Much Riding on These Finals for Kobe

This is what Kobe always wanted - a title on his own. In his never-ending quest to surpass Michael Jordan and be considered the best basketball player ever, Kobe Bryant has faced travails along the way. From sharing the spotlight with Shaquille O’Neal to his well-publicized ups and downs with his coach, GM and teammates, the road to stardom has been rocky for Kobe. Despite all of this, or maybe because of it, Kobe has amassed a superior resume (2008 NBA MVP, 10-time All-Star, 8-time All-Defensive team, 3-time NBA Champion), and can be considered the best player in the league over the past several years.

With this Finals appearance, Kobe has a chance to continue his march toward greatness. If Kobe and his Lakers win the 2008 NBA title, Kobe will get his fourth ring, and first without Shaq. With a nice young roster and the return of Andrew Bynum, the Lakers are well-positioned to win more titles in the years to come, which would further enhancing Kobe’s legend.

If however, the Lakers lose the Celtics, Kobe will be 3-2 in NBA Finals and will not have proven that he can win a title without Shaq. Also, Kobe’s pursuit of Michael Jordan (six NBA titles, 6-0 in the Finals, six Finals MVPs), which is unlikely to be attained, will have taken a step back.

Kobe Bryant is on track to become one of the NBA’s all-time greats, and another NBA title is an important accomplishment in his climb up the ladder.