If a documentary is made about Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, these players deserve their own storylines.
The docuseries “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls is the hottest thing in sports right now; so much so that fans are clamoring at the idea of there being a similar documentary about the closest thing that has come to MJ since MJ, Los Angeles Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant.
After all, cameras reportedly followed Bryant around during his last season in the league and Bryant was featured in “The Last Dance”. The parallels are there, the storylines are there, and you could easily fill a docuseries about Bryant’s lasting legacy in the league as well as his last season.
“The Last Dance” shifts from the 1997-1998 season to how the Bulls were assembled, with key players such as Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, in particular, getting their own unique storylines to the series.
If there ever is a docuseries about Bryant, it would be impossible to not have the same dynamic with storylines around several other players as well.
Here are the Los Angeles Lakers players that would deserve a storyline in a Kobe Byrant Documentary:
1. Shaquille O’Neal
There is not a single person in the history of Kobe Bryant’s teammates that is more deserving of their own storyline in a documentary about Bryant. Shaq is Kobe’s most decorated teammate with the most history with the Black Mamba, so this is a given.
The dynamic between the two during their playing time together is still one of the most fascinating storylines in recent NBA history as if they would have stayed together for another three-four years then they could have won at least two more championships.
From their beef during their playing days to them rekindling and getting close later in life, it is a no-brainer to have Shaq featured. It is not a Kobe Bryant documentary without Shaq heavily involved.
2. Pau Gasol
Kobe Bryant’s second notable all-star teammate, without Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant may not have championship number four and five. Trading for Gasol was the spark plug to throw the Lakers over the edge and maintain Bryant on the team, so again, this is a no-brainer.
Not only can the dynamic about how the Gasol trade kept Kobe on the Lakers be explored, but the relationship between the two, which did not start off perfect, is something that would make for great television.
3. Eddie Jones
In the same season that Kobe Bryant was a rookie for the Los Angeles Lakers Eddie Jones was in his third season as the Lakers’ starting shooting guard and earned his first all-star nod. Everyone knew that Kobe would need to develop in the NBA and Jones was a big part of that.
Jones played another season and a half with the Lakers before being traded but in his time with the Lakers, the all-star was a huge part of Bryant’s development in the league. He was Bryant’s mentor.
While the team did have Byron Scott as well to help develop Kobe, Jones really was the one guy that we could look back on and pinpoint as the guy who took Kobe under his wing in his earliest days.
4. Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher is to Kobe Bryant like John Paxson and Steve Kerr are to Michael Jordan. They were not Jordan’s best teammates, but they were crucially important role players that helped make the Bulls as good as they were.
Except with Fisher, despite leaving the team at one point, he was there for all five of the championships with Bryant. Fisher is still a staple of the LA Sports community as he is the head coach of the LA Sparks.
5. Michael Jordan
Yep. It might not be a documentary about Michael Jordan, but he deserves some sort of small storyline that is a bit longer than the one that Kobe had in “The Last Dance”.
As Kobe said in his interview for the documentary, there would be no Kobe Bryant without Michael Jordan. Jordan laid the foundation, gave the blueprint for Kobe to become who he was and the competitiveness and inability for the two to accept losses is unmatched.
6. LeBron James
No more LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant debates, and this is not what this is about. However, from their time on the Redeem Team as well as one of the most anticipated Finals matchups that never happened, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have a history that will forever be entangled.
Kobe Bryant served as an inspiration to LeBron in the same ways that Michael Jordan served as an inspiration to Bryant. LeBron candidly spoke on the impact that Kobe Bryant had on his life and career after passing him in all-time scoring one day before his tragic passing.
It does not have to be long, it does not have to feature LeBron much. But you cannot tell the story of Kobe without telling the story of him passing the torch to LeBron James, not just on the Los Angeles Lakers, but as the face of the league.