Kobe Bryant reveals what it takes to play for an iconic franchise like the LA Lakers, talking about dealing with the pressures and the legacy.
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A franchise that has had the likes of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and most recently LeBron James don its uniform. The Lakers are one of the most popular teams in all sports globally.
The LA-based team shares the title for the most no. of NBA championships with the Boston Celtics. The two arch-rivals have seventeen championships, respectively. There is no denying that the touch of Hollywood makes the franchise more attractive, the fact that it has a host of celebrities supporting it.
Though the faces on the Lakers Mount Rushmore are debatable, nobody can argue the late Kobe Bryant’s presence on it. The Black Mamba played his entire 20 seasons career with the purple and gold, delivering five championships to the franchise.
In an old clip, Kobe addresses what it takes to wear the purple and gold uniform, adding that one doesn’t need to be convinced to play for the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant talks about carrying the Lakers legacy.
As the sporting world continues to reel from the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his legacy continues to inspire every one of his fans. The Mamba had an iconic NBA career, providing his basketball services solely to the Lakers. Kobe scored all of his career 33,643 points in a Lakers uniform.
The two-time Finals MVP is one of the few superstars to play their entire career for one organization. Thus Kobe understood the double-edged sword of being a Laker. The eighteen-time All-Star has his fair share of lows with the team but would immediately bounce back.
In one such old clip, the Hall of Famer talks about playing for the iconic purple and gold.
“It takes a special person to want to play for [the Lakers]. And take the pressure that comes along with playing for this franchise.”
– Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/faybatamHA
— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) February 28, 2022
“The pressure of following Magic’s footsteps, myself, and like the dynasty we’ve had, it takes a special person to do that. And If I need to convince you to come here to carry that legacy forward, you ain’t the one to be here.”
Kobe’s message does make valid points, as we all know that the Lakers fans love their basketball. The Lakers Nation does not hesitate to call out their superstars if they fail to conform to standards.
The most recent example of LeBron James getting booed showed us the excessive competitive zeal of the fans.
