Kobe Bryant Opens up about Storied NBA All-Star History
TORONTO—Practice stopped abruptly. Then, players, coaches and fans watched something on the Ricoh Coliseum scoreboard that has caught everybody’s attention for almost two decades.
Highlights of Kobe Bryant’s All-Star performances played on a loop. They showed how Bryant collected four All-Star MVPs to tie Bob Pettit for a league record. They showed how Bryant set an NBA All-Star-record 280 points.
When Bryant plays his final All-Star game on Sunday at Air Canada Centre, will the Lakers’ 37-year-old star provide another highlight?
“My storybook ending would be to enjoy this experience and help these young guys,” said Bryant, who wants to play around 10 minutes. “It’s important for them to take advantage of the moment.”
Hence, Bryant did not sound thrilled when Golden State Warriors guardStephen Curry told him, “I have a lot of assists for you.”
“I said, ‘No. What are you doing? You’re a shooter,” Bryant said. “You grew up watching me. What the hell are you talking about that you want to pass me the ball at an All-Star game? Are you crazy?”
It also remains crazy to fathom how Bryant’s NBA All-Star history marked defining moments of his 20-year NBA career.
“He has so many great memories and there’s so much great footage,” Cleveland forward LeBron James said. “I don’t know how you guys will able to mix, match and put together his legacy.”
The Beginning
Bryant’s favorite All-Star memory starts with his rookie season. In 1997, Bryant gushed about talking with Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
“They were probably like, ‘Who is this kid? It’s just extremely annoying, because he just keeps asking all these questions,’” Bryant said. “But the guys that came before me shared so much insight.”
That could have helped Bryant with his first All-Star accomplishment. Bryant won the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest by performing an in-between-the-legs dunk.
“I didn’t want to do it. I was too nervous,” Bryant said, laughing. “But I wound up having fun and winning the thing.”
Kobe dunks during the second quarter of the 2005 NBA All-Star game in Denver, one of 18 All-Star Games that he was chosen for. (AP Images)
The Start
Bryant was not considered good enough to start for the Lakers in 1998. But the 19-year-old Bryant was considered good and popular enough to become the youngest player to start in an All-Star game.
That pitted Bryant against Jordan, and the Lakers’ young star appeared eager to accomplish one thing.
“Going up against him and defending the turnaround shot,” Bryant said. “During the regular season, I didn’t get a chance to match up with him too much in that regard. In the All-Star game, I had a chance to measure it, see the tempo of it, the footwork of it and physicality of it. It was fun.”
It was also fun for Jordan and Bryant to trade baskets. Jordan won his third All-Star MVP after posting 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Bryant had 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, six rebounds and two steals despite sitting in the fourth quarter.
“I got blamed for Kobe not getting the MVP because I took him out,” said Sacramento coach George Karl, who coached the Western Conference All-Stars that year. “I couldn’t believe that.”
But Karl confirmed Karl Malone asked to sit amid frustration with Bryant.
“Karl said to take him out because Kobe told him to get off the block,” Karl said. “He said, ‘Get out of my way.’”
The Boos
The moment in 2002 seemed too perfect for Bryant to receive a standing ovation. He collected his first All-Star MVP. He posted 31 points in his Philadelphia hometown.
But instead of showering Bryant with brotherly love, Philadelphia fans booed him both throughout the game and during the MVP ceremony. After all, Bryant helped the Lakers beat the Sixers in the 2001 NBA Finals.
“It gave me a stronger will and more motivation to be a great player,” Bryant said. “It gave me a stronger sense of a killer instinct.”
Be Like Mike
Bryant already had a killer instinct partly because of studying Jordan. So when Bryant guarded in Jordan’s final All-Star game in 2003, it seemed inevitable they would chirp.
“That was a foul all day long,” Jordan said.
“I know you ain’t talking,” Bryant replied.
“You only got three [rings]. I got six,” Jordan responded. “That’s why I should get that foul.”
Nearly 13 years later, Bryant had no comeback.
“The ring count is one I can’t catch,” Bryant conceded after winning five NBA titles.
But after Jordan made a potential game-winning fade-away jumper in the 2003 All-Star game with 4.8 seconds left in overtime, Bryant drew a foul on the next possession and forced double overtime. Bryant then scored 55 points on Jordan that season, a feat Bryant once reminded Jordan about years later during All-Star weekend.
“That’s how I showed respect to MJ,” Bryant said. “I take the things I learn from them and the competitive spirit from them, and give it back.”
Kobe goes up for the reverse layup during the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, at his home court of Staples Center. (AP Images)
The Feud
After fighting over roles and personality differences, the feud between Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal became an inevitable storyline during All-Star weekend.
In 2004 at Staples Center, O’Neal won the All-Star MVP award over Bryant. After the Lakers traded O’Neal the following summer to Miami, Bryant and O’Neal ignored each other in the 2005 All-Star game during pre-game handshakes. In 2007, Bryant stole the spotlight from O’Neal by winning his second All-Star MVP award.
Yet, Bryant said he and O’Neal “were always civil.” O’Neal insisted their lack of interactions as opposing All-Stars “was never anything personal.” The two proved that publicly when Bryant and O’Neal (then with the Phoenix Suns) shared the All-Star MVP award in 2009.
“That moment really broke the ice,” said O’Neal, who relished Bryant giving the trophy to his son, Shareef. “After that, I knew all the stuff we went through was silly.”
Bryant viewed that episode differently, saying they had already become “extremely friendly.”
“When you put two guys in a locker room every single day and have complete differences on how you should get somewhere, you’re going to have confrontation,” Bryant said. “Now that we go our separate ways and see each other only once every whenever, that’s great.”
Capturing Los Angeles
The Lakers unveiled Jerry West’s statue outside Staples Center. Clippers forward Blake Griffin won the Slam Dunk Contest by jumping over a car. But Bryant still owned All-Star weekend in Los Angeles in 2011.
Bryant had his hand and feet immersed at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater. He then left another imprint by collecting his fourth All-Star MVP with 37 points on 14 of 26 shooting and 14 rebounds.
“He told me early in the game, he’ll try to get a feel if he can go for the MVP by how his shots were falling,” said Chicago Bulls forward and former Lakers teammate Pau Gasol. “He does that because he’s so ambitious and wants to be the best.”
So much that Griffin and Kevin Love teased Bryant for stealing their rebounds. Bryant responded, “I’m the double-double king.”
“Being around so many young players,” Bryant said, “gave me so much energy by seeing them bounce around.”
Bryant poses with the MVP trophy for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, one of four All-Star MVP wins for Kobe. He had 37 points and 14 rebounds, both game highs. (L.A. Daily News: David Crane)
Taking The Pain
The replay shows Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade accidentally broke Bryant’s nose in the 2012 All-Star game. The medical tests show Bryant suffered a mild concussion.
Bryant stayed in the game and scored 27 points to surpass Jordan’s previous All-Star record in points scored (271). On the final play, Bryant also defended James and forced him to pass. In the 2013 NBA All-Star game, Bryant also blocked James twice. James joked, “I was injured.”
But it was Bryant who was injured in 2012, though he did not play like it.
“You get a shot from somebody, the last thing you want them to know is they took you out,” Bryant said. “You have to hit me harder than that.”
Wade hit Bryant hard enough that Bryant needed to wear a plastic mask. A week later, Bryant scored 33 points against the Heat.
“There were no hard feelings,” said Wade, who apologized privately to Bryant. “But I expected him to come out and give me what he did.”
The Injuries
Bryant could not overcome all injuries during All-Star weekend. He stayed sidelined in 2010 (left ankle), 2014 (left knee) and 2015 (right shoulder). Bryant also only played three minutes in 2008. Bryant called those moments “extremely frustrating.”
“You can sit there, whine, complain and feel sorry for yourself,” Bryant said. “But that’s not going to do anything about it. You have to move quickly to a place of acceptance and figure out what you can do.”
The Last Chapter
Bryant has figured out enough to stay healthy to play in his 15th All-Star game and making his 18th All-Star appearance. That already has created more memories.
Jordan presented Bryant with his entire Nike catalog, which includes 30 of Jordan’s various shoes in brilliant white.
“I told him, ‘You have no idea how much I worked to try to find a pair of shoes when I was in high school,” Bryant said. “Now I have the whole collection. It’s pretty sweet.”
So is the possibility that Bryant could make more All-Star memories once he steps on the court.