I don't really understand how anyone could ever really call themselves a "Kobe Bryant fan." What is it about him as an icon that makes him appealing? Is his allure based solely on his undeniable greatness on the basketball court? Or are some people drawn to his icy, effortlessly cool demeanor in the way that the "popular kids" in high school have become a cultural archetype?
One thing's for certain Kobe is not a likeable person. He's a great player, and he's a winner. But in the way that professional athletes become idolized in our culture, the fact that Kobe could ever have a strong base of support is alarming. Ignore the alleged rape scandal, and even look beyond the feud over sharing the spotlight with Shaquille O'Neal that first began to reveal his selfishness as a player. One doesn't need to look beyond any postgame interview to see that Kobe Bryant isn't somebody with whom you can really ever be on equal footing. He wants to know that he is better than you. He needs to know that he is better than you.
Talking with the press after a loss to Boston last week, Kobe was asked if he was familiar with the excitement surrounding Jeremy Lin, the Harvard-grad benchwarmer turned surprising star of the New York Knicks, the team the Lakers were playing the next day. The question confused Kobe, who responded by saying, "I know who he is, but I don't really know what's going on too much with him. I don't even know what he's done. Like, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I'll take a look at it tonight, though."
I wouldn't accuse Kobe Bryant of not being a busy guy, but it's hard to believe, given his line of work, that he wouldn't have the slightest idea of Lin's prolific production in his first four starts an average of 28 points and eight assists, putting his performance among the best four-game starts in NBA history. Even after the reporters familiarized him with what Lin had done, Kobe remained typically unimpressed. When asked if he'd consider guarding him in New York the next night, he snickered and said, "Jesus Christ, let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Part of what makes Kobe so good is precisely his attitude. It's his ruthless, merciless desire not only to win but also to heartlessly embarrass the person or persons opposing him that makes him one of the best to ever play the game.
Michael Jordan was the same way. According to sportswriter Bill Simmons, MJ is the rarest example of the player with the most talent also being the most competitive and the hardest working. Kobe draws MJ comparisons because he's cut from the same cloth. It's not just about winning. It's about being the absolute best, and it's about everybody else knowing it.
It's no secret that this is a formula for a great athlete, but it's not exactly redeeming in a person. In a media culture that increasingly grants the common fan more access to players' personalities, it's becoming harder to separate athletic ability with personal qualities. Since we're so quick to grant great athletes a free pass on character, it's entirely plausible that a little kid might want to wear a Kobe Bryant jersey. However, it should also serve as a harrowing reminder that just because the guy can pour in 40 a game, it does not mean he's the type of person you'd want your kid looking up to.
After out-dueling Kobe and scoring 38 points in front of a raucous home crowd at Madison Square Garden, the Twitter-sphere was exploding with praise of Lin. What amazed me, besides the jokes, was the unanimous excitement from celebrities, other NBA players and average Joes.
I particularly liked Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash's tweet about Lin: "If you love sports, you have to love what Jeremy Lin is doing. Getting an opportunity and exploding!!"
Nash's comment echoed the sentiment that I believe is the real universal element behind the hype surrounding Jeremy Lin right now. People want to like the good guy, the guy taking advantage of fortuitous circumstances and performing well. It is possible for an athlete to have success on the court and be personable off of it. Nash may not have the hardware Kobe does, and he may not go down in the annals of NBA history for being as statistically prodigious. He has, however, had a great career, and it says a lot about who he is as an icon that he would praise Lin instead of choosing to dismiss anyone who threatens to steal any of his recognition or call into question his place as the best.
For fans, it's hard to separate athletes' visibility and celebrity from their humanity. When we don't have to, it makes us like them even more.
