Author Nate Gray Farewell to Kobe Bryant on His Final Game Tonight

Tonight, 4/13/16 is Kobe Bryant's last game.

In the middle of working on some projects for my new book coming soon, A Winning Perspective, I stopped to acknowledge and send a farewell shout out to NBA superstar, Kobe Bryant, as he will play his last game tonight in Los Angeles, Staples Center, hosting the Utah Jazz. I am a huge sports fan, and of course, a fan of Bean.


When Kobe entered the NBA in 1996 right out of Lower Merion High School, I was in my sophomore year at Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago. This was the time the 95-96 Bulls set the NBA wins record 72-10. 20 years and 5 NBA Championships later, The Mamba is retiring from the game of basketball.

As a kid myself with hoop dreams and a rap music career dream at that time, I remember somehow getting hold of a cassette tape and hearing a single that was released by Kobe back then. I can’t remember the song title, but I just remember smiling about it and saying to myself, “Wow, Kobe Bryant raps too?”

My older brother and I watched the NBA Draft at that time, and I remember us saying, how would Kobe Bryant have been if he played for the Charlotte Hornets where he was originally drafted before the quick trade to LA Lakers. It’s one of those things that make you say, “The world may never know,” like the answer to the question on the Tootsie Roll commercial where they ask, “How many licks does it take to get the center of a Tootsie Pop?

However, I will say, I think he had the best opportunity in LA where they needed a shooting guard of his caliber, whereas Charlotte was already equipped with guards like Kendall Gill, Johnny Newman, and Seth and Steph Curry’s dad, Dell Curry. With the other stars on that team at that time, the Charlotte Hornets were a well loaded team!

I recall Kobe mentioning Michael Jordan in an interview some years ago when he was talking about how he wants to be the best, and there was no better way to do it but learn from the best. He said that he worked out with and still talks to Mike. I am glad I was able to watch Kobe play on TV over the years, and especially against Jordan in his last dynasty days with the Chicago Bulls and during the NBA All Star Game.

I did not have the opportunity to see Kobe play against the Bulls in LA this year nor during his last trip to Chicago recently when they played on February 21, 2016, but I was there in spirit and glad my boy Eugene McIntosh, of The Bigs, along with his partner, Terrence Tomlin was in both places for both games covering sports for Chicago. Eugene told Kobe while he was shooting around in LA during a pregame warmup, “Hey Bean, you’re the last of the Mohicans, man!” Kobe turned around and gave a smile and continued to shoot buckets. Click here to see the video of The Bigs in LA with Bean.

Bean, I wish you well in your new “post season,” which will be life after the NBA. Fans, the league, and I thank you for 20 years of service!



Nate Gray
Speaker/Author of A Winning Perspective (coming soon, click here to read a FREE Chapter) and From Him to Us: Volume 1 (available for purchase in Amazon, click here to order now)
@HaveAWP
www.haveawp.com

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Nate Gray's NBA related blogs:

A Winning Perspective on Dorell Wright Letter to My Younger Brother Delon Wright: NBA Season Opener

A Winning Perspective on Muggsy Bogues
Fatherhood with NBA Dads: Nate Gray Speaks at Propops in Miami with Dwayne Wade Sr.





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