Should Kobe Bryant Be The Nba Logo?
In this post, we take a look at the pros and cons of making Kobe Bryant the NBA logo.
Introduction
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American former professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of the All-Defensive team, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Bryant won five NBA championships with the Lakers and was the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history at the time of his retirement.
The Case For Kobe
Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Veteran NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant gave his son his nickname, which refers to his father’s former nickname and Kobe’s ambiguous ethnicity. He is the youngest of three children. His parents divorced when he was six years old, and he was raised by his mother, Pamela. Kobe Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, and was hailed as the top high school player in the nation. He became only the sixth player in history to be drafted straight out of high school when the Charlotte Hornets selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. After being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers days later, he worked his way into the starting lineup and helped lead the team to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. In 2003 and 2004, Bryant was named both league MVP and Finals MVP as he led Los Angeles to back-to-back titles.
The Case Against Kobe
Kobe Bryant is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history. He is a five-time champion, a two-time Finals MVP, and the league’s third all-time leading scorer. He is also, quite clearly, a controversial figure. In 2003, he was accused of sexual assault, and though he was never charged with a crime, the allegations have followed him throughout his career. In recent years, as the #MeToo movement has gained momentum, there has been growing calls for the NBA to distance itself from Kobe and remove him from its logo.
There are many reasons why Kobe shouldn’t be the NBA logo. For one, the NBA is a league that is trying to appeal to a new generation of fans. it’s a league that is becoming increasingly global, and it’s a league that is trying to shed its reputation as a “boys club.” Kobe doesn’t fit with any of those goals. He represents an older generation of players, he appeals primarily to American fans, and he has been dogged by allegations of sexual assault.
Moreover, there are plenty of other players who are more deserving of the honor. LeBron James is the obvious choice. He is one of the most popular athletes in the world, he has helped to grow the game globally, and he has never been accused of any wrongdoing off the court. Other players like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are also deserving candidates. They are both hugely popular and have played pivotal roles in growing the game in recent years.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: would associating the NBA with Kobe Bryant be good for business? The answer seems pretty clear.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the discussion of whether or not Kobe should be the logo is really a discussion of what the NBA logo should represent. There are valid arguments for both sides, but it seems that Kobe’s candidacy really comes down to whether or not the NBA wants its logo to be a symbol of its past or its present. For now, it seems like the league is content to keep its logo as is, but that could always change in the future.
