Kobe Bryant accepted the (surprisingly) first MVP award of his great career on May 7th 2008 exactly as a super-star should. He emphasized in the post-game press conference that “this is not an individual award”, giving all the credit to his team mates and even at one point referring to them all as his “brothers.” His answers were humble, well phrased, polished—exactly what they should have been. It really proved to a lot of basketball fans out there that Kobe is really starting to mature as a player. Right?
Am I the only one that didn’t believe a word he said?
Kobe’s MVP award comes a little less than one year after he demanded a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers and his supposed brothers. Are we expected to just forget the Kobe from a year ago who requested a trade on the Stephen A Smith show instead of going to his organization and handling the matter privately?
The Lakers had recently been knocked off by the #2 seeded Suns in the playoffs when Kobe went on the air saying he would like to be traded. The role of the most valuable player of any team is not to insult or give up on their “brothers” when things become difficult but to support their fellow team mates in any way that they can.
In Kobe’s case, expressing to the media that he wanted to leave the Lakers was far from the best way of demonstrating his leadership skills.
I believe that it is when a person is going through a low point in their life that they show their true colors. So when Kobe sits comfortably with the #1 seed in the West, behind the podium with the MVP trophy he has been waiting his whole career to win, it neither impresses nor fools me when Kobe says that the Lakers have won as a team.
It is amazing that 15 more regular season wins and a #1 instead of a #7 seed in the playoffs is all it took to turn the team Kobe wanted no part of a year ago into the family he cannot do without at the present.
Did Kobe play like an MVP this season? Absolutely. However the only reason his team mates are his brothers right now is they are playing well. If they were not, Kobe would be throwing them under the bus and demanding out of LA. Some MVP.
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5 months ago
Kobe Bryant's play during the season was exactly what it was, MVP-esque. He is one of a handful of players who played ALL 82 games. He played a third of those games with a finger WHICH REQUIRES SURGERY. He did this because the Lakers were IN THE PLAYOFF HUNT DURING THE SEASON. Because he did, the Lakers managed to grab the top seed in the West.
You need to get your facts straight. Kobe's trade demand happened in the off season the Lakers WERE NOT "in the thick of a Western Playoff Hunt." You are miserably confused. It shows because you are trying to conflate what happened in the off season with what happened during the season.
Remember, the MVP award is given for PERFORMANCE DURING THE SEASON, not during the OFF Season.
from 4 months ago
That is true, do you think you would've been on the same road when he had those sexual assault trials?
I don't think he did it, but whether during or off-season, these issues do come into play on MVP status.
And to say that they were not in the "thick of the Western Playoff Hunt", how conceited is that? "Oh, we can't compete, so let me go!"
And it wasn't like the writer said he was upset by it, it was the fact that he said it on a radio show and not to the organization!
Plus, his brothers: Vujacic, Luke Walton, Farmur, Odom, Turiaf, Radmonovic, and Bynum were all on his team. You are saying that the best player in the NBA, the BEST PLAYER, NEEDS MORE PLAYERS?
He can have his Gasol and eat it too, and he deserves his MVP. But this article is pointing out more to his selfishness, the hierarchal quality of getting an MVP, and the contradiction of giving the award to the same brothers you dissed for not being good enough the year before.
He might as well said, " Thanks for the Gasol trade, because I have been with the same guys the last two years and they ain't worth crap".
Same players - Gasol = Trade
Same players + Gasol = Brotherhood.
Good article. Keep up with the best George.
5 months ago
Thank you for your thoughts and candor George. I thought it was in March Kobe requested a trade, I suppose it was May? I am in no way suggesting Kobe did not play like an MVP throughout the season. He is an incredible player I am not "miserably confused" about that at least.
5 months ago
Please read the following article and get the dates straight. Once the date is straight you will then find that the central premise of your article does not exist. You wrote: "ago who started requesting this trade well before the season was over?" The Laker Season WAS Over!!!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=KobeTradeRequest-070530
5 months ago
Nice, thanks for the link George! I have corrected the time of Kobe's trade demand and apologize for getting them wrong in the first place.
4 months ago
Kobe Bryant is very selfish no question. He is very talented and had a MVP season last year. He has his loyal fans and his haters. Like most NBA players these days. Depending how you feel about Kobe will determine which way you feel towards him. I for one think he deserves to be in LA becasue of all the bright lights and show biz atmosphere. I just hope Boston wins the Finals this year.
3 months ago
I agree with you on this though I personally feel it would not matter who is on Kobe's team. Yes it is and will be Kobe's team as long as any team has Kobe Bryant. What brotherhood? I liked that. Keep it up man and thanks for the edits! Appreciated!
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