Kobe Bryant is, at worst, the second-best player in the NBA. In thirteen seasons, he's won three NBA Championships (yes, they're HIS, too), an MVP award, two scoring titles, been an eleven-time All-Star, and owns all kinds of NBA records. He is universally recognized as the best closer in the game, and is three wins away from another NBA Championship (and first Finals MVP, if they win).
Yet, Kobe Bryant is probably the most hated player in the NBA, and has been for some time.
Since he's come into the league, he's been accused of being aloof, arrogant, vain, self-centered, out for dolo, and every other way that a player can be described as "selfish." People say he shoots too much or that he's not a good teammate; people throw in his face that he's not Michael Jordan. And they're right. Michael took way more shots than Kobe did.
I'm not saying he hasn't been a selfish player at times; he has been. I just don't think that's a reason to hate a player as much as Kobe is hated, because Kobe being selfish doesn't mean that his 81 points against Toronto wasn't amazing. But we all know that's not what this is about. After all, hating a player for being great is really stupid. Unfortunately for Kobe, he gave his detractors their reason for making their hatred legitimate.
He "snitched" on the beloved and untouchable Shaquille O'Neal. What a reprehensible act.
Now, I don't know what that has to with admitting that Kobe Bryant is a great player. I also don't know exactly when snitching became an unforgivable sin.
Was Kobe wrong for telling the police what he told them? Yeah, he was. At the same time, the man was being interrogated by the police over a rape charge, and this is a guy who (as far as I know) had never been in trouble with the police before. There's no telling what was going through his mind at the time. He was probably scared, because unlike so many of us, he actually had a lot to lose. You'll have to excuse him for not being a hardened criminal like the rest of Thug America. At 24 years old, he was too busy winning championships to get in shootouts with the police.
Personally, I don't hold that one against him. Shaq was understandably and rightfully upset with Kobe. Of course, Shaq also shouldn't have been cheating on his wife, but we can't expect superhuman behavior like that from our professional athletes. That's just silly.
But all of that happened in 2003 and Shaq has gotten past it. I don't know if he's actually forgiven Kobe, but they're on speaking terms again. Shaq has even expressed a desire to return to the Lakers when his Phoenix deal is up.
Yet, everyone else is still holding Kobe's youthful mistake against him. Remember, he was only 24 at the time. That was six years ago. You know how much dumb stuff people do in their early 20s? There's a long list of things on that list that are worse than what Kobe did. Now, how much of that do you want to keep having thrown in your face when you're 30?
How would you feel if your girl kept throwing in your face how you cheated on her in 2003? If it was me, she'd be talking to an empty room, because I would have left her in 2004. Who wants to be around someone who won't let go of the past?
There are so many of us preaching about forgiving our public figures; preaching about letting Michael Vick live his life now that he's out of jail, but not a day goes by that someone doesn't bring up that Kobe's "a snitch." Now, I could be crazy, but where I come from, financing and participating in a dogfighting operation is way worse than telling the police that Shaq uses hookers. We can forgive Michael Vick for committing an actual crime, but we can't let Kobe live this down? Is this real life or is this a Chris Rock stand-up special, because that's n-word logic at its finest.
The truth of the matter is that people didn't like Kobe since he left Lower Merion, and since they didn't have a valid reason not to like him (perceived arrogance is not a reason), they waited until something, anything presented itself and rode it into the ground. When it comes to Kobe Bryant, people act like middle school girls; treating Kobe like crap because both of you wore the same dress to the 'Enchantment Under the Sea" Dance. And here I was thinking that we were all grown-ups.
The only person he wronged was Shaq and the only person he needed to apologize to was Shaq. He must have done it, because we all know how touchy Shaq can be. If he hadn't apologized, Shaq probably would have released a single about it, with an accompanying dance by now. So unless people are somehow attuned to his soul and can still feel the unresolved hurt from Kobe's words, that should be the end of it.
I'm not defending any wrongs that Kobe has committed in his life, and that's not the point here. We all know he did wrong, but he didn't commit genocide or sodomize children; he wronged his teammate. Everybody makes mistakes, and in comparison to many of our own mistakes, his wasn't that bad. If you think you were worthy of forgiveness for yours, then you should probably let this one go. If you don't like Kobe, let it be for something that like might go in his Hall of Fame entry, like the time he crushed your team in the playoffs, Denver. Not because his rape trial was held in your state. A lot of things have changed since 2003.
And so has Kobe Bryant.
I still hate him
Plus he raped a chick, can we still dislike him for that?
i don't hate kobe because he committed adultery, after all more than half of men do and its basically a rite of passage for youth professional athletes. while i can admire his basketball skills, everything he does after the game and the whistles seem to be staged and carefully planned by his PR people. he's contrived, whines after virtually every call. as human beings, shaq and lebron are much more inviting and genuine people, and i wish kobe could relax a bit and try to be himself
How about how he ripped members of his team and threw a hissy fit after getting exactly what he wanted (a shitload of money and Shaq out of LA)?
I don't hate Kobe. I hate David Stern. Well... hate is a strong word...
Hate Kobe all you want but you're wasting your time. LOL
In the grand scheme of things, Kobe is a pretty outstanding citizen, and for the most part a classy guy: well spoken, smart as hell, and a major role model in terms of how to work your butt off to get what you want.
And also to the haters, that rape crap is getting old, find new material or something.
the only reason people hate kobe is because he is not playing for their team
I find it interesting that Kobe haters always point to these flaws in his character as a reason why you should hate him too. Yet they seem to not notice those exact same flaws in many other atheletes. He shoots too much--yeah so did Jordan and AI and nobody calls them selfish.
He whines about uncalled fouls-- After championship #2 Jordan whined about phantom fouls every single game and no one called him on it.
He ran Shaq out of LA-- and since then Shaq has played for 2 different teams so whats your point?
If Kobe released and album and made of movie playing a genie would yall like him more?
Kobe is a great player, but his attitude sucks balls. He's an arrogant jerk and nobody wants to deal with a person who thinks their God's gift. So therefore I will continually to be on the "Hate Kobe bandwagon".
see people like erica want to hate on his character and you don't even know the guy i bet he is a great guy to hang with you think lebron is a great people person cause of all these commercials but i bet he's a jerk behind closed doors but nobody wants to believe that. and the Anonymous guy you don't think jordan complained about his teammates and threw hissy fits they made a book about his complaining. all kobe doing is telling the truth and everybody gets offended while your "savior" lebron gets a pass for being a sore loser woooow and yall call him the next jordan
1998 all star game. Kobe made it known he was gunning for Jordan that game. Even talked about how he asked MJ for some pointers on reading defenses. Not one minute later while being interviewed when asked about sharing some of those pointers, he says "I'm not sharing my secrets" Up until that point, I had high hopes for Kobe. He IS THE GREATEST player in the game right now. No doubt. But he needs to cut the facade. Everything about him IS Jordan. He's been seen studying MJ's interviews even. I mean it's okay emulate THE GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME, but that's a little extreme.
First of all, I find it funny that people say they don't like him because he's arrogant. Every sports athlete worth anything is arrogant. If you don't believe that you're the best and nobody can touch you, then you just need to quit. Tiger Woods is the most arrogant guy there is and puts on a fake persona for the media. (I know from personal experience) But nobody gets on him about it.
Kobe haters want you to hate Kobe and love Lebron the so-called king. Yet who was the one that acted like a damn baby when his team lost. At least Kobe took his as woopin from the Celtics like a man should last year. Maybe Lebron should be emulating Kobe.
Now Damon has made an excellent point. All athletes, whether football, basketball, etc. that know their great are arrogant as hell. Since when does being arrogant even matter? People need not blame athletes, but blame the media who soup up these athletes.
Kobe did not rape that girl!!! People were also wrong about the MVP selection.
I grew up a child of Los Angeles, the number one Lakers fan during the "Showtime" era. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would root against my childhood team, especially against the Celtics, but Kobe has caused me to do this. I absolutely hate the guy. Although ratting out Shaq is part of the equation it's his arrogance that drives me up the wall. After hitting an early shot against Shane Battier in the first game of the Houston series he's running down the court yelling, "he can't guard me". He is the best player in the league, of course Battier can't guard him. I don't need to hear that from Kobe. We Los Angelino's are confident not cocky. His disposition is better suited for the East coast where I hope he ends up. That way I can get back to being a Laker fan.
hes the truth and has been 4 a very long time
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im late to comment on this but.....so what. for the people who hate kobe because of his supposed "arrogance". Do you also hate D-Wade? LeBron? KG? Are you all long time haters of Mutumbo with his finger shaking? As for that Ex-Laker fan, players talk crap on the court of every basketball game thats ever been and ever will be played. Professional or not. Thats just the way it is. If ANY of you could play on the level of a Kobe, or Melo or even a Paul Pierce you would all be jaw jackin every chance you got. I can admit, i would. Face it, if he were on your team you'd love him.
Man I am tired of people hating on Kobe in fact before you hate get the facts when he what people say snitched on Shaq remember how it happen he was in the police station he was setting around talking with a police officer and said Damn man I should have done what I heard players like Shaq say they do and paid the girl the next thing he heres is that he said Shaq paids the women hes with to keep quite now the rape thing he didn't rape this girl this is not the first time she has done this either ask the hockey player she done this to and her friend that she told I am going to get paid from one of these athletes now lets move on to Shaq and Kobe people saying he drove Shaq out of town all Kobe wanted from Shaq to come in camp in shape and ready to play which he didn't think back when Phil told Kobe I need you to take over for a while until Shaq is in shape and ready and for about 12 straight games there he scored what was it 40 points or more plus if you recall in February of that year the Lakers offer Shaq a new deal that he refused it was around 25 million a year and you say Kobe drove him out no he wanted out when he went to Miami you see the shape he was in thats all Kobe wanted from him in LA Kobe goes about the game to win and works hard at it and I think people hate that because hes not on there team and they want that think about they say he shoots to much as the people who has AI Wade Paul on there team and they will say I love them hey wait now the shoot just as much look back Bird MJ Isiahi they shot just as much hell MJ and Isiahi was in there teammates face dogging them if they didn't get them the ball so get off this mans ass stop the jealousy.