San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Lasting legacy: James will carry torch for Kobe
LeBron James was flat on his back in the Lakers’ locker room before Saturday night’s game at Chase Center, and not by design. It made for a scary scene that quickly became hilarious — to everyone’s relief.
James doesn’t do pregame interviews, as a rule, but he goes through a series of rigorous stretching exercises in plain view for all visitors. So there he was, grabbing the corner of a wall with his right
hand, the palm turned outward for leverage, and leaning back with the full weight of his 250pound frame.
Whoa there! His hand slipped off the wall and the NBA’s most iconic player was sent sprawling backward, helplessly, into a small group of media.
“Oh, s—!” he yelled on his way down.
“Breaking news!” yelled Dwight Howard, with a grin, as he walked by.
“Breaking news!” said James, smiling just as broadly. “LeBron Out!”
Then he got up, calmly, and walked away as if nothing happened.
It’s a good thing LeBron wasn’t out — this night, or ever. The city of Los Angeles needs him. In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death, the entire NBA needs him. And it was so appropriate to see James and the Lakers in town as the Warriors, finally home from a long road trip, staged their tribute to Bryant.
Stephen Curry strolled into the arena wearing a white replica jersey from Bryant’s playing days. Head coach Steve Kerr addressed the media in a black Tshirt fans would find on their seats upon arrival: Above a row of nine stars, honoring all who died in the Jan. 26 helicopter crash, it shows both of Kobe’s numbers (8 and 24) and No. 2, the youthball number worn by his 13yearold daughter, Gianna, who also died in the crash.
There was a basketball game to play, but there were heavy hearts all around. Many days have passed since the terrible news came forth, but inside the NBA community and beyond, there’s a lingering feeling of devastation.
“It will be very emotional tonight for all of us to honor Kobe,” said Kerr. “Our first home game back, and it will feel strange, and we are all still grieving. It’s amazing the sense of loss, even for those of us who didn’t know him very well. Everything just feels hollow. We grieve for Kobe and Gianna and the other families all involved. It’s something that’s not going to get any easier right away.”
Right before tipoff on the enormous Chase Center scoreboard, the Warriors aired a video tribute with some oncourt highlights, glimpses of Bryant’s many moods and his voice coming forth: “I think the definition of greatness is to inspire the people next to you. That’s how you create something that I think lasts forever.”
Not long after the Lakers heard the inconceivable news about Bryant, they gathered with head coach Frank Vogel, staff members and executives, including owner Jeanie Buss, to talk things over at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo. For a while, said witnesses, there was absolute silence. Then LeBron came forth, sharing his thoughts on Bryant for about 10 minutes and leaving a deep, lasting impression on the group.
“God gave me wide shoulders for a reason,” he reportedly told them.
Perhaps people did not realize how wide. James has told the team, and reporters, that he intends to carry on Bryant’s legacy. Not only with words, or on the court, but with all he can summon from Kobe’s inspiration: community work, helping kids forge basketball’s future, displaying the fierce work ethic both men share.
The Lakers, and LeBron in particular, have gained immeasurable strength in recent months. During the second half of last season, the locker room was consumed with rumors that several of their young players would be traded for Anthony Davis. James and Rich Paul, the agent for both men, were trying to make that happen, creating a widening gap between LeBron and his teammates.
The trade finally went down in November (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart were the players involved), and LeBron set upon rebuilding his image. The Lakers are now unquestionably his team, and they are unified in their pursuit of an NBA championship. On Jan. 31, the night of the Lakers’ tribute to Bryant at Staples Center, James delivered a passionate fourminute speech that instantly found a special place in NBA history.
“Laker Nation is lucky to have him,” Vogel said Saturday night. “He’s genuine, and he’s a tremendous leader. He’s the lion in our locker room.”
By the onset of the playoffs, it will all come down to LeBron on the court. In that sense, the man is nothing short of astounding. In Thursday night’s game against Houston, James found himself alone on a breakaway and unleashed a twohanded reverse windmill dunk. For the truly devoted Lakers followers, it called to mind a Bryant throwdown against Sacramento in November 2001 — and when you place the two videos alongside each other, they are indeed identical.
But here’s the difference: Bryant was 23 at the time. James is 35, and from just the right photographic angle, he appears to have leaped about 5 feet off the ground.
LeBron had a fairly routine Saturday evening against the Warriors — 22 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists — until it came time to ice the Lakers’ 125120 victory with 17.6 seconds remaining. On the leftside perimeter, way beyond the 3point line, he buried the shot, just as he did from that same location on some very special occasions in the Oakland years. Yet another Kobe tribute hit the books, especially sweet and timeless.