Kobe Bryant’s legacy has taken a baffling hit in recent years. What was once universal admiration has taken on a different form for some media voices, who have even gone from praising him to questioning his greatness.
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These are the same people who once smiled at him, acted like his friends, and now opportunistically cast doubt on a legacy that no longer has a voice to defend itself. Tracy McGrady’s recent comments were a prime example of that.
McGrady suggested that if the roles were reversed, he could have accomplished what Kobe did — win three consecutive championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe loyalists around the world pushed back hard, of course. They weren’t about to sit quietly while one of the greatest to ever play the game was picked apart for attention.
NBA players, too, are taking a stand now. Kyrie Irving, who has always held immense respect for Kobe, recently stepped up and shut down the slander. Joining the likes of Olden Polynice and Matt Barnes, Kyrie took it personally.
“I’m not letting people come on and talk about Kobe like Kobe wasn’t one of the best that not only played, but came in as a 17-year-old against grown men,” said Irving.
And by the time this man was 22 years old, he had a few championships, and he was busting the best of the best’s a**. Y’all knock that sh*t off,” the Dallas Mavericks star added in a recent stream.
Kyrie had to set the record straight about Kobe Bryant on his stream pic.twitter.com/P1pk5CfGY7
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) July 23, 2025
Irving dismissed the casual talk from media heads who make comparisons without understanding the weight of Kobe’s journey. He made it clear that not everyone can walk that path or carry the burden he did. “Y’all [are] not like that. It’s okay. Not everybody can be Kobe. Not everybody can wear those…shoes,” he said.
Bryant’s influence went beyond the game, too. Irving highlighted the full story of how Kobe became immortal, not just for what he accomplished, but for what he overcame.
Kobe’s legacy goes far beyond the rectangular floor. His mentality, the people he inspired from all walks of life, and the generation that picked up the sport because of him are all part of that legacy.
What made Bryant different was his resilience through failure, his obsession with greatness, and his constant evolution. The disrespect, which began for whatever reason and to whoever’s benefit, indeed needs to stop.
