Kobe Bryant is still the King of Los Angeles - LeBron's Arrival cannot change it
"I, Kobe Bryant...have decided to skip college and take my talents to the NBA."
With these words, a 17-year-old Kobe Bean Bryant announced his arrival on the biggest stage of basketball - The NBA. He went on to have one of the most stellar careers in NBA history - donning the Purple and Gold for more than 1300 Games.
Kobe Bryant played his final game for the Lakers on 13th April 2015 and it was nothing short of a Hollywood ending as he scored 60 and went out in style. It's been only 3 years and people have already begun looking at Kobe's legacy with a jaundiced eye. Oh how quickly people forget greatness!
For all the basketball enthusiasts who started watching the game only from the beginning of this decade, Here's a gentle reminder - Kobe Bryant was the most dominant player in the NBA through a number of years.
Career Accolades-
- 5x NBA Champion
- 2x FInals MVP
- 2008 NBA MVP
- 17 Time All-Star
- 4x All-Star MVP
- 15x All NBA Selection
- 12x All Defensive Team
- 1x Slam Dunk Champion
All these awards in a Lakers uniform
Kobe Bryant is the only player in League History to have 2 jerseys retired for the same franchise. Magic Johnson and Shaq have already said on record that Kobe Bryant is the best Laker ever.
Yet, with the arrival of LeBron James to LA, people have not only questioned Kobe's legacy but have also already declared LeBron James as the Greatest Laker Of All Time. One could argue that he's the Best Player to play for the Lakers but to call him the Greatest Laker ever (when he hasn't even played a game yet) is just disrespectful towards Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaq, Jerry West and so many other Laker legends.
The LeBron vs Kobe debate is evergreen can go on forever. This article is not about who's the better player, that is up to you to decide. This article focuses on why Kobe Bryant's legacy in LA is cemented and LeBron James or anybody for that matter, cannot challenge that. Los Angeles belongs to Kobe Bean Bryant and he will forever be the only King of LA.
Here's why -
#6 5 Time NBA Champion for the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are the second most successful franchise in NBA history winning 16 NBA Championships Kobe Bryant has won 5 out of those 16. That's almost 1/3rd of the total titles the Lakers have ever won. He has tied Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson for the most rings in Lakers franchise history.
Assuming LeBron wins 2 more titles in the next 4 years with the Lakers, he will have 5 rings but only 2 of those will be for the Lakers - A unique achievement in its own way but Kobe has won 5 Rings wearing nothing except Purple and Gold and that definitely cements his legacy.