Kobe Bryant: Playing Through Pain Grows His Legend in Marathon at Staples

On a chilly night in Los Angeles, Staples Center was buzzing with electricity and energy. Kobe Bryant was running through pain.

As each overtime ended, he did not sulk and put his head down because he had to run around for five more minutes trying to win a game against the Suns.

Not this guy. Not this team.

Instead, in the middle of the third overtime, struggling to get a basket, Kobe Bryant set up for a huge three-pointer with a hand in his face.

And he drained it.

Again.

A legend—that is what Kobe is. His story is a legend.

Yet, people continue to write him off. People continue to say he's getting old, and this is the last year in the Lakers championship window. People continue to call him selfish for getting on the court after a tough loss at Miami and improving his game.

Folks, when will it stop?

Those who watched the game will understand the unbelievably excellent game Kobe Bryant played tonight. The game should have been over in the third quarter. Kobe was controlling the pace, making shots flat on his back and leading his team to victory as usual.

Then, he sits on the bench, and the lead evaporates.

He returns, and he bails out his team yet again.

A foolish foul was later committed by Lamar Odom in the first overtime which extended the game.

Kobe bailed them out.

And most importantly, an immature elbow by Andrew Bynum which made the league suspend him, kept the team shorthanded for the second consecutive game.

And for the second consecutive game, Kobe bailed his team out.

Mr. Bryant has bailed out his team more times than our government has bailed out banks.

Yet, there is this sense of underappreciation for arguably the second-greatest non-center of all time. Just that line probably made some people cringe.

The day after he won his fifth ring, all the attention diverted to LeBron James' free agency. Everyone claimed the Heat were favorites to win it all.

Kobe flew under the radar. He continued to dominate in the first part of the season leading his team to an 8-0 start. Then after signing a lucrative deal with Turkish Airlines, he faced backlash from his hometown Armenian fans.

And Kobe rightfully focused on what was more important—his career and his game.

Finally, the Lakers hit a few struggles in the middle of the season and every sports pundit said that the Lakers were done after this year, and Kobe is aging.

How did he respond?

One loss since the All-Star break.

Oh yeah, and let's not forgot how he responded after that one loss.

A 90-minute shooting rampage after the game because he was upset about the way he played. And he still received criticism that he wants attention and the spotlight. It's like a good student getting a B on an exam and studying extra hard to get an A and being called selfish for it. Absolutely ludicrous.

Folks, Steve Nash is 37 and is second in the league in assists. Think Kobe can't be successful at 37? At 32, he is still successfully playing in games with injuries that would keep some guys out. He's played in three straight NBA Finals and an Olympics. Obviously, he'll get injured a few times. But that does not mean he's done!

Do not forget that with the possibility of a lockout, Kobe may have more time to rest next season, and a shortened NBA season may be very advantageous for Kobe and the Lakers to build their legacies.

And if and when he does, it will be interesting to see if people find a reason to complain about Kobe.

My advice to them: Those who resent success will never have it. So sit back, relax and admire this transcendent athlete.

Because quite frankly, there just aren't many like him.