Kobe Bryant - Basketball God..or Devil?
Kobe Bryant is a 6'6'' basketball player named after a Japanese place. His father was Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, a good NBA player and a star in the Italian League where he finished his career. Kobe came on to the NBA in 1996 at age 18, directly from the high school. His first season was a learning one, averaging just less than 8 ppg while showing immense "jordanesque" talent. In the playoffs, againts the Jazz, he took the lead and missed 3 key shots where he picked up the ball and took charges. Well, he missed, but managed to lead the team, which was unbelievable if we recall that Nick van Exel , Shaq and Eddie Jones where already experienced players. In the next few years Kobe became and All-Star and the Lakers were 3 time champions. Just before the 2003-4 season, a young girl working in a hotel accused Kobe of rape. Nike immediatly terminated his sponsorship contract, even before any verdict was announced. Kobe, a married man, managed to prove he had con...