Kobe Bryant's Exit Leaves a Hole in the NBA

Third on the all-time scoring list. Seventeen All-Star selections. Two-time NBA Finals MVP. Two-time NBA scoring champion. Five rings. The career of Kobe Bryant, which once seemed it could go on forever, will come to an end at the conclusion of the season. It has been a career of great triumph and, with less than a full season to go, it's time to realize the talent and personality that will be hanging it up for good in just a couple months.

Kobe has five rings to call his own after a 20-year career

When I was growing up, it was Kobe Bryant's league. Being born in 1994 and being too young to ever appreciate Michael Jordan and the 90's Bulls, my first NBA memories involve the Los Angeles Lakers' dynasty in the early 2000s which, of course, was led by Kobe Bryant. LeBron James was still in high school, and guys like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry weren't even in the public eye. It was Kobe who filled the highlight reels on Sportscenter while becoming Nike's newest poster child. And while there was plenty of drama surrounding Kobe during that time, whether it be childish fights with Shaquille O'Neal or the infamous sexual assault case, it was obvious that Kobe was the best player in the league.

Yet Kobe brought more to the NBA than just talent. Ever since Kobe entered the league, he's had a chip on his shoulder that is unmatched by any player in today's game. He never cared if you liked him and he wasn't bothered by the public's opinion. He was in uniform every night with the mindset to win, and nothing short of that was acceptable. He was a perfectionist, not only for himself, but for his teammates. It didn't matter whether you were the last guy on the bench or a future Hall of Famer in the starting five, Kobe Bryant expected you to do your job, and he would let you know if you didn't.

Kobe sank two free throws after rupturing his Achilles

That's the kind of attitude and personality that, though it can be taken negatively by a lot of people, defined the killer instinct and attitude that the league will dearly miss. Kobe is the last of a dying breed in that his toughness and competitive drive is unlike anything the NBA has to offer now. While his body has failed him these past couple years, his mindset hasn't changed. He fights back, defies the odds, and pushes himself harder than anyone he's ever played with or for. There are few defining moments in anyone's career that personify an athlete more than the two free throws Kobe made after rupturing his Achilles two seasons ago. He was barely able to walk, and yet a lifetime of battling and embracing the grind the game presented was summed up in those two free throws. There was no backing down. And in today's league where guys get taken off in wheelchairs, or they get carried off the court because of a cramp, or they refuse to play because their kid's high school graduation fifteen years down the road keeps them on the bench, it shows you how intense and truly tough Kobe was and is.

So now here we are, with the end drawing close and Kobe's illustrious 20-year career coming to an end. It's obvious he's not the player he used to be, but if the media and fans continue to make fun of and laugh at the poor stats that Kobe's posting, they're missing out on the celebration of one of the best players to ever play the game. This season should not be about comparing his stats to the stats he posted when he was 25, this season should be about reflecting on a phenomenal career and appreciating a player that brought identity and success to the game of basketball. So stop the comparisons, stop the jokes, and stop the criticism. He's not Michael, he's not Magic, he's Kobe Bryant, and the league won't see a player like him ever again.