basketball.

Let’s look back in happier times when these two players help bring back pride to the Olympic team.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant combine forces to restore not only the reputation but the culture of U.S.A. Basketball.

This past summer was a huge disappointment for the U.S. Basketball team. It was nothing compared to how bad things were way back in 2004. People forget that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were on that Olympic team when they were in Greece.

That Bronze medal team was embarrassed, uninspired and by the way, LeBron and D-Wade for some reason sat at the end of the bench barely getting any time during the entire tournament. This debacle changed the way U.S. Basketball set their roster. This writer can’t be sure but will speculate that Kobe Bryant was one of the reasons that James and Wade decided to come back and try again in 2008.

Just look at this video behind the scenes between the two players. Trust me, it was widely reported that it was not nearly as light-hearted and fun.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1221115726095843330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1221115726095843330&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D109086%26action%3Dedit

With the world catching up to the U.S.A. in basketball and the implosion of the 2004 Olympics. CEO of U.S.A. basketball, Jerry Colangelo reached out to these two players that were the undisputed Kings of the NBA to lead the team back to greatness and Olympic Gold.

In a prior interview, Kobe Bryant talked about the mind frame, the adjustments and the focus needed to bring the Gold medal home.

Again this is about the influence that these two players collectively had on the Olympic team we have today. Soon we will be competing again in the Olympics. Think of where the basketball program would be if these two do not team up with Jason Kidd to make it even cool for NBA players to invest their time for 18 months.

As sad is this article has been, let’s look back at the good times. How about when the Lakers dynasty really started.

Kobe Bryant started the Kobe/Shaq dynasty and completed the most famous alley-oop in playoff history!

This game was supposed to be over. The Portland Trail Blazers were killing the Los Angeles Lakers going into the 4th quarter by 15 points. Most NBA fans talk about who was the deadlier Kobe as opposed to the number on his jersey. People rarely discuss the difference of the bald Kobe to the one with the afro.

This was the player with the afro. Kobe Bryant saved the season, probably some players on the roster and on the coaching staff with an iconic 25 point, 11 rebound and seven assist performance that started a three-year title run with a dominance that hasn’t been seen before or since.

Look, bring up the Warriors if you like, but the combination of Kobe playing seamlessly with Shaquille O’Neal could not be stopped. Shaq was the modern-day Wilt. Kobe was the next Jordan.

People forget O’Neal wasn’t having the greatest game scoring 18 points with nine rebounds. It was Kobe Bryant breaking down the defense and spearheading that amazing comeback. The Lakers erased that 15-point lead in the blink of an eye, on the biggest stage, with everything on the line.

The alley-oop to Shaquille O’Neal will live forever. It is a flat guarantee that this play will be in the opens for playoff games and NBA Finals as long as the NBA is in the business of basketball. If this play doesn’t give you chills, you don’t understand basketball, competition or Kobe Bryant.

Noe one can talk about Kobe’s exploits without the 81 game. Shaquille O’Neal was the modern-day Wilt. In this game, Kobe was about as close to Wilt as anyone in a basketball contest.

Kobe Bryant will be always attached to the numbers 8 and 24. You may want to add 81 to that list!

Sure you may see a high school player here and there get around 80, 90 or 100 points in a game. Usually, it’s in a blowout against a lesser opponent.

This is the NBA. The Lakers weren’t that good at the time. Plus all of the points were needed because the Lakers, at one point in the game, were getting blown out by about 20 points in the 3rd quarter.

If Mamba Mentality was questioned at that time, it all died. There’s not a word to describe how hot Kobe Bryant got in the game. Let’s be clear, the Lakers needed EVERY POINT he got to win.

Enjoy the condensed version of the game where Bryant scored in a manner so amazing that one man in NBA history did it better; Wilt Chamberlain. Remember Shaquille O’Neal was gone so the Raptors basically knew that Kobe was the featured guy (Also read: THE ONLY GUY!) on the team.

The fact that it didn’t matter, put him in mythical proportions. To understand how great a player is, social media is not how it’s done. You can manipulate clips on an editing machine to create false narratives. When former players talk about you, that’s when you get the real story of how it happened.

Former NBA player turned ESPN analyst, Jalen Rose played in the game. Here’s how you know that Kobe Bryant was one of the most respected players, if not feared.

That’s how true ballers do it. Kobe Bryant’s game transcended over all of basketball, not just the NBA. His Mamba Mentality actually transcended to all sports. Lake Show Life did a piece a year ago on how he helps all kinds of athletes. Enjoy the read here.

There’s only one way to end this. Hearts are heavy but we all knew where we were when Kobe Bryant ended his career the Mamba Mentality way.

Kobe Bryant sets the NBA on fire putting on the greatest final NBA performance in NBA history.  

Kobe Bryant played his final game against the Utah Jazz. On the same night, the Golden State Warriors had all of the attention, being the first 70 win team on their way to another NBA Finals appearance.

By the end of the night, the Warriors players were watching the game in the locker room. Kobe had exploded again and got hot. Like in the 81 game years prior, the Lakers needed EVERY POINT! Kobe Bryant left the NBA in a style all by himself, scoring 60 points.

Shaquille O’Neal stated in interviews that he challenged Kobe to score 50 points. He did Shaq 10 points better. This showed the massive influence of Kobe Bryant. He turned a meaningless game into a historic event that will live throughout NBA history.

This is the type of event where people actually lie and say they were in the Staples Center. Instead of say 20,000 being in the arena, in 25 years, it will be 20 million.

Kobe Bryant scored 33,643 points in his career. 60 of them were showcased in this one. He won five championships with the Lakers and was called the greatest Laker ever by Magic Johnson.

Bryant attended only one Lakers game in the 2018-19 season and has been less scarce this season, bringing his daughter to sit courtside. Even that became a meme on Twitter showing mass intelligence.

But to the Lakers Nation, this is an important message from Lake Show Life.

When you are a superstar putting on the purple gold, it doesn’t matter the era. We are all family.

Kobe Bryant had no issues with LeBron James breaking his record before he passed on. Why should Kobe’s fans? The Los Angeles Lakers have the most entertainment rich history in all of sports. Over 60 years proves that star players were replaced going as far back as George Mikan, who was the NBA’s first star.

The point here is enjoying the moment. Enjoy the success and enjoy your life. Even though this is a tragedy of the worst possible situation, Kobe Bryant passed along with his daughter doing a shared passion which is basketball. Furthermore, it means they were building a father/daughter bond that was taken before the job was done. That’s what brings tears to many.

So when you see this play here with LeBron James passing Kobe Bryant, don’t start with the hateful comments. Use this moment to rejoice in the life of the man the achievement will forever be attached to.

To the people in the comment section or on Twitter tweeting  “Who would’ve won?” or comparing stats between these two claiming to be a Lakers fan, this site has news for you.

You’re not a fan.

Record-setting and record-breaking doesn’t always mean a high level standing in sports. It’s the athlete’s transcendence being measured not only in the sport they play but the influence in society and the people they touch during their career.

Lake Show Life ends this sad piece with the 40 greatest plays of Kobe’s career. Lake Show Life dedicates this article to Ms. Vanessa Bryant. Prayers and blessings go out to a woman who is dealing with the loss of a husband and a daughter.

To Mr. Bryant, thanks for the catalog of memories and a legacy that will live on forever after your departure. It hurts to say what you made famous.

Mamba out.