Kobe’s Skills On The Court Drove All Parts of His Life

Kobe Bryant

There is way too much to be said about Kobe Bryant and his legacy that we could ever hope to capture in one article. That is why this piece is going to look at Kobe as a player and athlete only, not touching his amazing transition into life as a coach, father, and family man that occurred before his life was cut tragically short at the age of just 41 in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning.

There are many players in the sports we cover that are said to be premier players. Kobe was not just a premier player in his own time; he was one of the premier players in the history of his sport. He was a premier player in the city of Los Angeles, a city where he would be on the Mount Rushmore of sports icons. He was a premier player who transcended his sport and became a household name around the world thanks to 20 seasons of highlights, determination, and excellence.

His legacy is a complicated one, but his playing style is one that we will likely never see again. In this era of load management, no player will eat the minutes that Kobe did throughout his career. This is a player that once played to the point of tearing his Achilles tendon, but still went to the free-throw line to finish his play with two successful shots, such was his will to win and his dedication to making that happen.

Kobe took shots that kids today would be benched for trying. He retired leading the league (historically) in just one single stat. That stat was the number of missed shots over a career. While that should be a negative, it’s not. That’s because the toughness of Kobe made him want to take those shots, knowing that every shot not taken was two (or three) points that would never be made.

You can’t be a shot-selection player and score 60 points in your final game. You can’t be that and put up the second most points ever in a single contest with his 81-point explosion against the Raptors in 2006. You can’t be that and win five NBA titles, be an 18-time All-Star and a 15 time All-NBA selection. You can’t be that and be feared each and every night by every opponent you face.

Kobe had the footwork, the stroke, and the competitive fire to take himself to the very top. That so many of the premier players in the NBA today cite Kobe as their inspiration says more about his legacy than anything that could be put to paper. The world is a worse place without Kobe Bryant in it, but we must push forward and strive for success every day to the best of our ability. After all, that is what Kobe would do.

Article by Premier Players

Past Winners

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2022 Premier Player of College Baseball
Kevin Parada, C, Ga Tech Yellow Jackets

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2019 Premier Player of College Baseball
Tommy Henry, LHP, Michigan Wolverines

2018 Premier Player of College Baseball
Brady Singer, RHP, Florida Gators

2017 Premier Player of College Baseball
Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt

2016 Premier Player of College Baseball
AJ Puk, LHP, Florida Gators

2015 Premier Player of College Baseball
Corey Ray, OF, Louisville Cardinals

2014 Premier Player of College Baseball
Jake Lemoine, P, Houston Cougars

2013 Premier Player of College Baseball
Colin Moran, 3B, North Carolina Tarheels

2012 Premier Player of College Baseball
Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU Tigers

2011 Premier Player of College Baseball
Alex Dickerson, OF, Indiana Hoosiers

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