Kobe Bryant won his first championship without Shaquille O’Neal in 2009. He was asked what it felt like to be the main guy.
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When Kobe Bryant finally shut down the noise and won his fourth championship, he did so without the help of another dominant athlete.
The news cycles were awash with how he conquered the NBA without the help of a certain dominant big man, a man by the name of Shaquille O’Neal.
The burden was already a lot, Bryant had to endure constant lambasting from analysts who said that he had no mettle, that he cannot win without another superstar, and that he can never be the main guy.
Sometimes, silence can be deafening. When the Lakers legend finally proved his haters and doubters wrong, the silence was deafening.
Kobe Bryant on winning his first championship as the main guy (2009) pic.twitter.com/URNiHLI7a3
— KobeFiles (@KobesFiles) July 8, 2022
Kobe Bryant wins his first championship without help, crushes all the fear and doubt, says he it is not fair to be asking if he feels good to be the main guy
The summary makes everything clear, Kobe didn’t care if he was the main guy. According to him, if you even have to ask what it is like to win as the main guy, you don’t know basketball.
We heard you, Kobe, that is a sensible comment.
Kobe Bryant – saison 2009/2010 ✨
CLUTCH 🥵
— First Team (@FirstTeam101) July 6, 2022
Kobe knew he had to win without another star to truly put his stamp as an NBA legend. And put the stamp he did, going back-to-back in 2009 and 2010.
His comments about being able to win, without another superstar, make a lot of sense. It is just a falsely driven narrative driven by the media.
That was Kobe’s 13th season in the league and this year another superstar did the same thing. His supporting cast was weaker than usual and they won the championship.
Kobe Bryant in Year 13 (2009):
🔸 ASG MVP, won 4th title and FMVPSteph Curry in Year 13 (2022):
🔸 ASG MVP, won 4th title and FMVP pic.twitter.com/jKK1gNXglO— ³⁰ (@StephMuse_) June 29, 2022