My Fear became reality

When I read the headline on NBA.com about Kobe wanting to play elsewhere other than in the Lakers, I could hardly believe it, my first thought was that someone had to be playing joke or something. Wait a minute, it is not April fools day, or anything like that!! So I went and actually read the full article, and other many many articles on the web that confirmed this. Kobe actually mentioned wanting to be traded…

I will admit that this had actually crossed my mind in the past as a nightmare. I thought this would be too unrealistic, and would never come true. Kobe would never leave this team, which made him a Superstar and which has enjoyed a good level of success thanks to him. However, yesterday this became closer to reality than ever before. This shocks me because ever since I’ve been a hardcore basketball fan I’ve related Kobe to the Lakers, and it is time for me to admit right now that even though I declare myself a life-long laker fan, I REALLy only started loving the Lakers deeply when I started admiring Kobe as a player.

Since Kobe has been playing with the Lakers, I have been with the teams in the multiple ups and downs, and at the same time I have been supporting and believing in Kobe, -who has had perhaps more ups and downs that the Laker team, although most of the “downs” have been non-basketball related. I foresaw when it was time to trade Shaq out of the team, it was really evident to everybody, so it seems irrational to now come and blame Kobe for this trade. Really, I am positive that this trade was actually beneficial for the Lakers. With Shaq still in the team maybe the lakers would have had anbother year in the Finals, but an unhappy Kobe, a shaky financial situation, and not even a future to foresee. So, I will say that on getting rid of Shaq, Dr. Buss did a good thing. however, unfortunately what the lakers got back from Shaq did not prove to be good enough, and that is what the problem was. Forget about blaming Kobe for all this, he had little or nothing to do.

It is evident how great Kobe is. In spite of his immense talent, he is as hardworking as anybody else, and wants to win over everything more than anyone. he has accepted to take responsibility for everything that happens in the lakers (Wins and loses), and I dare to say he’s tried harder than anybody else to bring this team into winning ways. I can hardly imagine what would be of the lakers without KB24 on the lineup right now.

So, what would happen to my love for the lakers if Kobe leaves the team?

After thinking about all this, non-stop ever since I found out Kobe actually talked about leaving the team, I am facing the fact that I will not stop liking Kobe Bryant. I am sure I would follow Kobe’s play on any team that he plays in, even if that team is the Phoenix Suns. However I am sure I will still love the lakers. over the last few years I have grown to feel for this team, and want nothing for them but to win, and I’ve recently found out, that is even if Kobe is not in the lineup.

But hey, let’s stop thinking about this as Kobe isn’t going anywhere. I know I can trust Dr. Buss that he will make the right moves, bring the right players, get rid of the right managers, and make Kobe actually want to remain in the Lakers for the next season and beyond that. Knowing this, all these non-sense thoughts about Kobe leaving the team are a complete waste of time, just a part of the nightmare that I’ve feared since Kobe and the Lakers started making me love them.