Kobe Bryant may have been the most impactful Laker of all time, just in terms of how his popularity and loyalty to the franchise helped them grow massively.
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Kobe’s legacy was built up by everything he achieved in his career, his five rings, Finals MVPs, scoring titles, and more, but a major part of his also the fact that he spent his entire career with the Lakers.
In an era defined by player autonomy and the right to take your brand anywhere, Kobe chose to stay put. He stayed put even when the Lakers were rebuilding and had no superstars to surround him with when he easily could have been playing along a superstar or two had he wanted.
He made the Lakers must see TV even when they weren’t. 20 seasons. That’s how long Kobe was a Laker. Countless memories were made. Everything from pure elation to absolute heartbreak included. That’s who Kobe was for LA.
Kobe Bryant immensely increased the Lakers popularity by building his brand
Outside of just basketball, there were a number of things Kobe did to grow his personal brand. In the process, he also transformed the Los Angeles Lakers from a million dollar corporation to a multi-billion dollar franchise.
In 2013, Kobe established Kobe Inc., making his first big investment in BodyArmor. He earned about 10% of the company for $5 million. The investment paid off when Coca-Cola invested $300 million in BodyArmor at a $2 billion valuation which pushed Kobe’s stake to $200 million.
More than just investments, Kobe was also looking to put himself out in the world through various mediums. He founded a media company named Granity Studios in 2016 which pushed out books for adults. Then, he wrote and narrated the Oscar winning short film ‘Dear Basketball’ which told the story of his basketball career and how in the end, his body couldn’t keep up with his love for the sport.
All of these moves and a lot more made Kobe a very popular athlete during his playing days. This in turn greatly benefited the Lakers who signed a 20-year, $4 billion TV deal with Time Warner in 2011, pushing their operating costs above $100 million. In general, the Lakers were worth around $200 million when Kobe was drafted in 1996. They now stand at $3.7 billion. If that doesn’t speak to Kobe’s legacy, then nothing does.
