Ah, Kobe Bryant -- ever self-aware, ever willing to goad the media and his haters alike.
In a season that may be the basketball equivalent of a lame-duck presidency, Bryant’s interactions with the press have shifted from the no-nonsense veneer that characterized his earlier years to an attitude that is almost jocular, as he has proved continually willing to humor the mood swings and inanities of the 20-second news cycle.
Case in point: When the 37-year-old was asked Thursday about the 13 3-pointers he shot in the Lakers’ season opener, he responded with the following:
“Thirteen is a lot of threes, but everyone bitches when I don’t shoot enough threes.”
Read: He knows that you think he’s a ball hog. He’s not blind to the fact that you believe he should pass more. He just does not care.
Bryant’s entire career has been a case study in the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t phenomenon. When he tries to get his team back into a game by putting up a quick barrage of jumpers, he gets criticized. When he seemingly tries to take a stand by not shooting -- as what happened against the Sacramento Kings in 2004, to name maybe the most famous example -- he gets censured.
Damned if he shoots, damned if he passes. Damned if he wins, damned if he loses.
“A lot of players shoot 15, 13 threes, but I’m held to a different standard,” Bryant continued. “It’s fine. I just have a different standard than everyone else, I guess.”
Read: Find someone who cares about your deep-seated opinions on his shot selection.
This Kobe is a fun Kobe. Bring on more fun Kobe, please.
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