Bleacher Report - Articles by Tyler Nelson

NBA Trades Out-Hype the Draft

Tyler Nelson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:01:31 -0400

It is fitting that the draft, commonly thought of as the weakest in years, was outdone by trades.

When Orlando and Cleveland met in the Eastern Conference Finals, Orlando walked away with the last laugh. On draft night, Orlando countered Cleveland's Shaq acquisition with their Vince Carter pickup. Coincidence? I think not.

Clearly, O'Neal and Carter are both on their way down the peak of their respective careers. In fact, this night's draftees were still in grade school when Carter and O'Neal came into the league.

These moves were made out of desperation. Cleveland knows that now may be the only time to convince LeBron to stay. Orlando could taste supremacy this season, only to watch it slip away in the final round.

So what do these trades mean for these teams? Do these elderly statesmen have enough in their tanks to make a difference? Do they even fit with their new teams' rosters? Let's take a closer look.

Shaq to Cleveland

On paper, Cleveland didn't risk much in this transaction. Shaq's gargantuan contract expires next year, and the departed, Ben Wallace & Sasha Pavlovic, will hardly be missed. In reality, Cleveland risked everything. LeBron may pack his bags if the Diesel isn't the right piece and Cleveland can't win a title next season.

Shaq's presence will be felt one way or another. That's what immovable objects do. Whether this presence will be positive or negative is the real question.

The best case scenario is that the double-teams commanded by Shaq will give LeBron more room to operate and free up Cleveland's array of one-dimensional shooters. His body will wear down Cleveland's newest nemesis, Orlando, and neutralize Dwight Howard.

Cleveland's undoing in the ECF was largely due to the inability of the Wallace/Illgauskas combo to slow down Dwight Howard. Finally, Mo Williams won't have to be the No. 2 option, a role he wasn't ready to play against Orlando.

The worst case scenario is that Shaq's immobility will be a problem in defending pick-and-rolls. His loitering in the offensive lane will clog things up for LeBron, whose jumpshot isn't good enough to remain on the perimeter. His ego will be damaged when LeBron steals all of his publicity.

I'm guessing the Cavs' regular season record will be impacted negatively by this transaction. It will take the team weeks, if not months, to become accustomed to having Shaq on the court. Defensive rotations will change, offensive spacing will change, and LeBron's development as the team's leader will by stymied.

However, Cavs didn't make this trade to win the regular season. They made this trade to win the postseason. Acquiring the Diesel was monumental for Cleveland's chances to outlast Boston and Orlando in the 2010 playoffs. As those playoffs will probably make or break the franchise's future with LeBron, this was a great move.

Carter to Orlando

Bringing in Carter shows Orlando's commitment to the here and now, sacrificing the future promise of Courtney Lee to get a few twilight years from Carter.

The first question I have is: Who's going to take the last shot on this roster? Lewis and Turkoglu showed icy veins time and again this postseason. Carter has provided late-game heroics throughout his career. I suppose this dilemma is a good problem to have. The only thing I know for sure is that Dwight Howard won't be taking the last shot.

The best case scenario is that Carter will flourish in the pinstripes. His three-point proficiency and ability to finish in the open court will mesh perfectly with Orlando's open style of play. If teams struggled matching up with Turkoglu and Lewis in '09, adding Carter to the mix could make the matchups nightmarish in '10. Now, all five Magic starters are all-star caliber players.

The worst case scenario is that Carter is lost in this offense. He isn't accustomed to sitting in the corner awaiting a kickout, which is what Magic players not named Dwight Howard do best. He doesn't handle the ball enough to play his game, and his ho-hum attitude takes the fire out of Magic bellies.

I think the Carter pickup will solidify Orlando's domination of LeBron's Cavaliers. LeBron couldn't cover Hedo and Rashard simultaneously this season, and nobody else on that roster could cover either of them. With Carter and Turkoglu interchangeable as ballhandling wings, Orlando will pick-and-roll Shaq to death.

With a healthy Garnett, however, I still don't see Orlando beating Boston in a seven-game set. Carter will help the Magic if they make it back to the finals, but getting there will be a tall task.

Memorable Draft Day Moves: L.A. Lakers

Tyler Nelson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:04:31 -0400

Now that the season is over, draft talk is in full swing.

While this year's class bores me overall (although I contemplated a piece on Ricky Efron-Rubio), years past have provided all kinds of intriguing moments. Franchises have been built by ingenius picks and destroyed by negligent picks.

Over the years, the Lakers have been a model of consistent success. So what moves have they made to build greatness and which ones were temporary missteps? In honor of their '09 championship, let's take a look back at the most monumental decisions made by Laker brass on draft day.

5. 1977 NBA Draft, Kenny Carr (sixth overall pick)

In a baffling decision, L.A. selected Kenny Carr with the 6th overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft. In doing so, L.A. passed on future all-stars Bernard King (seventh), Jack Sikma (eighth), Rickey Green (16th), and Eddie Johnson (49th). So how did the Forward from NC State fare in Purple & Gold?

Carr put up 6.2 and 7.4 ppg, respectively, in his first two seasons in the league before the Lakers gave up on their investment five games into his third season. Carr would later travel around the league for another eight seasons as a journeyman, with mildly effective stops in Cleveland, Detroit, and Portland. To the Lakers' credit, they did steal Norm Nixon with the 22nd pick in the same draft year.

4. 1962 NBA Draft, Leroy Ellis (sixth overall pick)

Even great franchises make bad calls sometimes. The Lakers selected this "promising" young big man with the sixth overall choice, bypassing John Havlicek (who was picked next at No. 7). Ellis was decent in his four seasons with the Lakers, but capped out at 12 ppg in his last season in L.A.

However, it wasn't so much what Ellis didn'tdo, but more what Havlicek did do that came back to haunt the Lakers. Havlicek was a thorn in L.A.'s side for the next decade-plus, one of the key reasons L.A. kept finishing a close second to Boston in the NBA playoffs.

3. 1996 NBA Draft, Kobe Bryant (13th pick via Charlotte)

Jerry West took a chance in trading long-time crowd favorite Vlade Divac for the unproven, college bypassing Bryant. I don't even think the Logo knew how fortuitous this decision would become.

We know the history: Bryant went on to team up with Shaq for three titles, and won a fourth without the Big Fella this season. Equally impressive is the fact that in a league marked by player movement and free agency, Bryant has remained in Laker gold for his whole career. Wise decision, Mr. West.

2. 1975 NBA Draft, David Meyers (second overall pick)

After appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated in college, Meyers was picked 2nd overall in the 1975 draft, only behind future Hall-of-Famer David Thompson. Meyers went on to play only four seasons in the L, putting up modest averages of 11.2 points and 6.3 boards per outing. Dumbest pick in NBA history, right? Not so fast.

After being drafted by the Lakers, he was packaged with three other half-wits and shipped to Milwaukee for Lew Alcindor. We all know what happened next...

1. 1979 NBA Draft, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson (first overall pick)

The Lakers struck gold in landing the first pick in the 1979 draft and made the no-brainer choice to select Magic. The four picks that followed L.A.'s selection? David Greenwood, Bill Cartwright, Greg Kelser, and Sidney Moncrief. I'd say the Lakers made the right decision here. Magic went on to team with Kareem and James in bringing home five NBA championships and a plethora of close seconds. He was the catalyst of the "Showtime" era and solidified the franchise as the second-best in all of pro basketball.

Final Words

I flirted with the idea of including the Jerry West and Elgin Baylor selections on this list, but kept them off in the end. Going through the team's draft history, it is easy to see why the Lakers have remained good (or great) for most of their history. Unlike many franchises (ahem, Sam Bowie), they made the right decisions in the offseason.

Live Game Four Blog: Laker Homer Edition

Tyler Nelson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:49:45 -0400

Keep in mind, this is coming from a Laker fan. Thus, the below observations are completely biased.

1st Quarter:
- Kobe line-drives an 18-footer 78 seconds in, we get our first teeth-clenching moment.

- Gotta give it to Courtney Lee, he's got an awful lot of confidence for a rookie who blew a game-winning layup and missed two wide open threes to start the game.

- Bynum picks up the obligatory 2nd foul with 8:42 left in the first. True to form, his foul was wasted, not hard enough to prevent a three-point play, not soft enough to avoid the whistle.

- Kobe forces another shot early in the shot clock. Will he ever take the ball to the basket again?

- Skippy throws in his second prayer of the game. He's a different player at home.

- Kobe FINALLY decides to take the ball to the basket and gets a three-point play. The NBA: where amazing happens.

- This is the "hardest" Jeff Van Gundy has seen Howard play for a six minute stretch... in this series... in the games in Orlando... while the Magic have had the lead... and Courtney Lee has two fouls. Riveting stuff.

- Was it irresponsible for ESPN to have the coach's brother commentate these games?

- Speaking of the Van Gundy's, the interview of Papa VG was priceless in game three.

- I love it when Turk complains that he got fouled. It's kind of like watching Bobby Brown protest against domestic abuse. If Bobby Brown had been born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

- Tony Battie sighting.

- Orlando fans boo when Kobe rips through, raises up, and draws the foul. Have they ever watched Turkoglu play?

- DJ Mbenga sighting. Drumroll please... Josh Powell sighting.

End of 1st: Magic 24, Lakers 20

2nd Quarter:
- Luke Walton starts things off with a feathery jumper. He has played terrific basketball all playoffs long.

- Proof positive that Breen is an idiot. "J.J. Redick has become a facilitator this year under Stan Van Gundy." I checked the stats: Redick averaged an eye-popping 1.1 apg this season.

- Turk is making himself some money this series. He's playing all-star ball.

- Magic by 10. Maybe their game three shooting (and the Lakers' defense) wasn't a fluke after all.

- In case you were wondering, Marcin Gortat cannot guard Pau Gasol.

- Bynum makes his first legitimate post move in 96 hours. In other news, Americans elect their first black president. Wait...

- Dwight Howard grabs his 47th rebound of the half.

- With no other low post options, L.A. subs-in trainer Gary Vitti. Maybe he will box out Howard.

- Mark Jackson criticizes SVG for not subbing Turkoglu on the last offensive possession. Shockingly, JVG quickly changes the topic of conversation.

Halftime: Magic 49, Lakers 37

3rd Quarter:
- Since when did Brian Scott become the spokesperson for the Lakers?

- Bryant pulls up and hits a three on the slow break. Camera pans the Magic bench as Pietrus drops his warmups.

- Ariza hits his third straight shot, and it's a five-point game. And the Magic just lost 10% of its playoff fan base.

- In breaking news, Kobe likes Hedo as a player.

- Question for SVJ: when a player is one-dimensional and that dimension is failing, why would you keep him in the game? Sub-out Redick.

- The refs confer with Fisher, who calls it Laker ball.

- Maybe Howard shouldn't have sprinted every possession in the first half... he looks winded.

- Orlando looks lost without Turkoglu on the floor.

- In the most amusing play I've seen in recent memory, J.J. Redick tries a Hedo/Kobe pump, lean, & chuck and actually expects a foul to be called.

- I stand corrected. Kobe trying to man up on Howard is the most amusing segment I've seen in recent memory.

End of 3rd: Lakers 67, Magic 63.

4th Quarter:
- SVG tries to weather the storm by starting the fourth with Tony Battie in the lineup. Nice.

- Why doesn't Shannon Brown play in this series? He would give Skippy fits.

- Wow. Pietrus blows the 1-on-0 break. That's a game-losing play right there.

- Did Jameer Nelson gain weight and shrink during his layoff? He looks like Muggsy Bogues tonight.

- After Pietrus hits a three, Kobe hits an impossible three, check that, two, in Pietrus' face. Coincidence? I think not.

- Even JVG is annoyed by the "hand down, man down" phrase at this point...

- Whenever Dwight Howard makes a free throw, I feel like a flock of seagulls has just crapped on my head.

- Pietrus is one of those Stephen Jackson/Travis Outlaw players, the player who has no concept of good basketball play vs. bad basketball play. These types of players tend to play well at the end of games because they have no filter and aren't bothered by the moment (because they don't understand what "the moment" is). 76-75 Magic.

- The lost 10% of June Magic fans are back again.

- David Stern walks over to the Laker's bench and takes back the embroidered "best closer" chair when Kobe misses a wide open three.

- Mark Jackson offers his apologies to SVG for questioning his playing "Muggsy" Nelson in the fourth quarter. JVG bites his tongue.

- Does that "best closer" chair belong to Trevor Ariza?

- Stern calmly walks the chair over to the Magic bench and slides it under Turkoglu as he sits down. Magic by 5 at the timeout.

- Kobe takes a horrendous three as the rest of the team watches. This is getting old.

- Howard misses first of two. This one could make it a two possession game. Shot's up... and out. The Lakers have life.

- Fisher hits the second-biggest shot of his career, and JVG's partiality comes out as he chastises Jameer Nelson for leaving him open.

- 4.6 left, tie game. SVG is contemplating subbing-in Courtney Lee.

- Pietrus misses the buzzer-beater. So much for my above theory.

End of 4th: Lakers 87, Magic 87.

Overtime:
- Lewis starts things off with a "magical" three. Okay, I apologize to anyone who just read that.

- Kobe with two straight. Stern sneaks back to the Magic bench to reclaim the "best closer" chair.

- Pietrus blatantly whacks Bryant on the wrist. No call.

- Howard hits 1-of-2 to make it a tie game with 1:30 left. The Magic team doctor resuscitates SVG.

- Gasol swears in espanol as Nelson hooks his arm on the rebound attempt.

- Fisher hits the third-biggest shot of his career, and Breen finally gets a chance to talk again. Lakers by 3.

- After a Bryant elbow, Nelson's teeth would be intact if he ever kept his mouthguard in his mouth.

- France and Spain square off. Advantage: Spain.

- Game, set, match. Series over, folks.

Final: Lakers 99, Magic 91.

The Five Most Polarizing Athletes of This Era

Tyler Nelson — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:27:27 -0400

Polarize (v) - "To cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions."

In my previous post about Kobe Bryant, I called him the most polarizing figure in sports. Today, I put a little more thought into this claim, identifying the professional athletes who have elicited the most bipartisan reactions from fans in recent years.

I started by brainstorming the historical players who met this criteria, but quickly learned that that was far too difficult an exercise. There is no way I could create a responsible list of the all-time most polarizing/controversial players when I either: a) wasn't alive or b) wasn't coherent enough to really get a feel for the reactions they brought forth in fans and the media. Consequently, I've narrowed this list to the five most polarizing athletes of the past 20 years.

Honorable Mention: Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Ron Artest, Dennis Rodman, Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley (retired), Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, The Manning Brothers, Pete Rose (retired), Mike Tyson, Jose Canseco (retired).

5. Shaquille O'Neal
The Diesel didn't make this list because he is the center of controversy (like Roger Clemens or Ron Artest). He made this list because ever since he has entered the league there have been two camps. One camp calls O'Neal the best center and most dominating force of his generation (or even all-time). The other says he was simply bigger than anyone else and did not dedicate himself to the game (pointing to his free throw percentage and lack of conditioning).

Perhaps the biggest factor in including O'Neal on this list is his media-fueled feud with Kobe Bryant. Since Kobe is the most polarizing athlete in the game, anything Kobe creates a rift amongst fans. Stemming from the Kobe-Shaq feud, Kobe's supporters generally dislike (or even hate) O'Neal and Kobe's naysayers generally praise O'Neal and his accomplishments.

4. Terrell Owens
T.O. stirs up self-inflicted controversy every year. From calling out every quarterback he has ever played with to crying after a playoff loss, overdosing on pills to contract disputes, self-proclaimed greatness to crunches in his driveway on ESPN and don't forget the trend-setting touchdown celebrations, he is constantly the center of attention.

The only reason T.O. isn't higher on this list is that there is a sizeable disparity between the amount of fans who love him and the amount of fans who hate him. Every sports fan with a pulse in San Francisco, Dallas, or Philadelphia dislikes him. Older generation fans generally dislike him, and younger generation fans are split. At one time or another, most fans have at least admired his on-field accomplishments or physical attributes even if they later made the switch and became T.O.-haters.

3. Alex Rodriguez
Any time a player is dubbed the next big thing, there is bound to be a mixed reaction. That's exactly what happened when Rodriguez came into the league as a young talent. Any time a player gets those types of accolades and clearly believes them to be 100 percent true, the reaction is even stronger amongst fans. Then, when that player suits up for the most polarizing team in professional sports, these reactions are only further magnified.

Rodriguez's record-breaking contract, postseason struggles, MVP trophies, relations with Madonna, and steroid admissions have all elicited mixed reactions and made him the focal point of the media. Just like the team he plays for, you must love him or hate him... there is no middle ground.

2. Barry Bonds
Barry has never been a media darling, even while compiling some of the most prolific stats in his sport's history. There isn't much debate as to whether Bonds is a "likeable" public figure. He is standoffish, arrogant and unapproachable by fans. The debate, and the cause of the mixed reactions to Barry, are his statistics.

The general assumption is that Barry took steroids for at least a portion of his career. In the process, he broke baseball's most hallowed record and took it from a former player who was endeared by the fans and was still around to witness the feat. Many fans have embraced Barry despite the controversy and have recognized him as a top-5 player of all-time. Many others have chastised him and called his statistical contributions fraudulent. In a way, Barry personifies the greater steroid issue that has plagued baseball over the past decade. The rampant use of steroids has created a divide between baseball fans of old and new, where records and history play a bigger role than any other sport. For these reasons, Barry Bonds is the second-most polarizing figure in sports.

1. Kobe Bryant
Kobe still wins the top spot on the list by a wide margin, in my opinion. Shaq receives more love than hate, and the other three athletes on the list receive more hate than love. What makes Kobe the most polarizing figure, in the true sense of the word, is that he receives equal parts love and equal parts disdain. For every attribute praised by a Kobe-lover, there is a rebuttal for a Kobe-hater. For every accomplishment, a caveat.

Kobe ran Shaq out of L.A. /Shaq couldn't handle sharing the spotlight.

Kobe is a "ballhog" / Kobe is the best scorer in the game.

Kobe can't win without Shaq / Kobe hasn't had the supporting cast to win without Shaq.

The list goes on... and on... and on. The love/hate divide began when Kobe came into the league and grew when he was compared to the most sacred name in hoop history: Michael Jordan. Like A—Rod, Kobe plays for the most polarizing team in his sport and it only intensifies opinions about him. No matter how you slice it, Kobe is the most loved and hated, player in the NBA. Winning both of these imaginary awards simultaneously makes Kobe Bryant the most polarizing athlete of this era.

In Winning, the Magic Proved They Have No Chance

Tyler Nelson — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:02:00 -0400

The Magic played nearly flawless basketball, shooting an astounding 63% from the floor.

Five Magic players scored at least 18 points, and Rafer Alston looked like he was a legitimate player (for once).

Pietrus went French M.J. on a few shots, and most of the bounces went the way of the home team.

A normally cash money Kobe missed five of his ten free throw attempts, and the Lakers had multiple late-game brain freezes.

Despite all of these positive factors, the Magic only led by two points with 0.2 seconds left in the game.

After game two, I thought the remainder of the series was a formality. Despite the ultimate outcome of game three, this feeling only got stronger.

The Lakers played pretty well, but the Magic played out of their minds. I'd venture to guess Orlando won't have another record-breaking game of 63% rain. I'd also bet Bryant doesn't miss five of 10 free throws again in this series.

Every key player on Orlando's roster played well, and nobody on Los Angeles' roster exceeded expectations (save Jordan Farmar). Simply put, Orlando hit their historical peak and Los Angeles was at best slightly above their average.

To me, this game provided the most concrete evidence that the Lakers are a better team than the Magic. Orlando played the best they could possibly play, on their home court, against an average Laker performance, yet, barely won.

This game provided evidence that the Magic may hang around for a bit, but they aren't going to win the series. If anything, I expect a split in the 4/5 set and a trip back to L.A. with the Lakers up three to two.

If so, the Magic would need ninety-six minutes of game three basketball to win the series. Not happening.

Kobe Bryant and His Coat of Many Colors

Tyler Nelson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:28:34 -0400

As Kobe hones in on title number four, his supporters are applying the tanning oil in preparation to bask in his glory. It has been seven long years since title number three, and the non-stop chatter about his failure to win a championship without a big brother can finally come to an end.

The rest can go the argument that his supposed me-first attitude should preclude his teams from winning the ultimate prize. To them (or us, depending on how you see it), Kobe's greatness will finally be undeniable even to the harshest of critics.

Kobe's naysayers, meanwhile, are plotting their angle of attack, brainstorming the ways to undermine his accomplishments and deny his greatness. In actuality, denying his greatness has never been an approach of the naysayers.

The chosen approach has generally been to attack Kobe by claiming others are, or were, greater. Even as an outspoken pro-Kobe enthusiast, I have never been bothered by this form of "criticism." To me, attacking a player because he falls just short of being the greatest player ever (M.J.) isn't criticism at all.

It is actually a cleverly disguised praise. To even include Kobe in that conversation with the Jordan’s and Magic is to concede that he is one of the greatest players to ever play this game.

To reuse the most overused descriptor of Kobe's blossoming legacy, Kobe is downright polarizing. The most polarizing player in all of professional sports, in fact. Ever! In my tenure as a fan, which has included tedious study of the game's forefathers, I have never witnessed or heard of a player who elicited such extreme reactions from fans, who commanded such love and respect while also giving rise to such ill will and hate.

He is the individualized New York Yankees.

Since the day Jerry West took that prophetic leap of faith in bringing the young Kobe Bryant to L.A., I have watched closely. As I have studied Kobe Bryant the man, Kobe Bryant the player, and Kobe Bryant the public figure, I have witnessed the most primitive yet remarkable transformations.

His career thus far can be broken down into four chapters, each of which I feel compelled to expand upon below.

Growing Pains (1996-1999)

When Kobe entered the league as a confused, young kid with a crater-sized chip on his shoulder, I found him to be immature (even for his age). He was at one moment an innocent prototype and the next a conceded egoist.

Young Kobe fumbled over words in interviews, but had the confidence to seize the moment before his game was polished enough to do so. The commingling of his confidence and his insecurity was perhaps summarized best by his three airball performance in the waning moments against Utah in the 1997 playoffs.

A bench player at the time, Kobe stepped into these shots like he was a go-to-guy and singlehandedly wrecked the Lakers' season.

In these early years, Kobe's childlike charm was often overshadowed by an unwarranted arrogance. This was the formula for his polarizing effect on fans. This set the stage for the two camps we are familiar with today: the Kobe-lovers and the Kobe-haters.

What made him endearing to many made him despicable to many more. The lovers voted him in as an all-star starter when he was the sixth man for his own team. The haters provided boos and mockery at each opposing arena he set foot in. Nearly thirteen years later, most people haven't wavered from their initial loyalties to these camps.

As Bryant's game developed in seasons two and three, we were exposed to the monster that lived within him. His unquenchable thirst for perfection and unhealthy need for acceptance, isolated him from teammates and fan base.

Kobe was not misunderstood by the fans so much as he was misunderstood by himself. He tried so desperately to win the favor and respect of the basketball world that he failed to understand what it would take to be embraced. The failure to make ends with humanity meet did not come without effort.

Kobe was beyond impressionable, to the point that he released a rap song when he heard he had no street credibility, praised M.J. when he heard he was a two-three imposter, and fed Shaq when he heard he was a “ballhog”. Sometimes too much is not enough -- Kobe dug his own public relations grave through these futile attempts.

Blemished Supremacy (1999-2003)

By the time the 1999-2000 season rolled around, Kobe had exhausted all efforts to be the NBA's poster boy. Kobe turned his cheek to the criticism, embarking on a journey to prove all naysayers wrong. In the process, he had helped build a mini-dynasty on the cape of an in-his-prime Shaquille O'Neal.

Bryant must have thought that winning would bridge the gap between unimpressed fan and Kobe supporters. Kobe the competitor was birthed out of his undisguised worship of Michael Jordan (trust me, Kobe's mannerisms and career track offer undeniable proof that his steps were paved by the observance of His Airness), and he saw the fan-filled fruit that was cultivated by Jordan's championships. I can't say I blame him.

Three championships later, Kobe's public persona had only experienced subtle changes. The three-peat stimulated talk of basketball immortality, but his character flaws and the looming shadow of Shaq dwarfed the level of respect that he should have received.

Winning soon became habit more than fulfilling, and a rift between the two stars left most on the lovable giant's side. This was the beginning of the end for the Shaq-Kobe duo and the Lakers' spot at the top of the hill.

Failure (2003-2007)

After the threepeat, winning was not enough for Kobe. He had to be revered as the best player in the league, but first he had to be revered as the best player on his team. For the first time since pre-2000 Kobe, we saw his stubborn side again. Consequently, Kobe's Lakers were upended in the NBA Finals by a far less talented Detroit squad.

Team's triumph over individual led many to believe that Kobe was a cancerous presence for the purple & gold. Upon Shaq's departure and subsequent success in Miami, these beliefs were strengthened and perpetuated by the media.

By this time, he held the undisputed title of the best two guard in basketball, but was excommunicated after legal troubles and a lack of winning without the Diesel.

Despite all of his individual accomplishments, Kobe was also without the ultimate individual accolade: an MVP trophy. It is hard to say whether he was more bothered by losing games or by watching Steve Nash hoist back-to-back MVP trophies.

His "look-at-me-now" performances over this period suggest the latter was equally important as the former. Kobe put up an astounding 35.4 ppg in the 2005-06 season despite his team's meager 8th place finish.

Along the way, he scored over 60 points twice, including the absurd 81-point outing. Inexplicably, Bryant decided to refuse shots in game seven against Phoenix in the same season, proving a point at the expense of his team.

During this middling period between championships, Bryant took on a me-against-the-world attitude. It was a strange phenomenon where Kobe was so much better than anyone else that he actually controlled his own statistical output. He was anything but reactive to the defense, opting instead to oscillate between deadeye scorer and facilitator.

This was done partially as an experiment, to determine the best formula for winning while playing on a team with many imperfections. But more than anything else, it was done to prove that he was just that good. Rather than channeling his superiority in a fashion that would better the play of his team, Kobe channeled his superiority to engage in Kobe vs. Media, Kobe vs. Fan, Kobe vs. Lakers, and Kobe vs. Kobe battles. In the process, Kobe blasted his teammates when they failed and was jealous when they succeeded.

By the summer of 2007, Kobe appeared half-ready to give up. He had failed to win a championship without Shaq, had failed to win an MVP by his own devices, and had failed to win the affection of the basketball world by being jagged.

His trade demands and public criticism of Andrew Bynum were an ugly display of his selfishness and frustration, and I thought he was destined for a general admission ticket to the hall of fame when he could have sat courtside.

Redemption (2008-Present)

After the near-implosion of the Lakers in the summer of 2007, Jerry Buss delivered in a big way by stealing Pau Gasol. By doing so, Buss showed Kobe that he was still more concerned with building a championship contender while continuing to develop young talent for the future.

This transaction in and of itself breathed new life into Kobe, and for the first time since Shaq's departure he was confident in the team's direction.

With this new confidence, Kobe matured overnight as a player. Until then, all of Kobe's efforts to put the team ahead of himself were visibly fabricated, unauthentic. In early 2008, Kobe passed because teammates were open and shot because he was open.

His predetermined game approaches were no more, and this translated to more wins than losses. Adding a player of Gasol's caliber surely didn't hurt the Lakers' on-court performance, but Kobe's transformation was the most important factor in the equation.

Although his statistics in 2007-08 were similar to the numbers he posted in the previous two seasons (maybe even worse), Kobe's transformation into an authentic leader did not go unnoticed. Kobe received his first NBA MVP award at the conclusion of the regular season, and was showered with praise until the Lakers' six-game failure to the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Even in ultimate defeat, the majority of the external blame was placed on the Lakers' lack of toughness inside rather than Kobe's inability to win the big one.

While Kobe's athleticism has slightly deteriorated over the past several months and LeBron James has been ushered in as the newly crowned king of the league, we have witnessed the most effective basketball of Kobe's career during this year's playoffs.

He has taken over in stretches and looked mortal in others, but for the first time in his career he appears to be playing reactive basketball without reacting to his critics' faulty logic. His focus has been nothing short of mesmerizing, and his movements calculated but improvisational.

In 2009, it has all clicked for the Black Mamba -- just in time to put a cap on his legacy with his fourth championship as a player and his first as a true leader. When he hoists that trophy as an NBA champion later this week, his lovers will still love and his haters will still hate.

That's just the way it's always going to be. I just wish that in love or in hate, we would look at him for what he's become and not what he hasn't.