Kobe Bryant Divorce: Lakers Star Will Be Even More Motivated to Win This Season

With reports that Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa has filed for divorce, the Los Angeles Lakers star will be even more motivated to perform well this NBA season, despite this latest off-the-court issue for the superstar guard.

An angry Kobe is bad news for the rest of the NBA.

He is already the most competitive player in basketball, but with a new reason to prove his doubters wrong, Bryant could have a spectacular season this year for the purple and gold.

Bryant, perhaps more than any other player in basketball, has been able to conquer adversity and become an all-time great.

Kobe will use the frustration of this whole situation to dominate the NBA and lead the Lakers deep into the playoffs yet again.

He is 33 years old and cannot be expected to take over games like he used to, but Bryant still has the rare ability to win games in the fourth quarter, even when opposing defenses know that he's getting the ball on every possession.

Bryant has a lot to prove this season. He has to show he can be productive without Phil Jackson, who won five NBA championships with Kobe and the Lakers.

He must also prove the Lakers are still able to compete for a title despite an aging roster and the slim chance they acquire a young star such as Orlando Magic star center Dwight Howard.

The media will make a big deal of this divorce, but don't expect Kobe to be negatively affected on the court.

He will use this hardship from his personal life as fuel to have one of his greatest seasons of his storied career. 

The 2011-12 has not started off well for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, but for a veteran team that is used to dealing with adversity, they are more than capable of weathering this storm and having a successful year.