He may not be playing, but Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is still showing up in the playoffs.
He's not in uniform. Out with a torn left Achilles tendon sidelining him into part of the 2014 season.
He won't be on the bench either, as the severity of the injury prevents him from travelling with the team.
Instead, one of the game's most adroit and shining stars found a way to take over and shine in spite of his team's dull and apathetic postseason performance.
He live-tweeted their playoff game... from his couch... and absolutely killed it.
If the NFL has the "Monday Morning Quarterback," Kobe has now metamorphosed to the "Sunday Afternoon Point Guard." But instead of reading the "should-have-done this different commentary" in the papers the morning after, Kobe gave the NBA world a real perspective, but in real-time. The Black Mamba was spitting venom through the twitter-sphere: He responded and reacted to the fan tweeps:
Ig: troykeywon @LakerGangOrDie_
@kobebryant what did you think about the first half Mamb?
Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant
@LakerGangOrDie_ lot of correctable things. Lil strategic adjustments we can make Spurs hurt us with quiet 5-0/6-0 runs that kept us at bay
He gave insightful in-game analysis (keep in mind it's still in the form of a tweet):
Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant
Gotta milk pau in the post right now and d12. Will get good looks from it
Courtesy Of Compton @TheMontelShow
@kobebryant 1 quarter down. What'd you see Mamba? #CountOnVinoForAFollow
Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant
@TheMontelShow spurs ability to change sides of the floor and get penetration is hurting us.have to pick up pressure, make them uncomfortable
He even made the cynical and often curmudgeon sports media member happy; soaking up, re-tweeting and even "favoriting" every transparent 140-character-or-less response:
Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant
What I would say if I was there right now? "Pau get ur ass on the block and don't move till u get it" #realtalk
The last time Kobe missed the playoffs was 2004-2005, not due to injury but more a result of a season-long nightmare coaching regime of Rudy Tomjanovich and Frank Hamblen that went 34-48 that season following the first "retirement" of Phil Jackson from the Staples Center sidelines.
Maybe if Twitter had been discovered and active before March of 2006, the Zen-Master would have found another therapeutic outlet for his nuggets of coaching wisdom. Who knows if he even comes back to the big chair for Round 2 in LA?
Phil Jackson ✔ @PhilJackson11
@Kobe was coaching this one. He was on the beam
Kobe did what he does best on Sunday afternoon, captivating NBA audiences everywhere. And this time, he didn't even need a court to do it. Handles were active, #hashtags were a-plenty, and the Association has Kobe to thank for getting many fans into and involved into a 91-79 Sunday matinee loss to the San Antonio Spurs that didn't have a whole lot of entertainment value to the casual fan.
So when NBA Commissioner David Stern and the NBA League Office soon send out an official memo saying "it is in the best interest of our organization that all players, including all those currently on the team roster refrain from use of all social media during the game," they're missing the point and further failing to realize what's best for their own good.
The NBA is a star league. Let them shine brightest. One of your biggest stars has found a way to stay relevant without lacing up his Nikes and playing! Unless Kobe feels compelled to tweet, "I've had enough of this basketball garbage... show me what you got Duck Dynasty #realmambaentertainment" the league will be gaining followers and viewers, not losing them.
I've gotten no indication that the league will change, and will stick by their Social Media Policy. A policy where players cannot tweet during the time frame of 45 minutes before tip-off through, "after the postgame locker room is open to the media and coaches and players have first fulfilled their obligation to be available to media attending the game."
If the NBA is actively listening to their fans, they'll understand that their product is better with Kobe Bryant involved and active in their postseason.
And if the laws of modern medicine science and technology won't allow me to watch one of the greatest scorers of all-time compete in the NBA playoffs, then at least let me settle for this.
Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant
On to game 2. I will be watching from the crib again in a pau jersey and laker face paint ha! All jk aside We will be fine on wed #fanmamba
Keep entertaining us Kobe, and we'll be fine too.