A superstar I wouldn't want to be friends with
As a fan of a western conference team who is not the Los Angeles Lakers, I have a general bias against Kobe Bryant. With the Lakers often knocking my team out of the playoffs, Kobe Bryant somehow getting even better as he ages, as well as my opinion (and most non-Laker fans as well) that he gets preferential treatment from the guys in black and white, my distaste for Kobe and the boys in LA is at an all-time high.
While these reasons alone are enough to root against him, after doing some more research, there are a lot other less than desirable Kobeisms that should persuade a typical fan outside of LA to dislike Kobe. In a season that has seen the Lakers in the center of the spotlight before the season, during, and most likely after, while they are underachieving, I think a fair look into disliking Kobe is in order. If his recent decision to get a Twitter account isn't enough of reason, his public jabs at Dwight Howard and Dahntay Jones should be more than enough fuel to fan the flame. Below are reasons why the normal fan has every right to dislike Kobe Bryant.
He is uncoachable: While this maybe isn't a reason from some people to hate players, the fact is, it shows the player has some issues. After Phil Jackson’s first departure from the Lakers, he wrote a book that was a tell-all about the Laker drama during his time at head coach. In said novel, Jackson not so subtly alluded to Kobe Bryant being uncoachable. Though his words were something along the lines of the superstar having “obnoxious tendencies,” the sentiment was definitely portrayed. This is coming from the man known as the “Zen Master.” He also coached Rodman, yet called Kobe Bryant uncoachable. Wrap your mind around that small tidbit.
Public outcries denouncing teammates: While being a person who calls out teammates all the time is obnoxious in itself, Kobe Bryant likes to call out teammates via public avenues. This, in fact, has been something he has done for awhile. In the early days of Bynum as a Laker, when the franchise made the deal that brought him into town instead of Jason Kidd, Kobe publicly made statements about Bynum. Since he was untested and Kidd was already a legend, Kobe was furious and made that known via the media. Little did he know that the addition of Pau Gasol mixed with Bynum would lead to back-to-back championships, but regardless Kobe lost his cool. Though this situation should have been a learning one, Bryant has continued on this trend throughout his career. Most recently he knocked Dwight Howard for not playing through injury. In the past he has made public statements about Pau Gasol’s lack of passion, and even made public statements about requesting trades. Tact is not a word in this superstar’s vocabulary.
The elephant in the closet: I’m not one to kick a man when he is down, or to try someone as guilty before proven that way. With this being said, the scandal in Colorado does not bode well for Kobe Bryant. In 2003, Bryant was arrested in Eagle, Colorado in regards to a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee where Bryant was staying. While the case was later dropped because the accuser refused to testify in court, Kobe was open about his sexual encounter with the girl. At this point, Kobe Bryant was already married to Vanessa Bryant. The scandal marred Kobe’s image, and though it wasn't tried, it did show him to be an adulterous athlete.
While these character flaws may not be enough to sway all public opinion of Kobe Bryant, they are definitely not a comprehensive list of his plights. The list doesn't even begin to acknowledge the Shaq incident, which result in the big man getting traded. Regardless, a fan’s choice is a fan’s choice. While Kobe is a future All-Star and one of the best in the game, he definitely comes with his character “traits.” He is definitely a player whose skills you would want on your team, but he may not be the actual player you would want sitting on the bench next to you during one of his meltdowns. His All-Star caliber play is a far cry from mirrored in his ideas surrounding team camaraderie.
Photos courtesy of Sports with Silverman and ESPN
