First thinking first I’d like to thank Mr. Kobe Bryant for the greatness he has blessed us with the last 19 years and I have enjoyed every second of it. This isn’t an article to knock Kobe, or to say he wasn’t really that great like I’ve done before but rather to appreciate him. Regardless where you put him or what you think of him, he is a Top 10 player to ever touch a basketball. He was an exact shadow of Michael Jordan and was almost everything MJ was, just a notch below.
As a Celtics fan, when Kobe was in his prime I dreaded nights we had to go against him, just like I do with LeBron now, but more so Kobe because every loss to the Lakers is a tough one. Kobe dominated the Celtics in the 2010 finals and I remember it vividly. Getting annihilated in that game 6 and sending it to 7 I had a feeling it was over… I remember crying at the end of the NBA finals as that was one of my first years watching basketball and one of the first time seeing my team lose. I inherited the Celtics fanhood from my dad, and I think for that as I can proudly flex the 17 rings that reside in the TD Garden gracefully. Kobe was everything to the Lakers fans, and as much as I hated him, I was always in awe when watching him. Now let’s be honest, as a Celtics fan I hate the man, I really do but you have to give respect when respect is due.
Until this day, I still find myself watching Kobe highlights and games vs the Celtics over again and reminiscing his greatness. It’s pretty crazy as this is the first time in my life I have seen a true basketball great go, someone who I’ve actually saw for 5+ years and it’s probably only the second player in total seeing Jeter retire just a few years back. Kobe is one of the most liked and influential player in NBA history, and I will forever yell “Kobe” when I chuck a grenade in CoD or my crumpled up failed math test into the trash… Its truly sad to see the Mamba go….
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