Lurk Angle
All Star
I don't think basketball is gonna be the same again to me
Older thread '20 NYK Off-season Thread
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Rell Lauren
Banned
Mural for Bean should be on 24th and 8th if there's any real estate there.
Y’all boys ok? Keep your heads up. Knicksfan tv made a nice tribute to Kobe and chuck d was on the episode.
Keep your heads up. Knicksfan tv made a nice tribute to Kobe and chuck d was on the episode.
Y’all boys ok?
I'm fighting tears watching TNT
Rell Lauren
Banned
Ironman
#Knickstape
I legitimately didn't know we had a game
Haven't really wanted to watch basketball
Haven't really wanted to watch basketball
Aintnobodystupid
All Star
@Aintnobodystupid dapped this
Miles Davis
Prince of Darkness
Same, the season was a wash already but now it’s completely over. I don’t wanna talk ball or nothing, but I get the urge to come here since it’s routine. all star weekend gonna be tough cause you know they gonna do something.I legitimately didn't know we had a game
storyteller
Veteran
I was on vacation when the news about Kobe Bryant dropped. That meant I could kinda avoid basketball for a few days and just reflect on it. That loss really hit home for me in a way that I wasn't really expecting and I had to really think about why. In HS, I was one of the "T-Mac >>> Kobe" guys. I didn't appreciate the dude fully until I watched him drag Smush Parker and Chris Mihm to a playoff seed in a western conference loaded with monstar teams. After Mamba won more titles with a completely remade roster and with a bunch of news about his work ethic though, I really grew to be a fan of the guy. I was young when I watched Jordan do his thing and I was too old school to think the Lebron Decision thing was cool at all. So Kobe was the superstar that I related to most...he brought Jordan's mentality into another era where his competitive nature put him at odds with teammates at times but brought out the best in others. He stuck with LA, a loyalty I appreciate now that we see so many star players bounce around the league. And he still found ways to dominate and win.
Even though Kobe was a crazy athlete, he always felt like the guy who outworked everybody else. His practice attitude and summer workouts had full on think pieces written about them. That flipped to some funny commercials and a constant presence from Kobe. You wanted Bryant to reach out to the young players you liked. I felt more confidence picking RJ Barrett after hearing that scouts compared his workout attitude to a young Kobe Bryant. This was a dude everyone deferred to, he earned that respect. I grew up watching him go from a teenager with a pretty obvious ego, to this rabidly competitive star player that could usually keep Ron Artest types under control (as much as possible). I saw him go from reverse dunks across the paint along the baseline to post up fadeaways after injuries took some of his bounce and defense. shyt, I saw Kobe treat an allstar game like Game 7 of the Finals once, yelling at a young Lebron during game clinching moments.
I'm not about to brush past some prior issues either. Kid arrived with ego for sure, had a teammate rivalry Shaq and then there was the accusation in Colorado. Here's what I'll say about that stuff though, if it bothers you I can respect that. But for me, Kobe grew from all the drama he faced and owned it. His apologies or comments in retrospect showed someone who really reflected on his past and used it to propel himself. He earned my respect by acknowledging flaws and working to make 'em right in my book.
That brings me to present. Watching this dude take his daughter under his wing and teach her was something special. It was like watching a legend show us the human side that sometimes got brushed aside by all the reverence he received. That just made the news of the crash and deaths all the more painful. It felt like losing a legend and a little legend in the making, someone whose legacy was on its way some time down the line. You get a window into a family and see it broken up this tragic way and it hits hard.
So we lost a GOAT...the one from my generation, the best player I grew up with. But not always the best...he earned it. He had to outwork people and even after three titles, he still had to start over and prove himself again. Dude was far from perfect, we saw his flaws and watched him overcome them. I watched him score a record in the Garden while NYC chanted his name and I saw him put on a show at Rucker Park. I got to see him answer questions in Spanish and thank supporters of Latin heritage which is always nice for me. Kobe just felt special fam...and we lost that.
So suffice to say, I'm not in the mood to write a recap today. Randle, Payton and Morris gave us most of what we're used to at this point. DSJ looked healthier than we've seen all year. Mitch had a block party. But it's all a blur. That's my first time watching basketball since the news and I was distracted. I figured I'd write about Kobe and get it off my chest instead. The league is collectively mourning, you feel that with the 24 and 8 second violations of course. It hits in the moment of silence or watching Kupchak tear up. But even as the game is played...it feels like something missing. We'll get back the magic and get back to arguing over menial things like who played for how long soon I'm sure. But for now, I just wanted a chance to mourn.
Even though Kobe was a crazy athlete, he always felt like the guy who outworked everybody else. His practice attitude and summer workouts had full on think pieces written about them. That flipped to some funny commercials and a constant presence from Kobe. You wanted Bryant to reach out to the young players you liked. I felt more confidence picking RJ Barrett after hearing that scouts compared his workout attitude to a young Kobe Bryant. This was a dude everyone deferred to, he earned that respect. I grew up watching him go from a teenager with a pretty obvious ego, to this rabidly competitive star player that could usually keep Ron Artest types under control (as much as possible). I saw him go from reverse dunks across the paint along the baseline to post up fadeaways after injuries took some of his bounce and defense. shyt, I saw Kobe treat an allstar game like Game 7 of the Finals once, yelling at a young Lebron during game clinching moments.
I'm not about to brush past some prior issues either. Kid arrived with ego for sure, had a teammate rivalry Shaq and then there was the accusation in Colorado. Here's what I'll say about that stuff though, if it bothers you I can respect that. But for me, Kobe grew from all the drama he faced and owned it. His apologies or comments in retrospect showed someone who really reflected on his past and used it to propel himself. He earned my respect by acknowledging flaws and working to make 'em right in my book.
That brings me to present. Watching this dude take his daughter under his wing and teach her was something special. It was like watching a legend show us the human side that sometimes got brushed aside by all the reverence he received. That just made the news of the crash and deaths all the more painful. It felt like losing a legend and a little legend in the making, someone whose legacy was on its way some time down the line. You get a window into a family and see it broken up this tragic way and it hits hard.
So we lost a GOAT...the one from my generation, the best player I grew up with. But not always the best...he earned it. He had to outwork people and even after three titles, he still had to start over and prove himself again. Dude was far from perfect, we saw his flaws and watched him overcome them. I watched him score a record in the Garden while NYC chanted his name and I saw him put on a show at Rucker Park. I got to see him answer questions in Spanish and thank supporters of Latin heritage which is always nice for me. Kobe just felt special fam...and we lost that.
So suffice to say, I'm not in the mood to write a recap today. Randle, Payton and Morris gave us most of what we're used to at this point. DSJ looked healthier than we've seen all year. Mitch had a block party. But it's all a blur. That's my first time watching basketball since the news and I was distracted. I figured I'd write about Kobe and get it off my chest instead. The league is collectively mourning, you feel that with the 24 and 8 second violations of course. It hits in the moment of silence or watching Kupchak tear up. But even as the game is played...it feels like something missing. We'll get back the magic and get back to arguing over menial things like who played for how long soon I'm sure. But for now, I just wanted a chance to mourn.
Peter Popoff
PROTECT YA NECK!! 🖕🏽🇺🇲
Rooting for the Grizzlies.
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