Bryant basks in love at All- Star weekend
Players, fans feted star with tributes, gifts and stories
From the opening tip against LeBron James to the standing ovation at the end of the Western Conference’s 196- 173 victory, the Kobe Bryant lovefest never wavered during Sunday’s NBA AllStar Game.
This tribute wasn’t just about the Los Angeles Lakers star and what he’d accomplished in the past 20 years. It was about the ripple effect it had on them all, from James to Stephen Curry to Russell Westbrook to Chris Paul and the rest. Love him or hate him, Bryant was the Michael Jordan of his generation.
There were lessons taught along the way, from the ruthless way he went about the job to his dedication. They might not have always liked him, but they had to respect him. And before he was gone, they were sure to share a few memories on this weekend of reflection — his 18th and final All- Star stop.
“It’s the stories of when they first came into the league and they were matching up against me, and just kind of the little things that — an elbow here or a steal here, and then wanting to earn my respect at an early age, right?” Bryant said. “Coming into the league, playing against me, wanting to prove to me that they were as competitive. When I hear those kind of stories, man, that makes me feel real good because over the years you’re competing against each other. Those aren’t stories you’re ever going to share with somebody that you’re competing against, right? But at this stage, it feels absolutely wonderful to hear these those things.”
It’s the only silver lining of his season of suffering. The Lakers’ irrelevant standing ( they have the league’s secondworst record at 11- 44) hasmade it easier for peers to pay their respects. The notion of him finally facing James in the Finals is dead, a disappointment considering that one or the other has made an appearance on the game’s greatest stage in each of the past nine seasons. There isn’t even a remote possibility of Bryant battling any of these elite talents in the playoffs, and so they have spent the season saying goodbye before he was even done.
“Kobe’s last game before the ( All- Star) break was in Cleveland, ( and) it was just bittersweet being out on the floor with him knowing the matches between us two are coming to an end soon,” James said. “We’ve got one more in March in L. A., but when you get that opportunity vs. a great man, you just have fun with it. I know it’s been overwhelming for him over this year, but our fans across the world and here in the States and here in Toronto, as well, have just been paying so much respect. … Man, I’m happy that I’ve been along for a small piece of the ride of his journey.”
As has been the case all season for the 37- year- old, Bryant’s actual performance came nowhere near matching his persona. It wasn’t bad, though: 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
He faced off with James early, the Cleveland Cavaliers star slapping the floor and smiling from his defensive stance before Bryant missed a jumper. By the time it was over, James had passed Bryant on the All- Star Game career scoring list ( 291 to 290).
There was a full- circle component, as Bryant spent time courtside visiting with NBA greats Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell. In the days leading up to the game, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming spent time in Toronto while offering a reminder of how quickly a career can come to an end. Not far from the court, the other half of the Lakers’ old dynamic duo, Shaquille O’Neal, cheered with the rest of them. After Bryant left the floor, he shared a heartfelt hug with another old partner, former Laker and current Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol.
“Kobe means something to everybody individually as a basketball fan and including us, as players,” said Curry, the reigning MVP from the Golden State Warriors whose father, Dell, was in the NBA for six seasons alongside Bryant. “So you kind of have a lot of different thoughts about what he means to the game and how he inspired you and myself growing up. I’ll remember that for sure. … Like they said, there will be videos and pictures down the road that we’ll be in, and that will be pretty special.”