"It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you-or don’t. So don’t take it lightly."- Kobe, miss you Twitter- @MJ2KALLDAY
I remember this game. At the time, I hated what was going on, but Kobe was proving a point to everyone who said he was a "ball-hog." He proved that his supporting cast was terrible and could not win without him. Kobe should have won the MVP that year.
Kobe was an egotistical ball hog who couldn’t even play with Shaq. The Lakers deep pockets bought him Championships as Kobe was a great individual player who did little for his team.
Score 50 one game..."Man, you shooting too much. Stop being selfish. " The next game came out with 23 in the first half team still losing.."Hey kobe, get everyone involved." kobe passes the ball nobody makes anything. Team loses.."why didn't kobe take over the game? See he's being selfish." Hell of a predicament to be in... Phil Jackson played this one wrong.. he should have held these players on the team accountable. Instead he went with the narrative and that affected the way he coached that series.
Phil Jackson probably could of encouraged Kobe. "It don't matter if they call you selfish. Get out there and drop 40. I will hook you up with Shaq's wife if you score 45 points atleast."
Yea, that's seriously one helluva Lose-Lose situation. There were probably hours and hours worth of discussions that went no where, Kobe decided to show them instead.
This is a really great breakdown man. Life after Shaq definitely was a struggle and I remember learning about Kobe requesting a trade in 2007. I believe once Pau came around that was the official being of the second era of Kobe’s legendary career
It was crazy how the lakers were able to scoop up an all star for cookies and then cry when they weren't given chris paul. What a legacy lol. Kobe was a ball hog. So was his idol Mj.
i hate this explanation bc u overvalue pau. the lakers traded for pau in the middle of the season. kobe requested a trade at the off season. the lakers that season they traded for pau were making strides towards the right direction. we started the season 26-11 and were 35-20 before we traded for pau.. in comparison pau has never been on a team 35-20 before joining the lakers... the ship was already turning before pau joined..
@@Justinmi010i love how sports fans say we, including themself in the team. MF you are not part of the lakers. You never won a championship. Get a brain.
Jordan had to learn the same lesson when Pippen and Horace Grant started improving and getting comfortable with the Bulls and MJ.And we all know MJ was a total-PRICK. LOL.
Jazz allowing Derek Fisher to go to LA, was very generous (thoughtful for his Daughter). Smush Parker moved on, which was big. trading Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, and Aaron McKie, for Pau Gasol, was the beginning. Gasol created a trickle effect. he was a perfect Robin for his teammates. allowed Bynum to play off of Kobe and Gasol, as a Robin's Robin. allowed LO to play off of Kobe and Gasol, as a Robin's Robin as well. Gasol and LO's game just clicked, much like Kobe and Gasol's game. Gasol and Bynum had nice moments too. huge for the Lakers. trading Maurice Evans and Brian Cook, for Trevor Ariza, was crucial. eventually with Vladimir Radmanovic moving on, paved the way for Ariza. that needed to happen in the 2008 Playoffs. except Kwame, everybody I mentioned that went on to other teams, was horrible on D. horrible
@@powerbadpowerbadJordan and Horace Grant are just as much street as each other. Horace Grant talked smack to Phil Jackson's face because in The Hood you don't let people tell you what to do. That was a different era when most NBA teammates fought each other because thats how you handled business. Thats why Isiah Thomas said the Jordan Poole punch from Draymond Green meant nothing in the '80s. Saying it happened all the time on his team and that was normal. Today, social media tells people (and you) to be soft. But in the '80s and '90s it wasnt like that.
@@powerbadpowerbadJordan was a different story. Kobe was called selfish, but everyone wanted to be like Mike. All the commercials were saying Jordan was the best. Bird was saying MJ was the best. Jordan had charisma and protection Kobe did not have. Steve Kerr joined in 1995 and Jordan punched him in 1997. So no, MJ did not change. He is a guy that grew up in The Brooklyn Hood.
What's crazy about that season is for most of it, he was 25th in assists... with THIS roster... as a SHOOTING GUARD. There are more than 25 starting PGs in the league.
Imagine playing one way the entire year then suddenly you change the game style for game 7. Your team wont be ready. Then you have Kobe nuthuggers of course blaming everyine but Kobe
@@moneyball647missed the point Then and today…instead of admitting their wrong the Media Switched Up Prior he was being called a Ball Hog, To Going Crazy and still losing at half(Kobe isn’t getting anyone involved) that’s why this Game happened The Media Changes the criteria so they can have a Reason to Criticize Kobe
@@lilharold No like him YALL commenting about something but either not saying the full truth or don’t know. Phil Said “ the Gameplan was to get everyone else involved” when Kobe was the reason they were up… So he listened to Phil
Nah but this shit narcissistic as hell. Nobody said he shouldn’t shoot at all, just less. Of course the Lakers are better with Kobe as the #1 option who shoots most of the shots, just don’t be a ball hog and take impossible shots when your team mates are open. Doing the complete opposite isn’t the answer either and nobody said it was. People tell me all the time that I talk too loud. Am I really gonna respond by only whispering for a whole evening to prove the point that “that doesn’t work either”? No, the point is I should find the balance somewhere.
Am I the only one that loved it when the crowed chanted Kobe sucks he didn't seem fazed one bit. He still kept his composure and liked the chants. Now that is pure badass and why he has my respect. Looking at the scene lights a fire under my ass.
@@Bass2121 LOL any other reason why he stopped shooting? is it the master plan?😂😂😂, he’s the most selfish player ever, individual stats is his most priority, no way he’s not trying to win it scoring more points, ball hog comments got into his head, and ball hog he was!😂
@@marksines1246 his teamates weren't the greatest, the only way theyd win is if kobe just scored, this proved his point when he passed that everyone should let him do his thing
Dave McMenamen, from ESPN, wrote an analysis of this game afterwards. The true story...the Lakers game plan, per Phil Jackson, was to get the other guys more involved in the offense, to make the Lakers harder to guard. Kobe stuck to the plan; and, ended up being the only Laker to shoot 50% (8/16) in the game. Poor shooting , and a BUNCH of costly turnovers did the Lakers in. It had nothing to do with Bryant trying to prove to his teammates that he wasn't a ball-hog, or "quit" on his teammates. If anything, the point was made to Phil Jackson that the rest of the Lakers had to improve, in order for that kind of strategy to work. The MEDIA took the stance that Bryant had "quit" on his team, and, ran with it. The truth came out years later. Bryant, himself, talked about it after he'd retired. So, I'm a bit surprised the narrative still exists today. Apparently, in some things, narratives matter more than facts.
@Dmahmoud17 you just proved his point by making this statement, he literally gave you the actual facts and you still come with this comment...can't make this stuff up
@@Dmahmoud17funny! So he's a"ball hog" and "selfish" and bossy and thinks he's the shit, rude etc.,, or shame on him for not CARRYING his team, LIKE THEY EXPECTED HIM TOO.. ALWAYS, NO MATTER HOW BRUTAL ÌT GETS! MAN GTFÓ
You want a narrative? Phil Jackoff was the most overrated coach in NBA history. Even Jordan himself said that Jackoff got too much credit for what was essentially Doug Collins' team, that Tex Winter was more important than Jackoff. Where was Jackoff coaching Pippen without Jordan? Remember Pippen's similar playoff meltdown because of Jackoff tryna coach like he was in high school? "lEsSA bE AWNSEFFISH aN pAsSa dA bAwL aRoWn, gYzE!" that doesn't work in a fucking playoff game in a professional atmosphere. Or what about when Ho Grant bailed for greener pastures and suddenly the Bulls were barely a .500 team til Mike saved them from what would surely have been getting swept by the Pacers in the first round. And where was Phil during that pathetic loss to a VASTLY inferior Pistons unit? And what about that lethargic and unhungry Lakers team that get shellacked by a less athletic Mavs team and then went all-in on signing every two-time All-Star over the age of 35? Where was Jackoff when the Knicks had some halfway decent talent but he couldn't coax Tex outta retirement? Phil Jackoff doesn't get nearly enough venom for how simultaneously overrated and underachieving he is. I'll never doubt Houston won both its titles legitimately, but you're telling me the Lakers shouldn't have won AT LEAST eight rings during Kobe's career? You're telling me a Knicks squad featuring Melo and Amare IN THEIR PRIMES wasn't capable of shutting down the Miami Boyfriends and Chicago Regularseasoners? Gtfoh.
I remember that game 7 in 2006 in the first round of the playoffs against the Suns. He didn't show in that game 7 because everyone was saying he was been "selfish" and being a ballhogger. Bruh he had a loaded Suns team down 3-1 by himself with no help around himself. The fact that Kobe had Phoenix down 3-1 by himself is impressive already. I would've done the same thing if I was in Kobe shoes. I would've been like bruh someone do thing, I need y'all to step up y'all game
@jaydot4956 Well I won't if he was in this situation as Kobe was in 2006 but since LeBron has played with so many all-stars and Hall of Famers or Future Hall of Famers throughout his entire career that if he ever blew a 3-1 lead, of course I'm blaming him because everyone is saying he's the "GOAT" which is never was
@@Kings0424 Lebron was in Kobe’s position for 7 years and I never remember Lebron throwing a game to prove a point. My problem with Kobe fans is they act like Kobe was perfect, Kobe’s shortcomings are accepted and easily forgotten while Lebron’s shortcomings are so overblown. For example nobody likes to mention that Kobe arguably could’ve had a worse performance in 2004 against the pistons than Lebron had against Dallas, Kobe scored a little more but his shooting percentages was way worse than Lebron, and in one of the games Kobe had 11 points and his team was stacked but you rarely ever hear about it. And Kobe was a horrible teammate, I remember a viral video in 2007 of a fan asking Kobe what he thought about the Jason Kidd for Andrew Bynum trade rumors and Kobe literally said out his mouth on camera “trade Bynum’s ass outta here”. People criticize Lebron more for saying “we’re top heavy as f*ck” but somehow most people don’t even remember Kobe publicly demanding a player be traded.
@jaydot4956 No no no that 2004 NBA Finals Shaq was terrible in that series. He got schooled by Ben Wallace the entire series and as for LeBron there's no excuses. The owner accuse him of quitting against the Celtics in the playoffs multiple times which he did. Why you think LeBron was the first player in history to form a damn superteam. He didn't crying about he didn't have no help well damn they was giving you up, it just that LeBron kept playing so poorly late in those playoff series when the team needed him the most that they basically forced gis way to the Heat and he brought Chris Bosh with him. That's not competitive
@@Kings0424 see your just proving my point, Shaq averaged 26 points on 61 percent shooting against Detroit in 04 while Kobe only averaged 22 points on 38 percent from the field and 17 percent from 3, also Shaq was a negative 31 for the series while Kobe was a negative 50, so the Lakers were worse with Kobe on the floor. How are you blaming Shaq??? And the only reason the cavs owner accused Lebron of quitting was because he was butt hurt that Lebron left his wack ass team.
The sad part about it is that before that game 7 the Lakers were actually playing real good when he was passing them the ball. But people want to pretend that didn't happen.
23 in the first half down 15 at half. So if he drops 50 they get beat by 30 still labeled a ball hog. He lost no matter what he did. Easy to criticize huh? I'm sure your character is something we all would want
Thankfully im old enough to remember this series and all of the negative press surrounding Kobe. I had zero problem with him quitting that game which highlighted the problem with the Lakers: He WAS the Lakers. They needed to get him a team and it worked.
facts bro. it aint like he jus sat in the corner he was trying to facilitate. but the media turned it into "he wont shoot." he literally played how everybody said hed have to to win. and they lost 😂😂😂 proving everybody wrong.
@@omgbygollywoweveryone was saying Kobe was a ball hog and he needed to play more team ball, so it highlighted the fact that the team was trash and forced them to build a winning roster. Which they did. They won the championship two seasons later and again two seasons after that, so yes my short sighted internet friend, quitting was beneficial.
@@JFromTheLandOfHella So quitting on your teammates is good, right? Good for you, maybe, but screw everyone else, right? Good luck living your life like that. I would have more respect for Kobe if he went about it a different way. If you are a true champion, you don't screw others. I don't watch today's NBA, except for the Denver Nuggets because they play unselfish, team basketball. That is the right way to play. All the other super teams are just superstars getting together to form a super team.
0:56 I need this poster. One of the best posterizer ever next to the shaq over 5 players or the vc dunking over a 7 footer or the vc dunking on Alonzo Mourning
“Kobe is a ball hog” / “Kobe wasn’t aggressive enough and didn’t shoot” so stupid. He made his point but the coach told him to. He shoots on a double team cause he’s confident that’s better than passing it to an open average player. Respect
I mean... Pau didn't have much in teammates that year. Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry were new blood. They had Kwame, Mike Miller, and old Stoudamire with a bunch of players I don't even remember.
@@fobincEven then, he never won a single playoff game ever before coming to LA. He was a great complement to Kobe but years of Kobe degradation has inflated Paus greatness. Kobe def made him a champion level player.
Before the Lakers Pau was a one-time all star as a reserve. It wasn’t until he started playing with Kobe that he gained recognition. Kobe is the most unfairly treated player in the entire history of the NBA. Show me another player who averaged the numbers he did (in ALL of his playoff series’, not just the finals), won with the teams he did and against the teams he did, and tell me why that player isn’t seen as top 3.
@@leolovelife what kind of argument is that? "He horded lots of money that could have been used to bomb a cancer research center". There, I just canceled out your crappy argument.
it's the nba... you think ginobili is not top 75 all time over players like harden or lilard?... if you're not black and from the usa, you're not that good for them
And at times could still be Gasoft. Kobe had to constantly ride him to be more aggressive. I remember watching those games, and yelling at the tv at Gasoft.
Kobe showed the Lakers and critics that the team isn't going anywhere without him doing his thing. It still took two years before the Lakers made a move and got Gasol. But he played well and scored a lot efficiently in the first half of the game but still wasn't enough with young, below-average NBA players starting along side him.
@ben1ben2ben1 nah man that's crazy. Mamba Mentality is trying to be the best version of yourself every single day. That's what Kobe did. Got the most out of himself. Even Jordan admitted that Kobe might be mentally tougher than him. And Kobe outworked everyone including MJ because he wasn't blessed like MJ was so he had to outwork him. That's what it means. But that was the game plan versus Phoenix: get everyone involved. Kobe had a great 1st half of that game 7 but it wasn't working so he tried something else. Had Kobe continued shooting like he did in the 1st half then haters like you would say oh Kobe is being selfish and shooting too much, that's why the Lakers lost.
@@younglove3362 And? Stop what ? 😂 The Lakers were rebuilding and Kobe wanted to win now. If you and your employer or partner have different visions for the future and things aren't working out, you leave. They didn't even get Gasol in the summer of 07, but played half the season without Gasol and traded for him in February
@@ArmandoKozomara And then you shun them the same way you shun LeBron and KD for doing it. Especially because they didn't win earlier because they didn't have a high caliber player like Shaq to help them rebuild. Reminder of why Shaq left them and won elsewhere first. So once again, stop ✋️
Kobe blew a 3-1 lead then procceeded to purposefully blow game 7 so all his glazers could have something to fall back on when defending him blowing a 3-1 lead in the first round. Could never be in the GOAT convo after this series.
He dropped 34 in game 5 and 50 in game 6, and that was while he was sharing the ball. How did he blow the series... Not to mention he had 21 in the first half of a competitive game 7 and his coach still wanted him to share the ball, so he did. They lost by 31. It proved that he had no help and that forced the lakers to get him some help and a better support cast, and boom, 2 rings.
@@Will-xp1mf And? I don't care what Kobe thinks about the publics opinion, i care about what the publics opinion of Kobe is/was. And if Kobe played today and pulled the same BS he pulled during his career the public would have a very different opinion of him.
@@jacoblee5796 And? The public can have a different opinion on Kobe all they want cuz all that shit irrelevant and don’t matter and it’ll lead back to what we keep saying. He dont care you dumbass and you in too deep lmao Kobe woulda done the same shit either way cuz at the end of the day HE made that decision not you and not the public you dumb ass. You keep bringing up the public like that matters to NBA players. They millionaires you think they really give a fuck?
I like that you made the number change about "him wanting to do something different" and not about "him wanting to not get caught doing something underage different"
Not only didnt shoot, he didnt make a screen, didnt help looking for rebounds or assist for his teammates; he let them play 4 versus 5 so he can "prove" his point. Talk about that type of leadership👌🏽
If he didn't get his way, he turned into a huge man child. Why join the NBA if you're going to play one on one. Since his death, everyone treats him like a God. He was a total asshole to his team mates because they wouldn't practice 20 hours per day like he would. They weren't the LA Lakers, they were the LA Koby.
@@MrEric2cuAnd MJ gave em candy and chocolates? Sit down bruh. This is a sport where its win or lose and if u dont have that winner mentality why even get on the court? If u wanna have fun play in a sunday league or smthn like that.
And don't forget that-RAPE-trial folks !!! Kobe was one of the only super-star nba players to go thru a rape trial.I think that put a-BLACK-mark on his legacy.
LITERALLY, you can barely find his choke performances cause it’s hidden from the media , and like his allegations not saying he did it but imagine Lebron just even had allegations….. his grandchildren wouldn’t even here the end of it
@@theonlygoodonehere2259 I just say Kobe was better player I said more skilled he could dribble better shot better but he wasn’t as athletic and what he said was mj had bigger hands! Look up the players that think Kobe is the most skilled of all time there’s a ton!
@@stevenpenilla-es1ke he said more than that look up other times he compared them, and mj better at midrange shooting than kobe, he was more efficient, where as kobe foolishly took more difficult shots with 2-3 defender guys on him, m could do the same, but has IQ for the game and trust in his team
@@theonlygoodonehere2259 didn’t I meant and I don’t know about running a better offense guarantee Kobe was more intelligent if you know how cocky mj is than look at the only person he said could probably beat him he said Kobe. What you should look up is a video on nba players who think Kobe was the most skilled player ever oh yeah Kobe had better foot work than mj so better handle better foot work and could shoot a lil better but there basically identical players mj was more athletic bigger hands and less injured so that definitely helped him I still think Jordan is the best player of all time though cuz he never lost in the finals!
Man that east coast swing they were on when Gasol joined the team was something else. They were firing on all cylinders looking great and then added Gasol. Ariza that year was so good.
I attended this game. Kobe was lighting it up in the first half but it didn't matter. I didn't know it at the time but I was watching Kobe's last game as number 8. RIP Kobe and Gigi
They needed his scoring they jus thought they cud do it better which was false and he did pass jus not a lot he wasn't a point guard not his job. I bet if Shaq was in peak physical condition Kobe wudve looked 4 him more he was prolly upset cuz he stopped caring bout his size and effort he was prolly like I'm killing myself training and always getting better trying 2 improve and dis guy jus dnt care screw it I'll get it done on my own basically. miss the Mamba man shoot
@@relicdad88 Shaq did get lazy ( he wasn't very good at conditioning since his Orlando days or signng that big contract with the Lakers ) 2 different players with different mind sets about everything. Shaq was the main problem tho,just like with Penny ( shaq always has to be the man ) then in Miami with Wade. LOL.
@@garygallant5390 That was the only way he could get his point across, and it worked. Sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad. It was genius, but some can't see it that way.
@@cumshot247it was not genius he literally gave up in a game 7 then requested a trade. He let the fans chants get in his head as well. He got lucky with the Pau gasol trade
to be fair he got u a first half they gone call me a ball hog if I carry the next half and have 50!!! so team do ya thing. that man needed help he couldn’t win for losing
There will NEVER be a man I respect more than the Mamba. He did more with less, in the hardest era, injured all the time, while the Buss family threw his prime away and ran him too the ground.
am I the only one having tears everytime I hear a kobe story that inspire future generations not only in basketball but also in life to be the best version of you no matter what others will tell you. Thats mamba mentality 😢 RIP Kobe 🥺
I mean Shaq literally made the nba allow a zone defense where the guy didn't have to go back to their initial man, but this led to the three ball becoming more popular. Man was still in his prime coming off a three-peat.
@@joondagoon6774Kobe was a God too. Only SLIGHTLY under. They were cut from the SAME cloth. Kobe just had a petty streak. Jordan hated losing too much. Prime Kobe vs Prime Jordan and it could go either way.
Kwame and Smush wouldn't start on a church league basketball team! They had no business taking any shots, and their careers showed that pre & post Lakers
I think the turning point was him going to play for team USA. Something about playing with the other stars and coach K changed something in him then he won two straight finals after the Olympics
I remember this game well... The way Kobe played was clearly the game plan as Kobe had scored 50 against the Suns a few times that season - ad the Lakers lost by 15-20 each time ... and he'd actually shot less in game 3 or 4 in that series for a Laker win. What I recall is Kobe just following Phils game plan.. they just lost to a much better team
You remember wrong. He was pouting because Phil wanted him to shoot less. He didn't set screens (or half assed them) he stopped trying on defense, he didn't move off ball and just stood around (Kobe was amazing off ball) sometimes with his hands on his hips. he acted like a bratty child. MJ would NEVER
@@ben1ben2ben1 None of what you said here is based in reality ..as none of that happened . Y.i.e Kobe actually shot more in that game 7 than he did in gems earlier in that series. In the games where Kobe scored 50 once in that series and once in the regular season The lakers had lots by 15- 20 so Kobe being the smart layer that he is knew that him shooting more wasn't the answer . He was frustrated ... but frustrated that the Lakers weren't spending money as they had a ton of cap space etc that point but were holding on to it and fielding a team with Smush , Luka Walton and Kawame Brown in the starting lineup .. again if Kobe wanted to quit he could have faked a back injury , cramps , cussed out a ref ... or like MJ did and just quit on his team in 93. but carry on ...
0:20 Genius??? Lol Uh, okay. It kind of tarnished his legacy, to the point that the entire NBA and MOST basketball fans NEVER bring it up, out of respect for Bryant’s LASTING and renovated legacy. We often will use language or words to try to turn garbage into gold, but most know that after all of the spins and excuses and fake-optimism, the garbage is still garbage at the end of the day.
He tried to prove that his teammates was ass I’ve done this in a 5v5 so problem he played with 8points6rebounds andrew Bynum,Luke Walton,kawnie brown I would do the same thing 😂😂
Let's just be as objective as possible. Biases aside, any other star player does this today, in a game 7 no less, we're saying they quit. No other way around it
yeah, just like they did to kobe in 06 when it happened. 17 years later, and most people are still saying that about him. it's just hindsight and retrospective that allows videos like this to be made, to suggest that maybe there was more to it. but imo, if kobe tried to prove a point, he did it by quitting on his team. i think it was either skap attack or jonny arnett who made a similar video, talking about how kobe didnt quit, he was instead following the game plan. this is true, he was told by jackson and coaching staff to get his team involved. but the fact is the kobe we know and remember is the black mamba, the assassin, the one who taught us the mentality. if he had taken over, he couldve easily taken over and won the series. instead he quit on his team and now adds "blowing a 3-1 lead" to his resume. i'm an avid kobe fan, and i think he's leagues better than lebron, at least as a laker, but lets call a spade a spade: kobe gave up on the 06 lakers squad.
@@Snowboarding2020 oh he did, not the only time he did this... 2004 Finals ring a bell?? He shot the Lakers out of that series with his horrible shooting and even Chauncey Billups pointed that it was their game plan, let Kobe shoot their way out of the series as he barely passed the ball to Shaq in that series...
He did the thing that made his team win. When he got buckets, they lost. When he passed, they won. So that's what he did. What I do think, however, is that he capitalized on this by showing that his team needed him to carry them, so the press would shut up about his "selfishness".
@@TheMassiveGamer if you did, then what was the difference in the first four games vs the last three games? Like what was the major reasons that the Suns came back and won against the Lakers? How did Kobe play in the first four games vs the last three games? And specifically, what did Kobe do in G7 in the 2nd half that was different from every other game?
@@QuestionEverything562 Difference is he he averaged almost 7 assists on 23 ppg in his wins (team ball), compared to 31.25 ppg and 4 assists in his losses (Kobe show). So, I reiterate: "When he got buckets, they lost. When he passed, they won." As far as what he specifically did in G7's second half: he only attempted 3 field goals; this is despite him averaging almost 17 SECOND HALF (including OT) field goal attempts per game in the series. Is there anything else you need answered? ☺
@@TheMassiveGamer All that and you missed the biggest point. When Kobe was playing unselfish team ball, he was still aggressive with the ball. Things happened out his scoring aggression, this is what Jackson wanted. In that game 7, in the second half, it was not Kobe trying to be unselfish. When he got passive in the second half, he wasn't looking to be apart of the offense at all. He would pass the ball, then just stand out there like 3-5 ft behind the 3 point line watching his team move the ball without him, he did not do this in the first 4 games. Kobe legit gave up in the second half, so that is completely selfish on his part. In the first four games, when he passed, it was because he actually looked to score and then made the pass out of it for an assist. He posed as an actual offensive threat. In the G7 2nd half, he just passed the ball and stood there like a statue. You weren't watching clearly enough, son. Kobe quit to prove a point, but it backfired on him.
I remember during this time, i went from a Laker fan 1 Kobe fan 2, to a Kobe fan 1 Laker fan 2. I was soooo ready to buy his next jersey. I was tired of Lakers relying on him so much.
I’m glad you put this video out because it highlights just how ridiculous it is to compare Kobe to LeBron- as you pointed out in his prime without a completely stacked team, like he had with Shaq and later with his Pau, he obviously had enough fire power to win championships.. But give him a bunch of run of the mill players and it’s a miracle for him to even make the playoffs. Meanwhile, no matter who was on LeBrons team for damn near a decade he was gonna go to the finals with just about anyone on his team, and if he didn’t win it all, even without a number two player, he was considered a failure because every time Mike went to the championship. He wanted it, never mind that Jordan went with a completely stacked team, each time, particularly on defense in which he was able to hide and not forced to guard the other team best player the way LeBron always had to. I think if Lebron had ever played with Shaq he would have won a ring every year they were together with ease
I think a big part of this was how the Lakers responded. If they did really trade Kobe when he asked, then we would've arrived at a different story and if the trade didn't work out, then Kobe's situation might have been something in the likes of Kyrie's current situation?
I watched that game 7 and it was obvious that the gameplan was to get the rest of the team involvement in the 2nd half but that only made things worse. Before anybody knew it the Lakers were getting blown out so bad that there was no point in Kobe shooting. I didn't believe he was trying to prove a point then she I don't believe it now. There's no way Kobe Bryant purposely lost a playoff series. That wasn't in his DNA.
Some guy called "king" ran toward's D Wade's legs of a champion for rings even being so gifted on basketball yet we have Kobe, the guy who took on the challenge and improved hard!
Kobe was getting hate and seen as the villain the same reason kd is now. But later fans loved kobe again, i wonder if they’ll love kd again too because if older fans forgave kobe for his actions which were warranted but he was being slightly toxic, then kd can be forgiven too
Wth lol never compare Kobe and Kd career trajectories. Kobe is Dirk & Steph level loyal. Kobe would have NEVER joined the Steve Nash Suns for instance. There’s a reason why Kobe is beloved and respected, Kd still can’t sit as his lunch table, & honestly I don’t think people will ever forgive Durant he broke the code when he joined GS, the heat wasn’t even a playoff team before LeBron joined
@@TheBossyMango if KD went to a team like clippers or raps or rockets, I wouldn't have been mad, but joining a team like warriors or cavs, is so disgusting
@@elijahroderick1305 meant same way but reason too because kobe was look at as a villain and wanting to switch teams and openly shaming his team, force trade him out of LA. I guess that more like kyrie but him and kd had the same situation. I’m a kobe fan, I’m just not letting my bias get in the way
@@TheBossyMango it’s literally comparable. Kobe didn’t leave which is why he is loved but as we saw from the video kobe was a bad guy in the nba for like 2-3 years b4 pau came n won a ring. That’s also bcuz he matured as the video also states. Kobe was tryna force a trade, shaming his team. Look as a villain for this bcuz they were saying, so instead of being a better teammate he just goin bail on em. Kobe is overrated. Alot of similar hate was on kobe just like kd.
I don’t care what anyone says. It doesn’t matter how dogshit your team is, if you’re up 3-1 and you're not injured, there is ZERO excuse to lose that series. Its a stain on his career that no amount of "mamba mentality" hype men can wipe away.
"It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you-or don’t. So don’t take it lightly."- Kobe, miss you
Twitter- @MJ2KALLDAY
Yo I love your vids!!
The most-dominant player in nna history is Jordan, not Shaq.
Remember that
That’s what his ball hogging ass get
Kobe was a shot hog, and Shaq was not the most dominant player, or most dominant center of all time.
40 seconds in, “he even took this” BROTHER THE CLOCK IS AT .9 seconds like what?, immediately clicked off from that lol
I remember this game. At the time, I hated what was going on, but Kobe was proving a point to everyone who said he was a "ball-hog." He proved that his supporting cast was terrible and could not win without him. Kobe should have won the MVP that year.
Nonsense
Kobe was an egotistical ball hog who couldn’t even play with Shaq. The Lakers deep pockets bought him Championships as Kobe was a great individual player who did little for his team.
@@patriciamccormick9321This is actually some next level satire or a completely delusional comment. I can't decide which one lol.
@@bestofdbest934both
@@patriciamccormick9321who couldn’t play without Shaq? Yeah he’s trolling
Score 50 one game..."Man, you shooting too much. Stop being selfish. " The next game came out with 23 in the first half team still losing.."Hey kobe, get everyone involved." kobe passes the ball nobody makes anything. Team loses.."why didn't kobe take over the game? See he's being selfish."
Hell of a predicament to be in...
Phil Jackson played this one wrong.. he should have held these players on the team accountable. Instead he went with the narrative and that affected the way he coached that series.
It’s kinda like damned if you damned if you don’t kind of thing
Phil Jackson probably could of encouraged Kobe. "It don't matter if they call you selfish. Get out there and drop 40. I will hook you up with Shaq's wife if you score 45 points atleast."
Yea, that's seriously one helluva Lose-Lose situation. There were probably hours and hours worth of discussions that went no where, Kobe decided to show them instead.
Exactly!
Perhaps people wanted him to balance it out. Score 40 and get everyone involved.
This is a really great breakdown man. Life after Shaq definitely was a struggle and I remember learning about Kobe requesting a trade in 2007. I believe once Pau came around that was the official being of the second era of Kobe’s legendary career
It was crazy how the lakers were able to scoop up an all star for cookies and then cry when they weren't given chris paul. What a legacy lol. Kobe was a ball hog. So was his idol Mj.
really sad that his talent was wasted from 2005 to 2007 he was machine then
i hate this explanation bc u overvalue pau. the lakers traded for pau in the middle of the season. kobe requested a trade at the off season. the lakers that season they traded for pau were making strides towards the right direction. we started the season 26-11 and were 35-20 before we traded for pau.. in comparison pau has never been on a team 35-20 before joining the lakers...
the ship was already turning before pau joined..
@@Justinmi010i love how sports fans say we, including themself in the team. MF you are not part of the lakers. You never won a championship. Get a brain.
@@Justinmi010😅coach potato
It wasn't just Gasol. It was also the team slowly improving with Bynum and Odom getting comfortable in their roles.
Jordan had to learn the same lesson when Pippen and Horace Grant started improving and getting comfortable with the Bulls and MJ.And we all know MJ was a total-PRICK. LOL.
And who's the one that checked kobe and sat him down to develop that frontcourt that kobe desperately needed to replace Shaq ?
Jazz allowing Derek Fisher to go to LA, was very generous (thoughtful for his Daughter). Smush Parker moved on, which was big. trading Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, and Aaron McKie, for Pau Gasol, was the beginning. Gasol created a trickle effect. he was a perfect Robin for his teammates. allowed Bynum to play off of Kobe and Gasol, as a Robin's Robin. allowed LO to play off of Kobe and Gasol, as a Robin's Robin as well. Gasol and LO's game just clicked, much like Kobe and Gasol's game. Gasol and Bynum had nice moments too. huge for the Lakers. trading Maurice Evans and Brian Cook, for Trevor Ariza, was crucial. eventually with Vladimir Radmanovic moving on, paved the way for Ariza. that needed to happen in the 2008 Playoffs. except Kwame, everybody I mentioned that went on to other teams, was horrible on D. horrible
@@powerbadpowerbadJordan and Horace Grant are just as much street as each other. Horace Grant talked smack to Phil Jackson's face because in The Hood you don't let people tell you what to do.
That was a different era when most NBA teammates fought each other because thats how you handled business. Thats why Isiah Thomas said the Jordan Poole punch from Draymond Green meant nothing in the '80s. Saying it happened all the time on his team and that was normal.
Today, social media tells people (and you) to be soft. But in the '80s and '90s it wasnt like that.
@@powerbadpowerbadJordan was a different story. Kobe was called selfish, but everyone wanted to be like Mike. All the commercials were saying Jordan was the best. Bird was saying MJ was the best.
Jordan had charisma and protection Kobe did not have. Steve Kerr joined in 1995 and Jordan punched him in 1997. So no, MJ did not change. He is a guy that grew up in The Brooklyn Hood.
The memory of this man will never die.
i remeber him as the repist he was
Myths you mean
@@keithjoseph128 no. Memory. You can downplay his achievements in the sport but you cannot erase his memory.
What's crazy about that season is for most of it, he was 25th in assists... with THIS roster... as a SHOOTING GUARD. There are more than 25 starting PGs in the league.
He only avg 4ast calm down 😂
Half of those starting pgs didn't make the playoffs at all
Because his usage rate was higher than all those guys. Context matters.
Kobe gave his teammates the ball in game 7 and none of them capitalize on offense. Meanwhile,the media was pissed off at Kobe smdh.
Imagine playing one way the entire year then suddenly you change the game style for game 7. Your team wont be ready. Then you have Kobe nuthuggers of course blaming everyine but Kobe
@@moneyball647missed the point Then and today…instead of admitting their wrong the Media Switched Up Prior he was being called a Ball Hog, To Going Crazy and still losing at half(Kobe isn’t getting anyone involved) that’s why this Game happened The Media Changes the criteria so they can have a Reason to Criticize Kobe
@@Azariah-Israel yall making excuses fr imagined if Lebron pulled this stunt lol
@@lilharold found the dude that mentions Lebron for no reason smh
@@lilharold No like him YALL commenting about something but either not saying the full truth or don’t know. Phil Said “ the Gameplan was to get everyone else involved” when Kobe was the reason they were up… So he listened to Phil
Kobe’s Point: “Damned If I Do,Damned If I Don’t.”
Nah but this shit narcissistic as hell. Nobody said he shouldn’t shoot at all, just less. Of course the Lakers are better with Kobe as the #1 option who shoots most of the shots, just don’t be a ball hog and take impossible shots when your team mates are open. Doing the complete opposite isn’t the answer either and nobody said it was.
People tell me all the time that I talk too loud. Am I really gonna respond by only whispering for a whole evening to prove the point that “that doesn’t work either”? No, the point is I should find the balance somewhere.
@@Adriaantje2008 finally someone with a not smooth brain.
-Bart Simpson
He quit on his team. He’s a bum
Am I the only one that loved it when the crowed chanted Kobe sucks he didn't seem fazed one bit. He still kept his composure and liked the chants. Now that is pure badass and why he has my respect. Looking at the scene lights a fire under my ass.
its not that it didn't faze him, he loved hearing it, he feeds off of it and thats what i love
LoL it got in his head and didn’t shoot to show those fans if he doesn’t shoot those forced shots the team has no chance, the fans got in maba’s head
@@marksines1246 the logic doesn't make sense but okay
@@Bass2121 LOL any other reason why he stopped shooting? is it the master plan?😂😂😂, he’s the most selfish player ever, individual stats is his most priority, no way he’s not trying to win it scoring more points, ball hog comments got into his head, and ball hog he was!😂
@@marksines1246 his teamates weren't the greatest, the only way theyd win is if kobe just scored, this proved his point when he passed that everyone should let him do his thing
Dave McMenamen, from ESPN, wrote an analysis of this game afterwards. The true story...the Lakers game plan, per Phil Jackson, was to get the other guys more involved in the offense, to make the Lakers harder to guard. Kobe stuck to the plan; and, ended up being the only Laker to shoot 50% (8/16) in the game. Poor shooting , and a BUNCH of costly turnovers did the Lakers in. It had nothing to do with Bryant trying to prove to his teammates that he wasn't a ball-hog, or "quit" on his teammates. If anything, the point was made to Phil Jackson that the rest of the Lakers had to improve, in order for that kind of strategy to work. The MEDIA took the stance that Bryant had "quit" on his team, and, ran with it. The truth came out years later. Bryant, himself, talked about it after he'd retired. So, I'm a bit surprised the narrative still exists today. Apparently, in some things, narratives matter more than facts.
Thank you!
No excuse for him to not help or take any shots. That clearly wasn’t the point of “getting the team involved” he just took it personal cuz he’s petty
@Dmahmoud17 you just proved his point by making this statement, he literally gave you the actual facts and you still come with this comment...can't make this stuff up
@@Dmahmoud17funny! So he's a"ball hog" and "selfish" and bossy and thinks he's the shit, rude etc.,, or shame on him for not CARRYING his team, LIKE THEY EXPECTED HIM TOO.. ALWAYS, NO MATTER HOW BRUTAL ÌT GETS! MAN GTFÓ
You want a narrative? Phil Jackoff was the most overrated coach in NBA history. Even Jordan himself said that Jackoff got too much credit for what was essentially Doug Collins' team, that Tex Winter was more important than Jackoff. Where was Jackoff coaching Pippen without Jordan? Remember Pippen's similar playoff meltdown because of Jackoff tryna coach like he was in high school? "lEsSA bE AWNSEFFISH aN pAsSa dA bAwL aRoWn, gYzE!" that doesn't work in a fucking playoff game in a professional atmosphere. Or what about when Ho Grant bailed for greener pastures and suddenly the Bulls were barely a .500 team til Mike saved them from what would surely have been getting swept by the Pacers in the first round. And where was Phil during that pathetic loss to a VASTLY inferior Pistons unit? And what about that lethargic and unhungry Lakers team that get shellacked by a less athletic Mavs team and then went all-in on signing every two-time All-Star over the age of 35? Where was Jackoff when the Knicks had some halfway decent talent but he couldn't coax Tex outta retirement? Phil Jackoff doesn't get nearly enough venom for how simultaneously overrated and underachieving he is. I'll never doubt Houston won both its titles legitimately, but you're telling me the Lakers shouldn't have won AT LEAST eight rings during Kobe's career? You're telling me a Knicks squad featuring Melo and Amare IN THEIR PRIMES wasn't capable of shutting down the Miami Boyfriends and Chicago Regularseasoners? Gtfoh.
I remember that game 7 in 2006 in the first round of the playoffs against the Suns. He didn't show in that game 7 because everyone was saying he was been "selfish" and being a ballhogger. Bruh he had a loaded Suns team down 3-1 by himself with no help around himself. The fact that Kobe had Phoenix down 3-1 by himself is impressive already. I would've done the same thing if I was in Kobe shoes. I would've been like bruh someone do thing, I need y'all to step up y'all game
If Lebron was up 3-1 and then quit on his team in game 7 we would never hear the end of it. But I guess since it’s Kobe it’s okay.
@jaydot4956 Well I won't if he was in this situation as Kobe was in 2006 but since LeBron has played with so many all-stars and Hall of Famers or Future Hall of Famers throughout his entire career that if he ever blew a 3-1 lead, of course I'm blaming him because everyone is saying he's the "GOAT" which is never was
@@Kings0424 Lebron was in Kobe’s position for 7 years and I never remember Lebron throwing a game to prove a point. My problem with Kobe fans is they act like Kobe was perfect, Kobe’s shortcomings are accepted and easily forgotten while Lebron’s shortcomings are so overblown. For example nobody likes to mention that Kobe arguably could’ve had a worse performance in 2004 against the pistons than Lebron had against Dallas, Kobe scored a little more but his shooting percentages was way worse than Lebron, and in one of the games Kobe had 11 points and his team was stacked but you rarely ever hear about it. And Kobe was a horrible teammate, I remember a viral video in 2007 of a fan asking Kobe what he thought about the Jason Kidd for Andrew Bynum trade rumors and Kobe literally said out his mouth on camera “trade Bynum’s ass outta here”. People criticize Lebron more for saying “we’re top heavy as f*ck” but somehow most people don’t even remember Kobe publicly demanding a player be traded.
@jaydot4956 No no no that 2004 NBA Finals Shaq was terrible in that series. He got schooled by Ben Wallace the entire series and as for LeBron there's no excuses. The owner accuse him of quitting against the Celtics in the playoffs multiple times which he did. Why you think LeBron was the first player in history to form a damn superteam. He didn't crying about he didn't have no help well damn they was giving you up, it just that LeBron kept playing so poorly late in those playoff series when the team needed him the most that they basically forced gis way to the Heat and he brought Chris Bosh with him. That's not competitive
@@Kings0424 see your just proving my point, Shaq averaged 26 points on 61 percent shooting against Detroit in 04 while Kobe only averaged 22 points on 38 percent from the field and 17 percent from 3, also Shaq was a negative 31 for the series while Kobe was a negative 50, so the Lakers were worse with Kobe on the floor. How are you blaming Shaq??? And the only reason the cavs owner accused Lebron of quitting was because he was butt hurt that Lebron left his wack ass team.
Kobe putting his team first, poor sportsmanship on an epic level. Choosing game 7 to make his point says a lot about his character.
The sad part about it is that before that game 7 the Lakers were actually playing real good when he was passing them the ball. But people want to pretend that didn't happen.
You chattin after the next few years he became a better leader and a better player
Absolutely, I was a fan and Lakers fan.
23 in the first half down 15 at half. So if he drops 50 they get beat by 30 still labeled a ball hog. He lost no matter what he did. Easy to criticize huh? I'm sure your character is something we all would want
Big up Kobe gone but never forgotten. Even in Celtics nation
Class 💯
As much as players like him disrespected Bird, you should be ashamed.
@@mynameisgladiator1933oh shut up. The Celtics aren’t paying you you’re paying them come off it. OP is solid for this you’re the dweeb
I miss Kobe. Growing up without a father, Kobe was a man I could look up to growing up.
That sad bro
@@GangGreenGullie if you want it to be.
@@GangGreenGullie not sad at all.
Never look up to celebrities and athletes.
@@webdev217 right so… don’t have role models?
Thankfully im old enough to remember this series and all of the negative press surrounding Kobe. I had zero problem with him quitting that game which highlighted the problem with the Lakers: He WAS the Lakers. They needed to get him a team and it worked.
he a quitter and hella overrated 🤡
facts bro. it aint like he jus sat in the corner he was trying to facilitate. but the media turned it into "he wont shoot." he literally played how everybody said hed have to to win. and they lost 😂😂😂 proving everybody wrong.
Quitting is good? Yikes, the rationale behind that is so stupid.
@@omgbygollywoweveryone was saying Kobe was a ball hog and he needed to play more team ball, so it highlighted the fact that the team was trash and forced them to build a winning roster. Which they did. They won the championship two seasons later and again two seasons after that, so yes my short sighted internet friend, quitting was beneficial.
@@JFromTheLandOfHella So quitting on your teammates is good, right? Good for you, maybe, but screw everyone else, right? Good luck living your life like that. I would have more respect for Kobe if he went about it a different way. If you are a true champion, you don't screw others.
I don't watch today's NBA, except for the Denver Nuggets because they play unselfish, team basketball. That is the right way to play. All the other super teams are just superstars getting together to form a super team.
Rip mamba, you will be remembered in the history of basketball. We will miss you so much😭
Lol
he wont
right they just gave him a statue in L.A so how dumb are you again? @@Serval54
0:56 I need this poster. One of the best posterizer ever next to the shaq over 5 players or the vc dunking over a 7 footer or the vc dunking on Alonzo Mourning
“Kobe is a ball hog” / “Kobe wasn’t aggressive enough and didn’t shoot” so stupid. He made his point but the coach told him to. He shoots on a double team cause he’s confident that’s better than passing it to an open average player. Respect
The games b4 that one the Lakers were playing good when he was passing the ball. There's a reason why Kobe was to blame for being passive.
Uhh huh@@younglove3362
i don't like how you didn't show that Kobe led the Lakers to 35-20 record before Pau, while Pau led Memphis to a 10-29 record.
I mean... Pau didn't have much in teammates that year. Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry were new blood. They had Kwame, Mike Miller, and old Stoudamire with a bunch of players I don't even remember.
@@fobincEven then, he never won a single playoff game ever before coming to LA. He was a great complement to Kobe but years of Kobe degradation has inflated Paus greatness. Kobe def made him a champion level player.
Before the Lakers Pau was a one-time all star as a reserve. It wasn’t until he started playing with Kobe that he gained recognition. Kobe is the most unfairly treated player in the entire history of the NBA. Show me another player who averaged the numbers he did (in ALL of his playoff series’, not just the finals), won with the teams he did and against the teams he did, and tell me why that player isn’t seen as top 3.
@@fobinc Did Kobe have much in teammates?
@@fobincyou think Kobe had anything better ? The year after he Lost , he demanded a trade for a reason bc that team sucked
It hurts my heart just to see his face. Knowing he was taken so long before his time. And those with him. Ugh.
I feel you 100% but thats the thing. You never know when your time is up
He horded lots of money that could have save starving kids.
@@leolovelife what kind of argument is that? "He horded lots of money that could have been used to bomb a cancer research center". There, I just canceled out your crappy argument.
wow. that's good. @@checkle1
He was an a-hole.
I loved this so much, thank you for this content 🔥
Pau Gasol is one of the most underrated players in the history of basketball. He’s won 2 nba championships and one world fiba championship.
it's the nba... you think ginobili is not top 75 all time over players like harden or lilard?... if you're not black and from the usa, you're not that good for them
@@Nurmengard true .
And at times could still be Gasoft.
Kobe had to constantly ride him to be more aggressive.
I remember watching those games, and yelling at the tv at Gasoft.
@@The-GreenHornet Gasol destroyed KG one of the hardest to ever play the game in the finals and gave Kobe his 5th ring idiot .
@@Nurmengardwtf? That’s racist
Thank god the late great Kobe Bryant never quit, especially while in the middle of his prime
Capital G?
When Kobe did this, I couldn't believe what I was watching. It was just unfathomable to me that a superstar of his stature was doing it at that time.
I still can’t believe he’s gone R.I.P King
the dude was going thru so much in that time period of his life let him rest in peace
You sound emotional talking about 'Let him rest in peace' . This is just a documentary. Relax.
Like what?🤣🤣🤣🤣
my favorite youtuber post again i love your vids man i always wait for u to post
Kobe showed the Lakers and critics that the team isn't going anywhere without him doing his thing. It still took two years before the Lakers made a move and got Gasol. But he played well and scored a lot efficiently in the first half of the game but still wasn't enough with young, below-average NBA players starting along side him.
Kobe fans are delusional. MJ never in a million years would ever throw a series to prove a point. Mamba mentality is just discount Jordan mentality
@ben1ben2ben1 nah man that's crazy. Mamba Mentality is trying to be the best version of yourself every single day. That's what Kobe did. Got the most out of himself. Even Jordan admitted that Kobe might be mentally tougher than him. And Kobe outworked everyone including MJ because he wasn't blessed like MJ was so he had to outwork him. That's what it means. But that was the game plan versus Phoenix: get everyone involved. Kobe had a great 1st half of that game 7 but it wasn't working so he tried something else. Had Kobe continued shooting like he did in the 1st half then haters like you would say oh Kobe is being selfish and shooting too much, that's why the Lakers lost.
It took the Lakers getting Gasol to help Kobe not leave the Lakers and finally get far. Stop ✋️
@@younglove3362 And? Stop what ? 😂 The Lakers were rebuilding and Kobe wanted to win now. If you and your employer or partner have different visions for the future and things aren't working out, you leave. They didn't even get Gasol in the summer of 07, but played half the season without Gasol and traded for him in February
@@ArmandoKozomara
And then you shun them the same way you shun LeBron and KD for doing it. Especially because they didn't win earlier because they didn't have a high caliber player like Shaq to help them rebuild. Reminder of why Shaq left them and won elsewhere first. So once again, stop ✋️
Kobe blew a 3-1 lead then procceeded to purposefully blow game 7 so all his glazers could have something to fall back on when defending him blowing a 3-1 lead in the first round. Could never be in the GOAT convo after this series.
Kobe is the goat 🐐 💯. Kobe is best player ever. He won 5 championship with Lakers 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆. Kobe is the goat 🐐
He dropped 34 in game 5 and 50 in game 6, and that was while he was sharing the ball. How did he blow the series... Not to mention he had 21 in the first half of a competitive game 7 and his coach still wanted him to share the ball, so he did. They lost by 31. It proved that he had no help and that forced the lakers to get him some help and a better support cast, and boom, 2 rings.
Loved this breakdown. Great video. Cool to see all the details. I remember watching this game, but I don’t recall all the details leading up to it.
Damn I still can’t believe Kobe is gone. It brings me tears everytime I see footage of him🥲🥺.. We miss you Jelly Bean Bryant #24 #8
Bro move on stop idolizing
@@CarrterGolf1you need help. Not even joking.
That clip from Nash was cold bruh 🥶
“Out lash?” Do you mean out cry? backlash maybe? Just FWY. Great video man.
You can't expect a guy to get in a rhythm after you done took 98 % of the Shots
Ikr
said guys are Smush Parker and Kwame Brown so...
exactly
Kobe: Hey Luke, guess what?
Luke: Huh?
Kobe: Tonight is your night bro! Tonight is your night bro!
Great video bro, amazingly narrated
He only had to answer to the media and not social media. I don’t think Kobe would be viewed the same if he went through this era
Not sure what you mean, Kobe wouldn't care about social media. He even said he thrived on crowds hating him.
@@onizodd It’s not about Kobe caring, it’s about public opinion. The narrative around Kobe would be completely different if Kobe played today.
@@jacoblee5796and like he just said he don’t give a fuck about the public opinion
@@Will-xp1mf And? I don't care what Kobe thinks about the publics opinion, i care about what the publics opinion of Kobe is/was. And if Kobe played today and pulled the same BS he pulled during his career the public would have a very different opinion of him.
@@jacoblee5796 And? The public can have a different opinion on Kobe all they want cuz all that shit irrelevant and don’t matter and it’ll lead back to what we keep saying. He dont care you dumbass and you in too deep lmao Kobe woulda done the same shit either way cuz at the end of the day HE made that decision not you and not the public you dumb ass. You keep bringing up the public like that matters to NBA players. They millionaires you think they really give a fuck?
I like that you made the number change about "him wanting to do something different" and not about "him wanting to not get caught doing something underage different"
Confused
Not only didnt shoot, he didnt make a screen, didnt help looking for rebounds or assist for his teammates; he let them play 4 versus 5 so he can "prove" his point. Talk about that type of leadership👌🏽
let it rest bro... he was a leader to most people. no need to judge him on one game
@@korosu26 At the time Kobe was not a leader at all. Kobe didn't really become a leader until 2008
@@ben1ben2ben1 bro... Tell me, who was the leader during this time? May not be the ideal one but he still was... Why u makin it complicated?
If he didn't get his way, he turned into a huge man child. Why join the NBA if you're going to play one on one. Since his death, everyone treats him like a God. He was a total asshole to his team mates because they wouldn't practice 20 hours per day like he would. They weren't the LA Lakers, they were the LA Koby.
@@MrEric2cuAnd MJ gave em candy and chocolates? Sit down bruh. This is a sport where its win or lose and if u dont have that winner mentality why even get on the court? If u wanna have fun play in a sunday league or smthn like that.
Kobe is the only player to get away with a performance like this. Passing is one thing, being passive is another
And don't forget that-RAPE-trial folks !!! Kobe was one of the only super-star nba players to go thru a rape trial.I think that put a-BLACK-mark on his legacy.
LITERALLY, you can barely find his choke performances cause it’s hidden from the media , and like his allegations not saying he did it but imagine Lebron just even had allegations….. his grandchildren wouldn’t even here the end of it
@@foreignkamikaze I actually forgot all about this series,let alone the game 7 BS. LOL.
@@powerbadpowerbad yeah bruh it’s Crazy how much the media pick and chooses the narrative
Y’all sound like y’all hating over there
I still think Kobe most skilled player I’ve ever seen!
MJ did EVERYTHING better, literally.
phil jackson said mj was better, and knew how to run an offense better especially the triangle, while kobe was kind of hard headed or broke many plays
@@theonlygoodonehere2259 I just say Kobe was better player I said more skilled he could dribble better shot better but he wasn’t as athletic and what he said was mj had bigger hands! Look up the players that think Kobe is the most skilled of all time there’s a ton!
@@stevenpenilla-es1ke he said more than that look up other times he compared them, and mj better at midrange shooting than kobe, he was more efficient, where as kobe foolishly took more difficult shots with 2-3 defender guys on him, m could do the same, but has IQ for the game and trust in his team
@@theonlygoodonehere2259 didn’t I meant and I don’t know about running a better offense guarantee Kobe was more intelligent if you know how cocky mj is than look at the only person he said could probably beat him he said Kobe. What you should look up is a video on nba players who think Kobe was the most skilled player ever oh yeah Kobe had better foot work than mj so better handle better foot work and could shoot a lil better but there basically identical players mj was more athletic bigger hands and less injured so that definitely helped him I still think Jordan is the best player of all time though cuz he never lost in the finals!
Man that east coast swing they were on when Gasol joined the team was something else. They were firing on all cylinders looking great and then added Gasol. Ariza that year was so good.
I attended this game. Kobe was lighting it up in the first half but it didn't matter. I didn't know it at the time but I was watching Kobe's last game as number 8. RIP Kobe and Gigi
Mamba mentality 😂😂😂
Shaq always had problem with him for not passing the ball.😂😂
And so did MOST of his team-mates !!! LOL.
They needed his scoring they jus thought they cud do it better which was false and he did pass jus not a lot he wasn't a point guard not his job. I bet if Shaq was in peak physical condition Kobe wudve looked 4 him more he was prolly upset cuz he stopped caring bout his size and effort he was prolly like I'm killing myself training and always getting better trying 2 improve and dis guy jus dnt care screw it I'll get it done on my own basically. miss the Mamba man shoot
@@relicdad88 Shaq did get lazy ( he wasn't very good at conditioning since his Orlando days or signng that big contract with the Lakers ) 2 different players with different mind sets about everything. Shaq was the main problem tho,just like with Penny ( shaq always has to be the man ) then in Miami with Wade. LOL.
@@powerbadpowerbadshaq got replaced 😂😂
Whats really crazy is watching this game live and then 17 years later some kid younger than you in a documentary narrates what you witnessed.
He looks like a kid but is 43.
Sounds*@@D0rlisok
@@nickjones5495 Sure, but also looks like one.
i know you don’t talk like that irl why do you use that tiktok voice bruh
Facts
What’s a TikTok voice?
I love the video keep it up
The love he has for the game is beautiful.
How dare they even call him a ball hog
We love Kobe for the amazing things he did but we love him even more for the crazy petty moments
AGREED.And he had a lot of them-TOO. LOL.
We don’t want to speak ill of the dead but honestly Kobe disgraced the sport when he acted petty in that game 7. Facts.
@@garygallant5390I agree completely
@@garygallant5390 That was the only way he could get his point across, and it worked. Sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad. It was genius, but some can't see it that way.
@@cumshot247it was not genius he literally gave up in a game 7 then requested a trade. He let the fans chants get in his head as well. He got lucky with the Pau gasol trade
Kobe was one of the best ballers and a real class act sadly the nba doesn’t have very many players that stand up to what’s right
No Other Person on this Planet Gave me as much Inspiration as Kobe did. No one. R.i.p. Mamba 🫡
More Kobe videos!! 👏👏👏
to be fair he got u a first half they gone call me a ball hog if I carry the next half and have 50!!! so team do ya thing. that man needed help he couldn’t win for losing
My man kobe went to the nba finals 3 times without Shaq and almost did a 3peat without Shaq
Almost doesn't count. And he played subpar in two of the 3 finals. His teammates bailed him out
1:59 Ahhhh! Kwame! 😱 As a long-suffering Wizards fan, I have a bit of a jump scare reflex anytime Kwame is mentioned. 😂
3:58 Ahhhh! Kwame! 😱
4:03 Ahh!
4:14 Ahh!
(I’ll stop now. Seems like Kwame might be mentioned a lot this video, lol.)
Edit: Oh, I guess that was the last one anyway.
this is actually a pretty creative comment thread lol
There will NEVER be a man I respect more than the Mamba. He did more with less, in the hardest era, injured all the time, while the Buss family threw his prime away and ran him too the ground.
He had prime shaq. I wouldn’t say he did more with less. Dirk did more with less then Kobe every did
Great video bro 🔥
Love these videos! I grew up in LA and Kobe, is a huge part of this cities history! Awesome content!
am I the only one having tears everytime I hear a kobe story that inspire future generations not only in basketball but also in life to be the best version of you no matter what others will tell you. Thats mamba mentality 😢 RIP Kobe 🥺
You lack testosterone crying for a man you’ve never met.
The title sounds so wrong 😭
No it don’t
It really doesn't. That's quite the stretch
how?
the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you-or don’t. So don’t take it lightly."- Kobe, miss you
Awesome content bruh. 💜
I remember this game. He was intentionally sabotaging game 7.
Exactly but here excuses....
RIP Kobe the GOAT 😭
Lebron better
@@JohnnymarstonNegsarthurget your L takes out a here. And take this L on the way out.
@@Jack-sw1km its factual lebrons better in every stat
@@JohnnymarstonNegsarthurLebron? The same guy with the worst finals record of all time? Ring chasing and still has less rings then Kobe? Yeah no
@@gravedigging who has more MVPS lebron or kobe
I MISS HIM
Coach should have benched him. A player that's not pulling his weight shouldn't be on the court. No kobe show on my watch...
I mean Shaq literally made the nba allow a zone defense where the guy didn't have to go back to their initial man, but this led to the three ball becoming more popular. Man was still in his prime coming off a three-peat.
Nah, this was a punk ass move. Ask Bird, Magic, or Jordan if they ever tanked a game.
lol Jordan is a god hahaha
I agree
@@joondagoon6774Kobe was a God too. Only SLIGHTLY under. They were cut from the SAME cloth. Kobe just had a petty streak. Jordan hated losing too much.
Prime Kobe vs Prime Jordan and it could go either way.
Didnt matter if they won Kobe wouldeve died trying to carry that team another series
Kwame and Smush wouldn't start on a church league basketball team! They had no business taking any shots, and their careers showed that pre & post Lakers
Perfect example of mamba puppetry.
You misspelled facts... But go ahead and try to defend kawme and Smush's careers. This should be good😅@@keithjoseph128
A bulls kobe jersey would of been 🔥🔥
Clicked on the vid, remembered your casual channel, clicking off now 👌🏼
This is great content!!!!!!
I think the turning point was him going to play for team USA. Something about playing with the other stars and coach K changed something in him then he won two straight finals after the Olympics
He learned how to lead in the Olympics. Before that he couldn't lead flies to shit.
I remember this game well... The way Kobe played was clearly the game plan as Kobe had scored 50 against the Suns a few times that season - ad the Lakers lost by 15-20 each time ... and he'd actually shot less in game 3 or 4 in that series for a Laker win. What I recall is Kobe just following Phils game plan.. they just lost to a much better team
You remember wrong. He was pouting because Phil wanted him to shoot less. He didn't set screens (or half assed them) he stopped trying on defense, he didn't move off ball and just stood around (Kobe was amazing off ball) sometimes with his hands on his hips. he acted like a bratty child. MJ would NEVER
@@ben1ben2ben1 None of what you said here is based in reality ..as none of that happened . Y.i.e Kobe actually shot more in that game 7 than he did in gems earlier in that series. In the games where Kobe scored 50 once in that series and once in the regular season The lakers had lots by 15- 20 so Kobe being the smart layer that he is knew that him shooting more wasn't the answer . He was frustrated ... but frustrated that the Lakers weren't spending money as they had a ton of cap space etc that point but were holding on to it and fielding a team with Smush , Luka Walton and Kawame Brown in the starting lineup .. again if Kobe wanted to quit he could have faked a back injury , cramps , cussed out a ref ... or like MJ did and just quit on his team in 93. but carry on ...
Video starts at 5:51
What’s the beat at 1:17
18 years later
We are missing the legends
0:20 Genius??? Lol Uh, okay. It kind of tarnished his legacy, to the point that the entire NBA and MOST basketball fans NEVER bring it up, out of respect for Bryant’s LASTING and renovated legacy. We often will use language or words to try to turn garbage into gold, but most know that after all of the spins and excuses and fake-optimism, the garbage is still garbage at the end of the day.
He tried to prove that his teammates was ass I’ve done this in a 5v5 so problem he played with 8points6rebounds andrew Bynum,Luke Walton,kawnie brown I would do the same thing 😂😂
Lol that didn't tarnish shit you just trying to sound smart nobody talks about it because they understand exactly why he did it
RIP, my favorite player ever!
10:28 why Kareem always got that hater look in his eyes when somebody do something good??
That double around the back from nash was nuts though
Kobe was proving the point that the team wouldn’t even be where they are in the history books without him being on the team
“Mamba mentality” 😂😂😂😂
Let's just be as objective as possible. Biases aside, any other star player does this today, in a game 7 no less, we're saying they quit. No other way around it
yeah, just like they did to kobe in 06 when it happened. 17 years later, and most people are still saying that about him. it's just hindsight and retrospective that allows videos like this to be made, to suggest that maybe there was more to it. but imo, if kobe tried to prove a point, he did it by quitting on his team. i think it was either skap attack or jonny arnett who made a similar video, talking about how kobe didnt quit, he was instead following the game plan. this is true, he was told by jackson and coaching staff to get his team involved. but the fact is the kobe we know and remember is the black mamba, the assassin, the one who taught us the mentality. if he had taken over, he couldve easily taken over and won the series. instead he quit on his team and now adds "blowing a 3-1 lead" to his resume. i'm an avid kobe fan, and i think he's leagues better than lebron, at least as a laker, but lets call a spade a spade: kobe gave up on the 06 lakers squad.
Big facts
You are so right, if Kevin Durant would’ve done this, OMG😂😂😂, they would’ve torched KD lmao
He didn't quit, just game plan changed.
@@Snowboarding2020 oh he did, not the only time he did this... 2004 Finals ring a bell?? He shot the Lakers out of that series with his horrible shooting and even Chauncey Billups pointed that it was their game plan, let Kobe shoot their way out of the series as he barely passed the ball to Shaq in that series...
He did the thing that made his team win. When he got buckets, they lost. When he passed, they won. So that's what he did. What I do think, however, is that he capitalized on this by showing that his team needed him to carry them, so the press would shut up about his "selfishness".
But did you watch that game 7 in it's entirety? And did you watch the first 4 games of the series?
@@QuestionEverything562 Watched the whole series live. Your point?
@@TheMassiveGamer if you did, then what was the difference in the first four games vs the last three games? Like what was the major reasons that the Suns came back and won against the Lakers? How did Kobe play in the first four games vs the last three games? And specifically, what did Kobe do in G7 in the 2nd half that was different from every other game?
@@QuestionEverything562 Difference is he he averaged almost 7 assists on 23 ppg in his wins (team ball), compared to 31.25 ppg and 4 assists in his losses (Kobe show). So, I reiterate: "When he got buckets, they lost. When he passed, they won." As far as what he specifically did in G7's second half: he only attempted 3 field goals; this is despite him averaging almost 17 SECOND HALF (including OT) field goal attempts per game in the series. Is there anything else you need answered? ☺
@@TheMassiveGamer All that and you missed the biggest point. When Kobe was playing unselfish team ball, he was still aggressive with the ball. Things happened out his scoring aggression, this is what Jackson wanted. In that game 7, in the second half, it was not Kobe trying to be unselfish. When he got passive in the second half, he wasn't looking to be apart of the offense at all. He would pass the ball, then just stand out there like 3-5 ft behind the 3 point line watching his team move the ball without him, he did not do this in the first 4 games. Kobe legit gave up in the second half, so that is completely selfish on his part. In the first four games, when he passed, it was because he actually looked to score and then made the pass out of it for an assist. He posed as an actual offensive threat. In the G7 2nd half, he just passed the ball and stood there like a statue. You weren't watching clearly enough, son. Kobe quit to prove a point, but it backfired on him.
I remember during this time, i went from a Laker fan 1 Kobe fan 2, to a Kobe fan 1 Laker fan 2. I was soooo ready to buy his next jersey. I was tired of Lakers relying on him so much.
I’m glad you put this video out because it highlights just how ridiculous it is to compare Kobe to LeBron- as you pointed out in his prime without a completely stacked team, like he had with Shaq and later with his Pau, he obviously had enough fire power to win championships.. But give him a bunch of run of the mill players and it’s a miracle for him to even make the playoffs. Meanwhile, no matter who was on LeBrons team for damn near a decade he was gonna go to the finals with just about anyone on his team, and if he didn’t win it all, even without a number two player, he was considered a failure because every time Mike went to the championship. He wanted it, never mind that Jordan went with a completely stacked team, each time, particularly on defense in which he was able to hide and not forced to guard the other team best player the way LeBron always had to.
I think if Lebron had ever played with Shaq he would have won a ring every year they were together with ease
Had to stop at 0:23 Did you just call quitting on your team genius? Under no conditions or however it plays out, should it be called genius.
I think a big part of this was how the Lakers responded. If they did really trade Kobe when he asked, then we would've arrived at a different story and if the trade didn't work out, then Kobe's situation might have been something in the likes of Kyrie's current situation?
I watched that game 7 and it was obvious that the gameplan was to get the rest of the team involvement in the 2nd half but that only made things worse. Before anybody knew it the Lakers were getting blown out so bad that there was no point in Kobe shooting. I didn't believe he was trying to prove a point then she I don't believe it now. There's no way Kobe Bryant purposely lost a playoff series. That wasn't in his DNA.
And yet he shifted the bed. Terrible strategy regardless.
Thank Phil for that. Yet he seemed to relish in Kobe catching the blame which was kinda bizarre
I had the video muted and didn't even realize until I was several minutes into the video. It's insane how captivating Kobe is.
Bro that 81 point was a tight game as well. Long live the black mamba
Kobe was a genius.
Some guy called "king" ran toward's D Wade's legs of a champion for rings even being so gifted on basketball yet we have Kobe, the guy who took on the challenge and improved hard!
So Kobe didn't have Shaq?
@@apparentlylivin kobe proved he can be a champ ON HIS OWN doing. Not leCruited allstar talents
@@apparentlylivin kobe proved he can be a champ ON HIS OWN doing. Not leCruited allstar talents
@@jowieonit you really think that Kobe didn't recruit Gasol or Artest? Really?
@apparentlylivin people forget basketball is a team sport
Kobe was getting hate and seen as the villain the same reason kd is now. But later fans loved kobe again, i wonder if they’ll love kd again too because if older fans forgave kobe for his actions which were warranted but he was being slightly toxic, then kd can be forgiven too
Bro stop it kobe and kd do not have same reason
Wth lol never compare Kobe and Kd career trajectories. Kobe is Dirk & Steph level loyal. Kobe would have NEVER joined the Steve Nash Suns for instance. There’s a reason why Kobe is beloved and respected, Kd still can’t sit as his lunch table, & honestly I don’t think people will ever forgive Durant he broke the code when he joined GS, the heat wasn’t even a playoff team before LeBron joined
@@TheBossyMango if KD went to a team like clippers or raps or rockets, I wouldn't have been mad, but joining a team like warriors or cavs, is so disgusting
@@elijahroderick1305 meant same way but reason too because kobe was look at as a villain and wanting to switch teams and openly shaming his team, force trade him out of LA. I guess that more like kyrie but him and kd had the same situation. I’m a kobe fan, I’m just not letting my bias get in the way
@@TheBossyMango it’s literally comparable. Kobe didn’t leave which is why he is loved but as we saw from the video kobe was a bad guy in the nba for like 2-3 years b4 pau came n won a ring. That’s also bcuz he matured as the video also states. Kobe was tryna force a trade, shaming his team. Look as a villain for this bcuz they were saying, so instead of being a better teammate he just goin bail on em. Kobe is overrated. Alot of similar hate was on kobe just like kd.
Still can't believe this Kobe is gone 😢
“Still can’t believe Kobe is gone” bro it’s just a person move on
Great video. Forgot how good Kobe was.
I don’t care what anyone says. It doesn’t matter how dogshit your team is, if you’re up 3-1 and you're not injured, there is ZERO excuse to lose that series. Its a stain on his career that no amount of "mamba mentality" hype men can wipe away.