How a Last Stand in London Would Impact Kobe Bryant's Legacy

After five NBA championships, an MVP award, two scoring titles, 14 selections to the All-Star team and an Olympic gold medal, there's not much left for Kobe Bryant to accomplish.

He may have fallen short of Michael Jordan's superhuman legacy, but then again, who hasn't?

The room for improvement remaining in Bryant's career is claustrophobic at best. And yet, we always seem to expect something more from the guy. We expect an A+ when his report card shows nothing but A's.

In reality, a last stand in London would have a marginal impact on Bryant's legacy.

It would serve as a reminder more than anything else, an opportunity to explain on the world stage what Los Angeles Lakers fans already know: Kobe still has it.

Yes, there are times when it seems like all he has is a bout of amnesia. Has he forgotten how to pass the ball? Has he forgotten that he's 33 years old and not quite as explosive as he once was?

At times, he seemed to do just that against Argentina, shooting 3-10 from the field and forcing the action on several occasions during a third quarter in which the United States played an otherwise perfect game.

The symbolism of said quarter was unmistakable. Kevin Durant couldn't miss. Kobe couldn't catch a break. If the torch hadn't already been passed in this year's Western Conference Semifinals, these Summer Olympics just might have done the trick.

Whether Kobe still has the torch in his hands, he remains incredibly dangerous when he has the ball.

And while he tried to do a bit too much against Argentina, he looked quite good in the first quarter. Perhaps we can chalk this one up to the guy who regularly leads the NBA in usage rate struggling to acclimate himself to less frequent touches.

If there's really any doubt about Bryant's value, though, ask yourself how many players on this star-studded roster you'd rather take the final shot.

There may not be a final shot for Bryant to take in London, but he'll certainly have his opportunities to put a stamp on Team USA's pursuit of gold. When he inevitably does, we'll be reminded why head coach Mike Krzyzewski put him in the starting lineup.

Bryant isn't the only one with amnesia.

Though he seems to have forgotten his place on a roster overflowing with talent, we've forgotten that he remains one of the game's very best players.

A compelling Olympic performance just might change that.