The Dark Knight

All Star Saturday Night 1997

"Show me a hero, and I will write you a tragedy." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Kobe Bean Bryant is the story of how a child from West Philadelphia, grew into a man of worldwide acclaim. It has been 12 years since the fabled NBA Draft of 1996. Within that class are the likes of Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, and Jermaine O'Neal, however none of them are as intriguing as the enigma that is Bryant.

Over the years, the experts spewed venom saying that he was everything from an elitist without street creditably to a bad teammate. The only thing he ever was as a 17-year old high school student, straight to the professional ranks of the NBA, is misunderstood. In his naivete he didn't even read all of the crazy things the Los Angeles and national media wrote about him. His main focus was making the transition from competing against boys, to men.


Basketball is, was, and always will be something that drives him.


The goal is just as it was during his youth in Italy to become the BEST basketball player he could be. If it were not for the guidance and support of his family, this story had the potential to go awry way before 2003.


We all make mistakes, especially as a teen or young adult, however not many of us, have had to grow up and make choices in a fish bowl for all the world to see.


I write this as a friend of the Bryant and Cox families, so my words are tainted with loyalty. Nevertheless, if you had a sneaker contract worth six-figures when you were 17, or if you wanted to make a decision that went against what your parents wanted, just remember that you didn't have to do it with complete strangers and the media looming. For some reason or another Kobe has been painted as everything that is wrong with professional sports.


Allow me if you will to venture back to the early 1980's. Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was playing for the San Diego Clippers, and made his native Philadelphia the off-season home. The family lived in the Overbrook section, directly around the corner from the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. By this time Kobe had started to emulate his father, playing basketball in the living room while watching Jellybean on TV.


These were the building blocks of the MVP you see today.

They who endure, conquer.