Kobe Bryant Headed to the Rafters
September 13, 2017
On December 18th, 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers will not only be taking on the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center but they will be putting an NBA legend into the rafters. Into the rafters forever will be the numbers 8 and 24 to represent one of the greatest Lakers of all time, Kobe Bryant. Kobe not only was one of the NBA’s top players during his time in the league but also managed to bring home 5 titles for Los Angeles. He was one of the few players to spend his entire career with one franchise, spending all 20 of his seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only was Kobe one of the greats, but he will be the first player to have two numbers retired by the same franchise.
Growing up watching Kobe Bryant for most of his career, I have developed a love-hate relationship for him. As a Celtics fan, my hate for Kobe burns deep as I’ve seen the countless games and titles won and lost by the hands of Bryant, but in the same breath I am astonished by his craft and the passion that burns inside him. Kobe has that mentality that Michael Jordan had when he used to play. Not only will Kobe beat you but he will stomp on you till the final buzzer sounds. That has developed into the “Mamba Mentality” which only the Black Mamba (Kobe) possess.
To recap Kobe’s career we will hit on some of his key career accomplishments. Kobe is currently 3rd all-time in scoring behind Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 33,643 career points. He has won 5 titles and 1 MVP throughout his illustrious NBA career. He also was an all-star in 18 out of his 20 seasons, 17 seasons in a row to end his career. He was a 15-time All-NBA selection and a 12-time All-Defensive selection. One of the greatest accomplishments Kobe has made is becoming such a successful NBA superstar when being drafted out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
A big question that was proposed after his retirement in 2016 was which number would be retired? Kobe equally wore number 8 and 24 in 10 seasons each and accomplished about the same amount in each number. From 1996-2006 he wore number 8 and was an 8-time all-star, 4-time All-NBA, and 3-time NBA Champion. From 2006-2016 he wore number 24 becoming a 10-time all-star, 7-time All-NBA selection, 2-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP, and winning his one and only MVP award in 2008. Ultimately, the Lakers decided to do the best thing and retire both 8 and 24 in honor of Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He accomplished so much in the NBA and is marked as the ultimate competitor. Seeing his name and numbers go into the rafters of the Staples Center in Los Angeles will be something that all NBA fans will love to see. No matter if you were a Lakers fan, a Celtics fan, or any fan, everyone has respect for Kobe Bryant. He has hit so many clutch baskets, scored 81 points in a single game, and even scored 60 points in his final NBA game. He is one of the most deserving players of this honor and I have the utmost respect for him.
Written by Nick Kazandijan
