Part of Kobe Bryant’s allure is, coincidentally, that it was so easy to hate him.
Unless you bleed purple and gold, it always was hard to root for Bryant. His talent was undeniable, sure, but there was something about him — the scowl, the selfishness, the fact again, he was really good — that just rubbed fans the wrong way.
Then again, most fans probably hated Kobe because he won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and likely climbed over your favorite team to do so. That’s sports.
So that’s why Nike’s newest Bryant spot is so brilliant. It perfectly captures the love-hate relationship between Bryant and basketball fans across the world, even those who couldn’t stand him. Because even though he was one of sports’ greatest villains, it’s tough not to respect the Black Mamba as he rides off into the sunset.
