It seems like so long ago, but Kobe Bryant completed one of his greatest individual NBA seasons just under a year ago after tearing his left Achilles tendon.
He started off the season shooting lights out, altered his game to drop dimes more often than some of the league’s best point guards, and finally pushed his body to the limits by playing nearly every second of every game down the stretch of a grueling playoff chase. All the while he displayed an explosiveness that resembled the afro-donning, number-eight -wearing young Kobe we were accustomed to witnessing during the early 2000s.
The fact that he put up averages of 27.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game was quite remarkable in itself, but the fact that he did all of this at age 34 and in his 17th season was even more incredible.
To put things in perspective, Michael Jordan, at age 34, averaged 29.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game in his 12th NBA season. Now, MJ is widely considered the greatest of all-time and put up those numbers on a championship team during the regular season before turning it up even more during the playoffs that season, but we’re pulling out the measuring stick for the purposes of this article.
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Jordan never had a potentially career-ending or career-altering injury. Kobe hadn’t either, that is, until the Achilles tear. Kobe came back from the Achilles injury earlier this season, but then went down with a knee fracture before we could see exactly what kind of player the Black Mamba would be at age 35, in his 18th season, and coming off a devastating injury.
With news that Vino won’t return until next season — which will be his 19th — many questions and an air of uncertainty are hovering above the Los Angeles skyline.
Just how much will Kobe’s level of play affect his legacy? Not one bit, in my book.
Let me rephrase that, actually. It won’t affect his legacy in any negative way, only in a positive one.
Let’s take a look at what he’s done so far in terms of level-of-play throughout his lengthy career.
Despite the five championships, MVP and Finals MVP awards, scoring championships, and numerous All-Star selections, Kobe has played at a consistently high level for most of his career.
For comparison, let’s take a look at some players within the realm of Kobe’s era.
Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson was certainly that guy for a few seasons. Drafted the same year as Kobe, A.I. won Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. The six-foot cornrow-wearing, tattoo-donning Iverson changed the game forever, officially marrying the game of basketball and the hip-hop culture together. He was the league’s most exciting player, and backed up his sometimes controversial ways by winning an MVP in 2001 and carrying his Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals in the same season. He would eventually lose to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in those Finals, but he was without question the league’s top star at the time.
A.I. is arguably the pound-for-pound best scorer the NBA has seen. His last dominant season was 2007-2008, when he was 32 and in his 12th season, as he averaged 26.4 points and 7.1 assists per game in 82 contests that year. Iverson, however, did not make it past season 14 for various reasons, and was far from the dominating scorer he once was, as he averaged just 13.9 points in 25 games as a Philadelphia 76er in his final stint during the 2009-2010 season. Iverson was 34 in his final season.
Vince Carter
Carter burst onto the scene in the 1998-1999 season as a high-flying, incredible dunker who could also put points on the board. In just his third season, he was averaging 27.6 points with the Toronto Raptors.
Vinsanity ensued, and Carter was one of the most popular players for his overall explosiveness.
Carter, however, battled injuries at times and began to decline as he approached the decade mark in his career. By his 11th season (at age 33), he was no longer putting up 20-plus points per game; he currently averages 11.9 points in 24.2 minutes per game with the Dallas Mavericks in his 16th season, at age 37.
Tracy McGrady
T-Mac started off slow, but by his sixth year, he was averaging 32.1 points per game with the Orlando Magic.
McGrady battled various injuries later on in his career, and failed to put up a 20-plus-points-per-game season past 2008-2009, which was his 12th season at age 30. McGrady officially retired from the NBA following the 2012-2013 season, and is now pursuing a baseball career.
Next Page: Where Does Kobe’s Legacy Stand With Current Superstars?
What About Current Superstars?
Those three players were guys that Kobe was compared with early on — ball-handling scorers who had a certain flair about them — but it became clear after awhile that Kobe was in a different league of his own at some point. Kobe won championships and was placed on the NBA All Defensive Teams numerous times, while neither of those players earned either of those. That’s not a knock on any of those players, rather a testament to how great Kobe has been thus far in his career.
Even throwing away those accomplishments and just looking at what each has been able to do on the offensive end of the court over time, the other three declined around 12 seasons in, regardless of age.
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After Kobe was leaps and bounds above the players he entered the league with, it was clear that he was competing not only against players currently playing, but other legends’ legacies.
You had comparisons with Jordan at his position, but also comparisons with others in the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) conversation, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — who is the game’s all-time leading scorer in total points, after playing 20 seasons in the NBA. (“Cap,” for edification, stopped averaging 20-plus points following his 17th season as he averaged 17.5, 14.6, and 10.1 points in his 18th, 19th, and 20th seasons, respectively.)
Sure, there were others who the media eventually threw into the “Kobe Conversation” along the way, such as Dwyane Wade, but Wade is in his 11th season and averaging 19.3 points at age 32. He has three championships, but that conversation has been over for awhile now.
Where Does Kobe’s Legacy Stand Now?
Kevin Durant — another one of the league’s remarkable young superstars — also chimed in on Kobe Bryant’s legacy recently, in an interview with Mark Medina of the InsideSocal.com:
“Of course. He’s the greatest of all time. His skill is second to none. Him and MJ are neck and neck as far as skill. You can put in athleticism and be the best passer and strongest and quickest. But it’s about skill. I think that’s how his game is played. That’s why Kobe is the top two best ever in just having skill, footwork, shooting the three, shooting the pull up, posting up, dunking on guys and ball handling. It’s flat out skill. Him and Jordan are 1 and 1 a. They’re neck and neck as far as the skills are concerned.”
“What I did is not a fraction of what he did. What guys are doing now is nothing compared to what he did. Me, Carmelo, LeBron, Paul George, what we’ve done out there in this league is nothing compared to what Kobe did. A lot of people forget. We live in a world of what have you done for me lately. We don’t remember the day before sometimes. Think back five, six seven years ago with what he was doing, it’s unheard of.”
Again, those players are alluding to some of the accomplishments and skills Kobe has over his length career. (Durant actually seems to be taking a shot at the media’s glorification of James, as he dismissed athleticism, passing, strength and quickness in favor of skill.)
Now, while his accomplishments and skills are a result of pure dedication to the game, some of Kobe’s durability and longevity thus far has been a result of luck — but I’m going to say a big part of it has been his toughness, indomitable will, and the dedication to receive ’round-the-clock treatment as well as take the necessary strength and conditioning measures to not only perform at an optimum level on the court, but also prevent injury.
The same kind of time and effort he puts into perfecting his craft goes into preparing his body to play at an elite level.
Some of you may recall the Reddit story a trainer at the 2012 Beijing Olympics wrote about Kobe’s preparation. If you haven’t read it, definitely give it a read.
Next Page: How Will Kobe’s Return Affect His Legacy?
How Will Kobe’s Return Affect His Legacy?
Following the Achilles injury and now the knee fracture, Kobe is faced with a tough challenge to get back to the top of his game. At age 35-going-on-36, it’s going to be a tough and grueling road. He may never be the same player he was. He may not even be the same player he was just a year ago since he was able to perform at such a high level in his 17th season.
At the same time, you can’t count the Black Mamba out. Earlier this season, Kobe expressed uncertainty surrounding his return from the Achilles injury. He wasn’t sure what he’d be able to do, or not do. He acknowledged that he would have to alter his game, but was well prepared to do so with the elite skill-set he possesses.
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However, perhaps a good sign and a stark change in contrast to that, is what he said in a recent interview after being ruled out for playing the remainder of this season. According to Lakers’ reporter Mike Trudell, Kobe believes he’ll be as good as ever:
Kobe on next year: “I don’t want to say I’ll be at the top of my game, people saying (I’m old or crazy). But that’s what it’s going to be.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 12, 2014
Similarly, when asked about Kobe’s return back in November, Allen Iverson had no doubts about his old rival:
“Hell yeah he gon’ be Kobe, ’cause it’s in his heart. He’s a killer. If he can’t kill, then he’s not gonna do it. You don’t have to worry about Kobe Bryant (laughing). I mean, that killer is in him regardless. If he had to go out there and play in a wheelchair, he gon’ be the best player in a wheelchair that you ever seen. So, you don’t have to worry about Kobe. If he’s out there, then he’s ready to be out there and he’s gonna be Kobe Bryant.”
As of now, Kobe’s level of play upon return is still a big question mark. Even more concerning, perhaps, is how his body will hold up following the return. He’s had a remarkable 17 seasons where he was injury free, but the last two injuries have been a result of wear-and-tear, in a way. All those 17 seasons combined with numerous deep playoff runs have simply taken a toll on Vino’s body.
Essentially, Kobe is playing with house money right now. He obviously doesn’t see it that way, and is going to do everything he can to come back at an elite level and win ring number six.
Regardless, if he comes back and averages under 20 points per game and doesn’t ever win another ring, nobody will blame him. He lasted 17 years strong, put up incredible numbers throughout the majority of his career, and gave the Los Angeles Lakers five championships to be proud of. He entertained millions of fans across the globe, and played his heart out each and second he was on the court.
If he comes back as he says, however, and is even 80-90 percent of what he was last season and stay on the court, at age 36 and technically his 19th season (after virtually sitting out his 18th season), he’ll add just one more feat to his legacy. A player who was already once considered immortal before the recent injuries would once again rise to the occasion as he has so many times in the past.
Except this time, he’ll be rising from the ashes like a Phoenix and further adding to the legend that is Kobe Bryant.
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