As Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant elects to hang it up after this season ends, it becomes time for everyone to reflect on the career of the legend.
NBA players have shown their love as the news came across about Kobe’s end but there is one player who was made about the treatment Kobe received towards the end. Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, who has voiced his displeasure with the media before, voiced his displeasure with how the media has handled Bryant.
Full quote courtesy of Anthony V Slater of the Oklahoman.
I did idolize Kobe Bryant. I studied him, wanted to be like him. He was our Michael Jordan. I watched Michael towards the end of his career when he was with the Wizards, and I seen that’s what Kobe emerged as the guy for us.
I’ve been disappointed this year because you guys treated him like s—. He’s a legend, and all I hear is about how bad he’s playing, how bad he’s shooting. It’s time for him to hang it up. You guys treated one of our legends like s—, and I didn’t really like it. So hopefully, now you can start being nice to him now that he decided to retire after this year. It was sad the way he was getting treated, in my opinion.
But he had just an amazing career, a guy who changed the game for me as a player mentally and physically. Means so much to the game of basketball. Somebody I’m always going to look to for advice, for help, for anything. Just a brilliant, brilliant, intelligent man. And it’s sad to see him go.
Kobe Bryant is the first person to criticize himself. It’s not the media Kevin, it’s Kobe sending out this narrative. Kobe is shooting 20% from the floor and 30% on 3-pointers for a 2-14 team so you tell us where the good part is.
He’s a legend for sure but his time is up and when the writing is on the wall for when it might be time for him to hang it up, people are going to blast his lack of great performances.
It’s not us, Kevin, Kobe started it. We’re just following in his footsteps.