I was never into the NBA when Kobe was in his prime. I got into the NBA around 2014-2015 when LeBron went back to the Cavaliers and the dominance of the Golden State Warriors which was during Kobe’s twilight years. So my view of Kobe is mainly at looking back at his career and I do not understand the hype. I can see how Kobe is a top 10/15 NBA players of all time but I do not see him being top 5. Honestly I have him barely into the top 10 at the 10 spot. So can someone explain to me Kobe’s greatness that should put him in the top 5 echelon? I am not trying to downplay Kobe or his achievements, I am genuinely asking.
If you can see how Kobe is a top 10/15 player all time, then how come you don’t get the hype?
A lot of people see Kobe in the 9-12 spots, and I haven’t seen a consensus for Kobe in the top 5 to begin with.
But to answer the question - in addition to the rings, the resume, and the game, Kobe also played for the most glamorous franchise in the league (and in the running for ritziest sports franchise in the world), and if that wasn’t enough, his career arc also played like a Hollywood drama. Enters the NBA as the prodigy, then becomes the charismatic sidekick to Shaq. Wins the threepeat, then the drama becomes too much, the Colorado incident happens, and suddenly Kobe is the pariah. He becomes the Black Mamba, goes into ronin mode, drops 62 in 3 quarters and 81 in Toronto, but struggles to lead his team deep into the playoffs. Lakers make the Gasol trade, he wins MVP, leads the Redeem Team in '08, rehabs his image as the workaholic who wakes up at 4am to practice, takes the Lakers to b2b titles. Morphs into the ageing great who still has it, the living legend, until he tears his achilles - and that is when you got into the NBA. You weren’t there for everything before. And even then, he drops 60 in his last ever game.
In addition to everything else, he was larger than life, and encapsulated Hollywood like no other LA sports star since Magic. For me, that’s why there was and still is so much Kobe hype.