August 24, 2008. According to Kobe Bryant, it’s the day he achieved his greatest professional accomplishment. It’s the day he won his gold medal. What if it’s simultaneously the worst day of Kobe’s career and he doesn’t even know it? You’re thinking I’ve lost my mind. More than likely; but hear me out. I’ve touched on this before, but at approximately the 8 minute mark in the fourth quarter, with Spain on the verge of a huge upset, Dwayne Wade pulled Kobe aside and said… “It’s time for the Mamba.” In other words, on a team of the best basketball players in the world, you are the greatest. Now help us win the gold. Eight minutes and a vintage fourth quarter Mamba stretch later, the redeem team was legend. So how could this possibly be the worst day of Kobe’s career? Easy, Lebron James had a front row seat to the whole thing.
According to my always reliable source of consistent sports banter, The Hype man, and I quote, “best/worst thing Kobe ever did for his legend was play on a team with Lebron and teach him the ways of the mamba.” Throughout the Olympics, Kobe was not the go to guy, by design. His role was to defend the best player on the opposition’s team. Lebron and Wade were doing the heavy lifting in the scoring department. But when it mattered most; when Team USA absolutely had to have many, let alone one bucket, everyone turned to Kobe. What do you think Lebron was thinking? Through however many games they play in the Olympics, everyone turned to LBJ, but when it counted most, they chose another guy. It’s like a running back that drives the team all the way down the field to the one yard line and then they run a draw for the full back for the TD. You have to be aware of this, right? If mere mortals can see this, then The Chosen One must, right? I know what you may say; it’s part of the game. Sure, but it’s very different when the two best players in that game are involved.
Here’s my point. Lebron is playing on another level this season, even becoming a stout defender. The only knock in the LBJ vs Kobe argument, is Kobe is the better all around player. With each passing game, that argument is becoming less and less valid. The pundits say Lebron is doing more with less, and it’s probably true. But the Cavs are no slouches. He is making them better. He is doing things that only one other player has ever done (All praise to his Airness). Did Kobe impart the missing piece to LBJ’s puzzle? Did he inadvertently teach him how to play on a level only few have ever reached by simply playing on the same team? Did Mamba create a snake charmer? Is The Hype Man (gasp), right? Maybe, maybe not. One thing is clear. Only one of them has touched the Larry O’Brien trophy and several times over. It may be inevitable, but until Lebron defeats Kobe in a seven game series, there is no argument. As long as the only banners raised at Quicken Arena are division and conference titles, one truth will always remain…
Fear the Mamba….for now.
