On the Court With... Kobe Bryant

by Matt Christopher

  He made adjustments. “We tried to give them some different looks,” Downer said after the game. “We tried to get Kobe inside and move him around. The key was to get him in transition.”

  Erie was taken aback by the change in strategy at the beginning of the second half. Lower Merion scored 11 straight points, only two by Kobe, as his teammates finally found their range. When the horn blew to announce the beginning of the final quarter of Kobe’s high school career, Lower Merion led, 37-31.

  But Erie regrouped and remained committed to their game plan. They hit a series of long jumpers and led, 41-39, with just over three minutes remaining.

  Then Kobe tied the game with two free throws. He added another basket, and with just over a minute remaining, Lower Merion led, 45-43.

  Now the pace of the game suddenly turned frantic as each team scrambled to score. Erie missed a jump shot and the Aces rebounded, but quickly turned the ball over.

  Erie probed the Lower Merion defense, looking to tie the game. With 30 seconds left one of their players tossed up a runner from the lane. The shot ricocheted off the rim and Kobe soared high above everyone to pull down the rebound. Just as Downer hoped, now Kobe had the ball in transition.

  Kobe dribbled quickly upcourt as Erie struggled to stop him. At the top of the key, they swarmed around him. Bryant gave a little fake then flashed a pass to teammate Omar Hatcher, hitting him in full stride. Hatcher laid the ball in and Lower Merion led by four. One foul shot later, the game ended. The scoreboard told the story: Lower Merion 48, Erie 43.

  When the final whistle blew, fans rushed the court and the Aces piled upon one another in a big knot. A few moments later, the players took turns mounting a ladder and snipping down the net.

  Although Kobe had scored “only” 17 points, he had still been the best player on the court, a player who had made his entire team better and led them to a championship. “This is the final chapter Kobe wanted to write,” said Downer. “He deserves it.”

  Kobe couldn’t stop smiling. “Fifteen years from now we’ll get together and talk about how we won the state championship,” he joked. “But now, I’m gonna take a shower and party.”

  All joking aside, Kobe knew that now that he had accomplished his goal of winning the state title, the conversation would soon turn to another topic.

  Would Kobe Bryant really decide to go straight from high school to the NBA?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  1996

  Decisions, Decisions

  Kobe had but one short month to make up his mind. If he decided to enter the NBA draft, the league required that he declare his intentions in early May, nearly two months before the draft, which was scheduled to take place on June 26. Similarly, if he wanted to attend college he had to decide as quickly as possible because a number of schools, including LaSalle, were holding scholarships for him. It wouldn’t be fair to keep them waiting forever.

  In newspapers and magazines all over the country, sportswriters and various other basketball personalities debated his options. Most felt that it would be a mistake for Kobe to go straight to the NBA.

  Their arguments made a great deal of sense. If he went to the NBA, most people believed he was taking a gamble. If he failed in the NBA or became injured they worried that he might never attend college and would thereby compromise his future. They claimed that attending college and experiencing the collegiate lifestyle were important for his personal development and maturity. They cautioned that if he chose to enter the NBA, he might someday regret it. There would be no turning back.

  They also cited the experiences of several other young basketball phenoms who had gone straight into the NBA only to have disappointing careers. Center Darryl Dawkins, for example, had entered the NBA out of high school in 1975, becoming a teammate of Joe Bryant’s on the Philadelphia 76ers. A remarkable physical talent, Dawkins had lingered on the bench for several seasons before becoming a starting player. And although he had a productive career, he never quite seemed to reach his potential. Many people thought that if Dawkins had attended college for four years he could have developed into an all-time great.

  Some observers also expressed concerns about how Kobe’s decision might affect other young players. While Kobe was immensely talented, other players without his myriad skills and maturity might incorrectly assume that they, too, could go straight from high school to the NBA. If they miscalculated and the NBA disagreed with their assessment of their skills, their opportunity to attend college to play basketball would be gone, for once a player declares for the draft and signs with an agent, he becomes ineligible for collegiate play. That had, in fact, already happened to several misguided players. Thinking they could go straight to the NBA, several such players didn’t take the academic side of high school very seriously. But they were rejected by the NBA and then discovered they were unprepared to move on in a life without basketball.

  Others in the basketball community questioned whether Kobe had the talent to make it in the NBA. At six-foot-six and just over 200 pounds, Kobe was what basketball fans sometimes refer to as a “tweener,” a player without a true position. They believed that he was too small to play forward in the NBA and didn’t yet have the ballhandling or shooting touch to play guard. Jon Jennings, then the director of player development for the Boston Celtics, was one of many NBA insiders who were outspoken in their belief that Kobe wasn’t yet an NBA prospect. “It’s a total mistake,” he told a reporter.

  But others believed Kobe could and should go straight to the NBA. They recognized that his background was much different from that of most high school players. They realized that he was more mature and had been exposed to pro basketball his entire life. In Bryant’s defense, they cited a number of high school stars who had rejected a chance to go directly into the NBA and chose to attend college, only to be injured or have disappointing careers that harmed their professional prospects. They argued that if the NBA was interested in Kobe, he should jump at the chance and take the money he was certain to be offered. He might not get a second opportunity.

  Kobe’s parents spent hours discussing his decision with him. But they didn’t try to sway him one way or the other. Joe Bryant best summed up their attitude toward their son by saying simply, “Kobe has choices.”

  Instead of pressuring him, they just tried to make sure that he was aware of the opportunities and risks that each choice entailed. Unlike many other players in his position, for Kobe the money he would earn in the NBA wasn’t really an issue. The Bryants were well off and Kobe was under no pressure to join the NBA for monetary reasons.

  Meanwhile, as Kobe struggled with his decision, he won a host of honors and awards. His per-game averages of 31 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and four steals during his senior year made him a consensus all-state selection in Pennsylvania, and he was named to the prestigious Parade and McDonald’s High School All-American teams. USA Today even named him their High School Player of the Year.

  Kobe finally reached his decision and held a press conference in the gym at Lower Merion High School just after the final bell on the afternoon of April 29. His classmates raced from class and crowded into the gym to hear the announcement. They were joined by hundreds of media members, the teaching staff, and Kobe’s family.

  Kobe approached the podium, his shaved head glistening, wearing his best suit jacket and a pair of trousers he’d bought at the last minute, which needed tailoring. The gym turned still as he stood and surveyed the crowd.

  Most seventeen-year-olds would have been nervous, but Kobe was cool and assured. He had daydreamed about this moment for years. Before he spoke, he tilted his head, rolled his eyes, and brought his fingers to his chin as if still pondering his decision. Everyone laughed as Kobe’s stunt broke the tension.

  Then Kobe spoke, clearly and confidently. “I’ve decided to skip college and take my talent to the NBA,” he said.

  Kobe Bryant, star of Lower Merion High School, slams the ball home during a practice s
ession.

  Cool and confident, Kobe Bryant announces his plans to enter the NBA draft instead of college.

  The rookie Laker goes in for a layup against the Jazz during a 1997 playoff game.

  A face-splitting grin after a successful — and crowd-pleasing — slam dunk!

  All muscle and determination, Kobe Bryant drives the lane against the Houston Rockets.

  Eyes never straying from his target, Kobe Bryant focuses on making his shot.

  Kobe Bryant powers to the hoop!

  All disagreements behind them, Kobe and Shaq hug after a hard-fought win in the 2000 NBA Finals.

  Victory! Kobe celebrates with his teammates after they clinch the NBA title.

  The championship trophy at his side, Kobe Bryant whoops to the crowd at a celebration the day after the Lakers win the Finals.

  Kobe hangs tight after a spectacular dunk while sporting his new uniform number, 24.

  Waving goodbye to the ball, Kobe demonstrates flawless execution.

  The gym erupted with applause. His peers had long known of his desire to go to the NBA and they wholeheartedly supported his decision. But Kobe wasn’t finished.

  “I know I’ll have to work extra hard,” he said, “and I know this is a big step, but I can do it. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s time to seize it while I’m young. I don’t know if I can reach the stars or the moon. If I fall off the cliff, so be it.” Then he stepped from the podium and embraced his parents as an informal press conference took place.

  Kobe’s mother reiterated the family’s support of their son. “We were going to support him no matter what he chose to do. Whether it was college or the NBA, we’re always going to support him. That’s what we do. It was Kobe’s decision.”

  Then she added, “With Kobe, nothing really concerns me about this decision. Like any parent, I have concerns about drugs, alcohol, and fast women, but kids are encountering that in high school.

  “But Kobe is a balanced young man,” she went on. “He’s always stayed focused on what is really important. I don’t worry with Kobe or any of my children, because we have a great family foundation.”

  Then Joe Bryant spoke, admitting, “Hey, I would have liked Kobe to go to school for four years and go to Harvard. But is that reality? This was Kobe’s dream. This is his life, so it was his decision.”

  All of a sudden, Kobe Bryant was big news. His decision to go straight to the NBA was a national story, and Kobe became instantly familiar to most professional basketball fans.

  His next step before the draft was to select an agent to represent him in contract negotiations. A few weeks after his announcement, Kobe and his family traveled to New York for a much larger, glitzier press conference at the headquarters of Adidas America, the sneaker and sportswear company. He announced that he had selected the William Morris Agency to represent him, and their first act was to sign him to a multiyear endorsement contract with Adidas. “I’m very excited for this opportunity,” said Kobe. “I’m one hundred and ten percent sure I made the right decision.”

  Adidas CEO Steve Wynne said, “We view Kobe Bryant as one of a new generation of athletes who we think will transform sports in this country. Kobe is a kid with a vision, a kid with a dream. I think his pursuit of that dream is going to be one of the most heartwarming stories in American sports over the next couple of years.”

  Kobe Bryant had yet to play a minute in the NBA. He didn’t even know which team was going to draft him. Yet the deal was reportedly worth nearly ten million dollars. Kobe Bryant was already a millionaire before he had played a second of pro basketball.

  A number of NBA teams had scouted Kobe throughout his senior year at Lower Merion, and they now redoubled their efforts. Several teams asked him to attend private workouts so they could assess his skills in a controlled setting. Playing against high school kids was one thing, but performing in a near-empty gym under the scrutiny of NBA coaches and scouts was another.

  The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the teams that flew him in for a tryout. While growing up, Kobe had been a huge Lakers fan, primarily because his favorite player, Magic Johnson, had played for them.

  But after Johnson announced his retirement in 1991 upon learning he had HIV, the Lakers had rarely exhibited the championship form that marked the Magic years, a fast-breaking, thrilling style of play fans called “Showtime.”

  NBA legend Jerry West was the Lakers’ president. In the 1960s he had led the Lakers to the NBA Finals six times, where they lost each time to the Boston Celtics, before finally capturing a title in 1972. As a player, West was one of the best all-around talents in the history of the league. A six-foot-four guard, West possessed a deadly outside shot, and was able to slash to the hoop, hit teammates with pinpoint passes, and collect rebounds like a big man. He was at his absolute best in pressure situations. Opponents never felt that any lead was safe as long as he was on the court, and he developed a well-deserved reputation as a player who would do anything to win. When the NBA created their red, white, and blue logo featuring a silhouetted basketball player in mid-dribble, the figure was modeled after West. The league could not have made a better choice.

  But West had never faced a challenge as difficult as rebuilding the Lakers. Try as he might, he had thus far been unable to build a championship team.

  Bryant intrigued West. His youth marked him as a player a team could build around, and his myriad skills reminded West of himself. Moreover, he had heard that Bryant possessed a remarkable work ethic and that the well-mannered young man wasn’t likely to be a behavioral risk.

  At the same time, West also had his eye on the Orlando Magic’s star center, Shaquille O’Neal, who was scheduled to become a free agent. West knew that the great Laker teams of the past had featured not only a great guard, like himself or Magic Johnson, but also a great center, like Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Perhaps, thought West, Bryant and O’Neal might one day form a similar combination that could lead the Lakers to a championship. If everything worked out, he hoped to acquire both players.

  But West still wanted to see Bryant for himself. At the workout he stood on the sidelines as Bryant performed for Laker coaches, displaying all of his skills.

  Near the end of the workout, they asked Bryant to play one-on-one against Laker assistant coach and one-time NBA defensive specialist Michael Cooper.

  Bryant played well against Cooper, and his performance gave West a glimpse of what he believed was the most important quality for any player to have — his heart. He could see the desire contained in Bryant’s game as he relentlessly attacked the basket on offense and challenged Cooper on defense.

  West was stunned by what he saw. He had heard that Bryant was good, but the workout really opened his eyes. He later said, “He was the most skilled player we’ve ever worked out, the kind of skill you don’t see very often. He has the potential to be an All-Star.”

  The workout left him convinced that Bryant could be the player the Lakers needed, particularly if they were able to acquire O’Neal as well. But there was just one problem. It wasn’t going to be easy for the Lakers to get either player, much less both of them. West knew he would have to outbid every team in the league for the services of O’Neal. And the Lakers were saddled with a late pick in the first round of the draft. Chances were slim that Bryant would still be available.

  Although it was no secret that Bryant hoped to play for the Lakers, his desire would have little influence on who picked him in the NBA draft. His options would be few, for if he didn’t sign a contract with the team that picked him, he wouldn’t be able to play in the league at all. It was that simple.

  On draft day Kobe was nervous. Most observers expected him to be chosen somewhere between the tenth and fifteenth picks in the first round, long before the Lakers got to select. Yet as talented as he was, most teams still considered him a “project,” a player who wouldn’t be able to contribute for several seasons, and most NBA teams couldn’t afford to be that patient w
ith a number-one draft pick. Kobe hoped that would allow him to slip down far enough for the Lakers to take him.

  He watched nervously as the first dozen teams made their picks, selecting college stars like Allen Iverson, who could help out immediately. Then he watched NBA commissioner David Stern approach the podium at NBA draft headquarters and announce, “With the thirteenth pick of the draft the Charlotte Hornets select Kobe Bryant of Lower Merion High School.”

  The Charlotte Hornets?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  1996-1997

  Showboat or Showtime?

  Coach Dave Cowens of the Charlotte Hornets had once been a star center for the Boston Celtics. Although Cowens had been smaller than most NBA big men, he was aggressive and tenacious. He had made a career by outplaying bigger men.

  He had been a particular thorn in the side of the Lakers’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Now, by picking Bryant, -Cowens had stuck it to the Lakers once again.

  Kobe and his family were upset, but realized there was little they could do. It appeared as if Bryant’s career would begin in Charlotte, an idea that didn’t excite him very much.

  That’s because Cowens didn’t think Bryant was ready for the NBA. After drafting him, he called Bryant “a kid,” and openly questioned how much he would play. If Cowens believed that, thought Bryant, then why had he bothered drafting him in the first place?

  The answer to that question soon became clear. Cowens knew that the Lakers wanted Bryant and that Bryant wanted to play for the Lakers. He also knew the Lakers were expected to make an all-out effort to sign Shaquille O’Neal, which would make current Laker center Vlade Divac expendable. He wanted Divac and planned to use Bryant to get the player he really wanted.