Tell me a story about Kobe Bryant when he was a kid

The story of Kobe’s growth!

“The most valuable thing my father taught me is the love for basketball and the love for the fans. He told me not to let pressure and people’s expectations of you destroy what you experience from basketball. Fun. He allowed me to fully express my emotions during the game and do whatever I wanted to do. Basketball is an art and playing is a process of finding happiness."

Less than 10. At the age of 18, little Kobe began one-on-one training with his father. This kind of training from his father is not to ask Kobe to succeed in the NBA in the future, but to let Kobe find the fun in basketball so that he can know how to find the fun in life. Under the free sunshine of Italy, Kobe's skills thrived and his peers were no longer a match for him. Kobe often watched NBA game programs transmitted from across the ocean, and his bedroom was covered with posters of Jordan, Bird and "Magic". In his eyes, these giants are not that far away. He has begun to experience the love of these giants for basketball from basketball. He feels that he can also do the magic they perform on the court. Of course, all this has to be confirmed back in the United States.

The motherland is like a foreign land

In 1991, Joe Bryant finished his 8th season in Italy. He was 38 years old. He had made enough money in Italy over the years. It is enough for the family to live a comfortable and comfortable life after returning to China, and for their three children to receive the best education. Joe bought a house in Lower Merion, a wealthy area of ??Philadelphia, and accepted an invitation from a local university to serve as the school's team coach. He also served as a scout for some European basketball clubs. Bryant Jr. and his two older sisters also attended Lower Merion High School.

When Kobe Bryant returned to his motherland, he did not immediately adapt to the new living environment. At the age of 13, he was already 1.78 meters tall, but Lower Merion was an aristocratic middle school and he could not find him in his class. Several dark-skinned classmates, and what's even more frightening is that they are not used to his thick Italian accent and always look at him with strange eyes. Kobe was once again impacted by a different culture. The gap between his childhood in Italy and his social life in the United States was huge. In a school without peers, Kobe spent most of his time on the court.

Not long after entering school, Kobe began to participate in the school basketball team training. As a sophomore in junior high school, he played with the school's second team. But at the beginning, he couldn't even understand some of the slang his teammates shouted on the court, and it was difficult for him to form a tacit understanding with others. Although he can break through the opponent's defense with ease, he can't find the target to pass the ball to. However, his unique physical fitness makes him stand out among his peers. He often dribbles the ball from the backcourt, travels across the entire court, and breaks through all opponents to score. The flexibility, explosive power and indescribable basketball inspiration of the body make this 13-year-old child particularly eye-catching on the court. That caught the attention of varsity coach Greg Downer.

Downer was only 26 years old at the time. He had also played basketball for several years in college and was a good defensive back. When other physical education teachers recommended Kobe to Downer, he decided to try out Kobe himself.

On a Friday afternoon, the students on the school basketball team were all over from school. Some of them went to play video games, and some went home to watch TV. The empty court was filled with sunshine. Downer strolled to the sidelines and suddenly saw Kobe dribbling for a layup. This child seemed to be competing with an imaginary enemy. Sometimes he stuck out his tongue and swayed left and right to break through, and sometimes he turned around in the air and shot hook shots.

"Hey, Kobe, who are you bullfighting with?"

"Hello, coach, I'm dueling with the 'shadow enemy'." Little Kobe wiped his sweat and said a little He replied shyly.

The "shadow enemy" aroused Downer's interest. He walked onto the court and said to Kobe: "Okay, I am your real enemy now, let's have a real bullfight!" "

Kobe smiled again, he seemed a little timid. But once the ball was in his hands, it seemed to immediately become a part of his body. Downer stuck to Kobe's upper body near the center circle, but the kid's waist suddenly twisted to the right, then took two steps to the left, and immediately broke through and went straight to the basket.

After 10 minutes, Downer decided to give up. "I admit, I really can't beat this 13-year-old kid," Downer recalled in the fall of 1998. "He is simply a devil, or a shrunken Jordan. It is impossible to guard him in a one-on-one situation. "I have never seen such an outstanding middle school student."

After fighting with the coach, Kobe became the starting player of the school team. Dawna agreed to treat Kobe to a meal. Kobe thought for a moment and said, "Macaroni and pie." He still likes Italian food, and his Italian accent can be heard in his words.

Rewriting the history of the school team

Since Kobe appeared on the school team, the people of Lower Merion knew that the history of basketball in this school was going to be rewritten. This aristocratic school has trained many celebrities in Philadelphia's political, business, and entertainment circles, such as the famous Republican Senator Dole and the movie star Al Pacino, but it has never trained a sports star. The Lower Merion basketball team is also a weak team in Philadelphia and is no match for ordinary high school teams.

Those black children who have been playing basketball on the streets since they were young, completely looked down on this well-dressed white-faced scholar from a white aristocratic school, until a black genius boy appeared on this team.

Kobe's first year after joining the school team was not successful. Lower Merion had 4 wins and 20 losses in the conference league and did not even qualify for the playoffs in the 1992-93 season. However, Kobe, the youngest, averaged 18 points per game. Even in some ugly defeats, he would make several incredible layups or passes behind the ball. Coach Downer recognized Kobe's potential and decided to build the school basketball team around Kobe.

"Kobe is a volcano," Downer said. "Perhaps due to the different growing environment, he did not have much contact with his classmates. But his determination to win and his hard training exceeded my imagination. Don't At this age, most children are either addicted to video games or thinking about having a girlfriend, but Kobe only has basketball. Of course, his academic performance is also the best in the team."

Summer vacation is here, and Kobe is starting. Comprehensive self-training, he insisted on running in the morning, skipping rope, and lifting weights every day. He also installed a 3.2-meter-high basket in the backyard and secretly practiced dunking - this low basket gave him great confidence. In addition, his father's guidance also greatly broadened his court vision. He also had the opportunity to watch a Philadelphia 76ers game with his father. On the sidelines, an old 76ers fan told Kobe: "Your father was really amazing back then!" Kobe beamed, "Hey, I will definitely do it in the future. Better than him." Then he would return to the court in high spirits and start "brutal training" that would make even adults shake their heads for hours on end.

A year later, Kobe was already over 1.90 meters tall. Under his leadership, the Lower Merion school team made a historic breakthrough: they won the first place in the conference league in the 57 years since the school was founded. A championship, and then broke out of the Central Division of the Philadelphia High School League with a record of 16 wins and 6 losses and entered the Pennsylvania High School Major League. The 14-year-old Kobe averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. Even the Philadelphia Observer began to pay attention to the growth of this genius. Although Lower Merion failed to advance past the first round of the state league, Bryant's ability caused quite a stir.

The first taste of victory made Kobe Bryant more confident. He knew that this was an honor earned through sweat. He knew that he could do better because the average age of his opponents was 3 years older than him!

The tireless "court rat"

In the second season of representing the school team, the team's winning rate increased by 60% and entered the state high school major league, which was In the history of the Philadelphia High School League, no one has done it except Chamberlain in the 1950s. Kobe's confidence soared like a rocket. In the summer of 1994, he practiced harder and harder.

In less than two months of summer vacation, Kobe played for six weeks against high school students who were at least two years older than him, and then participated in two youth basketball training camps.

The first training camp was the ABCD training camp held by Adidas Sporting Goods Company at Dickinson University. After Adidas experienced the business crisis in the late 1980s, it was gradually rising. They aimed at the US market. This training camp invited the best high school students in the United States, and Kobe was the only high school freshman among the 60 people. Then he went to his father's alma mater, La Salle University, to practice football with the young people who had just entered college. By this time, his father had become an assistant coach of the La Salle University team.

During the two weeks of training at La Salle University, Kobe never took his father's car to the gym for training. He was not yet 16 years old at the time and could not obtain a driver's license. Kobe rode a bicycle for an hour at 8 o'clock every morning to the La Salle University Arena in downtown Philadelphia, and then started training immediately. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., he kept running on the court. When he was really tired and hungry, he stopped to drink water and eat a hamburger. During regular training time, Kobe worked harder than other players. When everyone else went home to rest, he was still practicing long-range shots and passing. In the first two days, when his father left the arena in the afternoon, he wanted to take Kobe home with him, but later he gave up this plan: "My son is a workaholic, and you can't let him go unless you yell at him." He stopped training. ”

Kobe did not consider injury or fatigue. He could find the happiest mood on the court, and it was impossible for him to stop training. From then on, there was a tireless "court rat" in the Lasali Arena. When the old man watching the arena came home from get off work in the evening, he only had to whistle three times to Kobe from a distance, and Kobe would listen carefully after training. Turn out all the lights and lock the doors. The key was naturally in Kobe's hand, and he was the first to open the door the next day.

By the time school started in September, Coach Downer was "horrified" by Bryant's progress. However, Downer did not rest this summer. He found several good helpers for Kobe: Monsky, Griffin and Pangrazio are excellent 3-point shooters, and Rosen and Fedelman are full of impact in the interior.

With such an average support lineup, coupled with Kobe’s extraordinary talent, Downer is already imagining the celebration scene of Lower Merion players using scissors to cut the basketball nets of the state high school league. .

The last time this school won a state championship was in 1943. At that time, not only were these children not born, but their parents were not born either. Watching Bryant thrive, Downer felt it was time to win the state championship.

How to face failure

The season has begun. Every Saturday at Lower Merion High School awaits the varsity basketball game like a holiday. They got through the regular season with ease, beating teams in the same conference and running away. With a record of 26 wins and 5 losses, they won the division championship again, and then won the Philadelphia Central Division championship with a undefeated record, and once again entered the Pennsylvania High School League playoffs.

The oldest high school league in the United States was named the AAAA League. It was named by U.S. Secretary of State Marshall himself in 1945. The reason why it was called the "4A" league was because the highest military rank in the United States at that time was "five-star general." Marshall himself was one of the first five-star generals in the United States. He named the Pennsylvania High School League "4A", and his praise is self-evident.

The Lower Merion team defeated Ridley Middle School, which had won six consecutive state championships, 76-70 in the first round. Bryant scored 42 points alone, making Downer smile. After the game, he told the Philadelphia TV reporter who came to interview: "The state championship is right in front of us. I don't need to use any special tactics, as long as they pass the ball to Kobe."

However, Downer was happy. Overdoing it, in the second round they met the Chester High School team, which played a sophisticated and steady style. This team sent two 2-meter-tall high school seniors to "guard" Kobe, and tried their best to organize positional attacks and control the rhythm of the game. Not letting Lower Merion's rushing attack get going. The Chester team won 77-50, and Kobe tasted the pain of defeat for the first time.

Back in the locker room, Kobe held back tears and apologized to his coach and teammates because it was his performance that caused the team to lose. Kobe scored 31 points, but his shooting percentage was only 37%. He had a chance to take a shot. Poor selection and not distributing the ball to teammates in a timely manner. Kobe swore to his teammates: "We admit defeat, but we will not admit defeat. We will definitely win the championship next year!" This season he averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

Aiming for the championship

Before the start of the 1995-96 season, the "Philadelphia Observer" published an article "Who Can Stop Kobe Bryant" as a review of the high school league that year. of looking forward, because every high school coach knows that this is going to be Bryant and Lower Merion High School's year. But Lower Merion lost 4 of its first 7 games. Kobe was extremely sharp, but the team was in disarray.

On a weekend in December, the Lower Merion team came to Delaware. They faced a team known for its defense. Before the game, Downer called the players into his room and comprehensively reviewed the team's previous failures: "This is not Bryant's team alone, this is our team. You still remember the first time we played. , how did the teacher explain basketball? This is a collective sport, there are 5 people on the court, everyone has their own position and role!"

The coach was furious, making Kobe and his teammates aware of the problem! the severity of. Although they were well prepared before the season, when faced with defensive play, the team did not cooperate tacitly. They decided to "let the ball move on the court." Although the core is still Kobe, everyone must bear their own responsibilities.

What followed was an incredible 27-game winning streak. They defeated every high school team in Philadelphia and outscored each opponent in the Central Division by more than 13 points. This team in Philadelphia is simply like the Bulls of the same year. No one wants to beat them, it's just "lose less and win".

On January 25, 1996, Kobe scored his first 50 points and led his team to the Philadelphia Central Division championship. In the first round of the "4A" major league, he scored another 50 points. The opponent in the third round was the Chester team that eliminated them last year. During the warm-up before the game, the Lower Merion team all wore No. 27 jerseys because they lost to their opponents by 27 points last year. As a result, they avenged 95-64. Won the Pennsylvania Eastern Division Championship. On May 28, 1996, they defeated the Western champion Ery Catholic High School team in the finals 47-43 and won the Pennsylvania High School League championship for the first time in 53 years. Kobe scored 2,883 points in the 4-year high school league (Kobe was still a junior in junior high school in the first year), breaking the Pennsylvania High School League scoring record of 2,359 points set by basketball giant Chamberlain 40 years ago.

After the finals, reporters surrounded Kobe and asked him whether he would participate in the NBA draft or which university he would choose. Kobe smiled and shook his head: "I want to take a shower first, then have a good sleep, and then get dressed and attend the celebration party."

Future choices

Kobe's popularity will increase with time Rise with every victory. When Lower Merion entered the "4A" major league, what many Philadelphia middle school students desired most was Bryant's autograph and Lower Merion tickets. Since the "4A" major league games are held in major arenas in Pennsylvania, spectators must purchase tickets to watch the games. Therefore, tickets for Lower Merion's late-season home games were sold for $100 each, and the Philadelphia police had to maintain order.

All Kobe fans have one question: Where does the future go? Should I choose to further my studies in college or directly enter the NBA?

During the Lower Merion championship, Kobe had to face this problem everywhere he went. He always smiled and said: "I haven't made up my mind yet, I am willing to listen to all opinions."

If you go to university for further study first, your future will be much smoother. Every top-ranked school in the NCAA will provide Kobe with a full scholarship because he is not only a basketball genius, but also has excellent academic performance. In his three years of high school, his average grade was B plus, which was more than enough even to go to Duke University, which has very high academic performance requirements. At the end of April, Kobe received an invitation letter from Dean Smith, coach of the University of North Carolina and Jordan's mentor. With such a respected senior guidance, Kobe can lay a solid foundation in the NCAA and then enter the NBA.

Kobe Bryant’s rise is extraordinary. He feels that the NBA is not that far away. Although people have been very dissatisfied with high school students going directly to the NBA in recent years, in 1996, Garnett achieved success. This naturally inspired Kobe. At the same time, he also knows that the NBA is a cruel world. It is not that simple for a young man under the age of 18 to start a new life.

Facing the choice of the future, Kobe fell into a contradiction until an unexpected contest changed him.

One-on-one Stackhouse

Once faced with an unsolvable problem, Kobe will always return to the court, practice hard and clear his mind. The same is true for him when it comes to the choice of whether to enter the NBA directly. Before the start of various training camps in the summer, Kobe went to the training hall of his father's parent team, the Philadelphia 76ers, to train with professional players.

Kobe Bryant has trained with the 76ers players before, but he is still a teenager, and the 76ers players don't pay much attention to him. On this day, Kobe came to the arena, and the 76ers players had not yet started training. He first practiced jump shots for a while, and then began his most proud dunk practice. From dunking with a 360-degree turn in the air to flying dunks with wide arms, Kobe vented all the depression in his chest on the basket, and his mood began to improve.

When Kobe was dunking again and again, he didn't notice anyone standing on the sidelines. He was Stackhouse, the most popular star of the 76ers at the time. Stackhouse graduated from Jordan's alma mater, the University of North Carolina, and was the third overall pick in the 1995 draft. He happened to arrive at the training facility early that day, but he didn't expect to run into such an unknown wild boy practicing dunking. Seeing that none of his teammates came, Stackhouse felt bored alone, so he had an idea in his mind: why not have a sparring session with this tireless boy, which can be regarded as a warm-up.

When the fight between the two began, Stackhouse initially had the upper hand. After all, he had the advantage in age, strength, and experience. However, as they fought, Stackhouse felt that something was wrong. , it is simply impossible to defend this young man who moves as fast as lightning one-on-one. Kobe's defense against him was very successful. He could always see through his intentions one step ahead and block his way first. The two competed for 13 rounds, with Kobe winning 8-5.

When the two men stopped sweating profusely, applause broke out from all around. Only then did Stackhouse realize that his teammates were standing on the sidelines watching their fight. One week ago, Stackhouse scored 34 points in front of Jordan in a match against the Bulls, but today he lost so miserably in front of this little-known kid.

Kobe never mentioned that he defeated Stackhouse. Even if others mentioned it, he would explain that Stackhouse was too careless at the time. But this bullfight did change the fate of two people. Stackhouse made a fool of himself in front of his teammates and lost to a 17-year-old "kid". He was completely humiliated. After Allen Iverson arrived in the second season, he felt that there was no place for him in the 76ers, so he switched to the Detroit Pistons. . Kobe saw his own abilities from this victory and truly understood the level of NBA stars. He decided to realize his dream now.

This is my own decision

On April 29, 1996, Kobe announced that he would make a statement in the Lower Merion High School gymnasium in the afternoon to tell everyone about his future choices. The campus was abuzz, and the media in Philadelphia also found excellent news clues. National news media such as ESPN and CNN did not let go of the news. More than 70 reporters came to the school gymnasium to watch. Which path will this magical boy who broke Chamberlain's record take.

"Hello everyone, I am Kobe Bryant," Kobe stood on the podium wearing a crisp suit. "After long consideration and listening to the opinions of many people, I have decided to My own talent..." At this point, he paused deliberately, lowered his head and smiled, as if he hadn't made up his mind yet, and everyone was urging him with eager eyes. Kobe knows people's anxious mood, but in fact he is just enjoying this suspenseful moment and enjoying the fun that life brings to him.

A few seconds later, Kobe continued: "Yes, I have decided that I will skip college and bring my talents directly to the NBA."

There was a burst of crazy cheers in the stadium. The fans seemed to be listening to a superstar's speech. They loudly agreed with Kobe's decision.

The happiest person at this time was naturally Kobe. He held hands tightly with every pair of enthusiastic hands that were extended to him, satisfied every request for his signature, and elegantly answered various questions raised by many media. question. In the eyes of reporters, Kobe did not achieve anything at the time. He just announced that he would enter the professional basketball world, but the maturity he showed made people feel that he did not look like a 17-year-old high school student.

"I have to work hard to gain a foothold in the NBA. I also know that this direct promotion is a huge jump. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am still young and I should seize the opportunity. Can you I don’t know the answer when I reach the top of the mountains, but I will try my best to do it. Even if I fall into the abyss, I will admit that this is my own decision.”

In the press release. At the meeting, a group of special guests appeared behind Kobe. They were the famous Philadelphia pop band "BOYSⅡMAN". They had been Kobe's loyal fans two years ago. Today Kobe announced his entry into the NBA. They came all the way from Los Angeles to stand there. Behind the podium, music was played for Kobe Bryant. A reporter from the "Observer" wrote: "A city hero is about to be born. We have reason to believe that he will be better than Jordan in Chicago... But whether Philadelphia can keep him is still a question."

Kobe Bryant's announcement that he would be promoted to the NBA caused a lot of commotion. Celtics Vice President Jennings immediately pointed out in "Sports Illustrated" that Kobe's decision not to go to college was "a complete mistake." He said that in 1995 Rookie Garnett is the best high school student since Moses Malone, but if Garnett goes to college, he will be more successful in the NBA. As for Kobe, "He can't compare with Garnett yet." < /p>

The harsher criticisms came from the pens of some columnists. They directly pointed the finger at the Bryants, believing that they were influencing Kobe and letting Kobe play professional basketball as soon as possible to make money. Many people said that making money was Kobe's true dream, and this attack hurt Bryant's entire family. The parents took the initiative to announce the family's financial income to the media: The Bryant family is already very wealthy, and there is no need for their son to play professional basketball to make money. Coach Downer complained even more:

"These critics How many of you know Kobe after watching him play? This is a once-in-a-million talent. More importantly, he is willing to devote everything to basketball. Kobe is one of those precocious young people. He is 17 years old now, but I think he can go to college when he is 13. He has excellent grades and is quite mature mentally. Entering the highest level basketball league at this time is his best chance to realize his lifelong dream."

Stories before and after the draft Less than two weeks after he announced his participation in the draft, the Adidas sneaker company found Kobe Bryant and signed an advertising contract worth $10 million with him. The amount of this contract was not made public at the time. When Bryant signed the contract, he requested that he not become a target of the media before joining the NBA. However, Adidas announced that it will produce a new type of "Kobe Bryant shoes." Many basketball people find it strange that when Nike was at its peak, why did Kobe choose European Adidas?

Later, Kobe explained: He didn’t want to be like others, even if the “other” was Jordan. Adidas is entering the U.S. market, just like Kobe Bryant entering the NBA, they are opening up a new field. "Signing with a top brand cannot prove your value." He has to be different from others from the beginning, not to mention he has a deep understanding of Europe. feelings.

Next, Kobe chose Philip Morris as his agency. Kobe Bryant was the first basketball player signed by Philip Morris. Although this company is very influential in the United States, its business scope is mainly concentrated in the entertainment industry. Arn Tellem, the company's president, wants to enter the NBA. In this big market, he took a fancy to Kobe's potential, and Kobe, just like he chose Adidas, also believed in Tellem's ability. They had the same goal.

Adidas specially designed sneakers for him and used him as the first choice for image advertising. Tellem opened the way to the NBA through him. Kobe had already established his challenge before he entered the professional basketball world. the image of the person.

Beginning in May 1996, Kobe, accompanied by Tellem, began a self-promotion trip throughout the United States within a month. Since he has not participated in the college league and has not shown his skills in the national media, Kobe must go to various teams to express himself. Traveling was difficult. He had contact with the owners, managers or scouts of 29 NBA teams, setting off a "Kobe whirlwind". Although some teams were skeptical of him, no one denied his talent and talent. potential. The person who appreciates him the most is Lakers "godfather" West.

One morning in mid-May, Kobe was practicing in the Lakers training facility. West, who was watching, remained silent. The Lakers only had the 27th pick in the first round that year, and Kobe would definitely be ranked in the top 15. After training, West said to Kobe's agent Tellem: "We will find a way to get him." Tellem thought it was just a compliment, but he didn't expect West to actually do it. .

June 26, 1996 was the draft day. The No. 1 pick that year was Allen Iverson, and Kobe was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick. His hands were shaking with joy: he could finally show off his ambitions.

It doesn't matter which team you join. For a high school student under the age of 18, before he has fully proven himself, being able to join any team is a victory.

However, people are speculating which NBA team Kobe Bryant belongs to. The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe in exchange for other players. West sat at the scene and watched Kobe, and a complete plan emerged in his mind... West's plan. The 1996 draft was the biggest gain in the 1990s. The No. 1 pick, Allen Iverson, changed the Philadelphia 76ers three years later. The team's underdog image, No. 2 Camby has become one of the best "hot pot kings" in the league, and Raheem, the third overall pick, is the Grizzlies' scoring machine. The fourth pick, Marbury, was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks, but one minute later, the Bucks exchanged him for fifth pick, Allen. Both Marbury and Allen later became players who changed the fate of both teams. . They stood on the draft podium, exchanged baseball caps with different team names on them, and then waved to everyone - it didn't matter which team they played for in the end, the key was to be able to play in the NBA.

Kobe is also very satisfied with the Hornets. In fact, no matter which team selects him, he will not complain. However, the head coach of the Hornets does not like Kobe. He is willing to find a few big inside players to strengthen the Hornets' strength under the basket, preferably experienced adult players. During the draft, Cowens and West sat together, and West asked tentatively: "This kid is only 17 years old, but he doesn't play like a 17-year-old." Cowens snorted. : "17 years old is 17 years old."

West knew that the Hornets were going to sell Kobe Bryant. At this time, he happened to have an important transfer matter in his hands. He immediately contacted Cowens and the Hornets. General Manager Buss agreed to trade Kobe Bryant to the Lakers within a week. At the time, Cowens didn't believe that West would ask a "kid" like Kobe to enrich the Lakers' championship lineup, but the prestige of the "Godfather of the Lakers" forced him to save some face for West. Since then, the Raptors, Mavericks and Celtics have all made requests to trade Kobe, but Cowens politely declined.

West is signing a contract with "Shark" O'Neal. After playing in Orlando for 4 years, O'Neal hopes to join a stronger team. The Lakers with a glorious tradition are naturally his first choice, not to mention his idol West serves as the vice president of this team, Chamberlain and Ja Barr also played here. However, the salary for joining O'Neal must be astronomical. West must offer a salary of more than $100 million over seven years to attract O'Neal. At the same time, O'Neal also requires West to promise to work with the Lakers until 2000. According to the labor agreement at the time, the Lakers had exceeded the salary cap, and even the "Bird Clause" could not solve this problem. After careful consideration, West felt that the only Lakers player that the Hornets could be interested in was Yugoslavian center Divac.

Divac has been playing for the Los Angeles Lakers since joining the NBA in 1989. He is a very good center and the highest-paid player in the Lakers at the time. "Compared to that, Divac is still a bit behind. West made a prompt decision to trade Divac and the Hornets for Kobe, and then used the freed-up salary space to sign O'Neal. West feels that with one of the most powerful inside players and an all-around player with the most potential, the Lakers' period of dominating the NBA is just around the corner.

Using a center who has proven his ability in exchange for a 17-year-old kid, West's decision is surprising. Many people believe that West's transaction is the history of the Lakers. The most risky transaction on the Internet cannot be said to be an "equivalent exchange" at all.

When the transfer was completed at the end of June, the people of Charlotte finally realized their loss, but they did not blame the team, but said that Kobe was "too arrogant and just wanted to join the Lakers." ". In fact, this transfer had nothing to do with Kobe. He only heard the news from his agent Tellem the day before the incident. Kobe wanted to fight with Rice and Mason in Charlotte, but overnight, fate threw him to Los Angeles. First arrival in Los Angeles On the morning of June 11, 1996, a tall and energetic young man appeared at the Los Angeles Airport, waiting in the terminal for someone to pick him up. A passerby looked at him strangely and asked him: "Are you playing basketball?"

"Yes, sir." The boy replied politely.

"Where are you from?" "I studied at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia..." The boy hesitated for a moment, then laughed, "I think now I am a member of the Lakers "

A week later, O'Neal came to Los Angeles from Orlando and became a newcomer to this great team together with Kobe. At this time, the Lakers lineup also includes shooting guard Jones, point guard Van Exel, and power forward Campbell. Their strength has suddenly improved to a higher level, and they are the most talented young team in the league. In the eyes of Los Angeles people, a championship is beckoning to them again.

Kobe’s first lesson when he came to the Lakers was to learn and understand the glorious history of this team, from Mikan, the first great NBA center in the 1950s, to Chamberlain and West in the 1960s, to Chamberlain and West in the 1980s. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and "Magic" in the 1990s.

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