Kobe Bryant: Leader or Leading Scorer?

Amid the neverending barrage of newspaper headlines, magazine copy and barbershop talk, you think you know everything there is to know about superstar guard Kobe Bryant, but you have no idea. Following the presentation of three books on leadership from Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Phil Jackson, a new conversation was sparked about whether or not the leading scorer of the National Basketball Association is indeed the leader of the multi-championship team. What qualities does Kobe Bryant possess to solidify the validity of the lofty title? Perhaps because Bryant has become the arch nemesis of the Phoenix Suns, scored a controversial 81 point game, and was disparaged as "selfish" by Sir Charles (as well as others), he has been much maligned and possibly misunderstood, but there is another side to the heir apparent to MJ that the general public has not been privy to.

Kobe Bryant, famous for his acrobatic, gravity-defying assault on the basketball court, is synonymous with MVP or hall of fame, but surprisingly his passion for the game coupled with his professionalism are as prolific as his slam dunk or killer jump shot. According to Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, Bryant is an undeniable leader, a man of few words with a show-and-prove attitude. Coach Shaw goes on to say that Bryant's work ethic and dedication to the game is unrivaled by any professional basketball player that he has played with or against in this era. And he should know. Shaw's professional basketball career of 20 plus years as both player and coach afford him the audacity of placing the proverbial crown on any head that he sees fit. Shaw has probably known Bryant longer than anyone in the league because while Shaw played basketball overseas, he played a one-on-one game in Italy with 11 year old Bryant. Shaw passionately states that Bryant's athletic discipline and rigorous preparation are a clear testament to his decade-long maturation from high school phenom to elder statesman of his team at the ripe old age of 28.

With the moonlight to guide him, Bryant makes the hour-long trek from his home to the practice facility, arriving by six o'clock in the morning to conduct his self-imposed, individual workout hours before the team practice. His regiment consists of stretching for 45 minutes alone. For the time it takes to travel from The Staples Center to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Bryant is continually stretching, working himself into a pool of sweat. He transitions to footwork, pivots, cuts, fakes, and other fundamentals as well as shooting at game speed with much repetition. Finally, he receives rehab for his knee, which includes pulling, pressing, strengthening, and rotating-that's where the pain begins. After practice, the preventive maintenance to avoid swelling begins; Bryant ices his entire body while the rest of the team has already showered, dressed and left the building. The icing includes knee wraps on both knees, with his feet soaking in buckets of ice. Bryant's shoulders are wrap-packed with ice as well. In this state of frigid healing, he grants interviews to overzealous reporters who never cease to let up inundating Bryant with relentless questions about the team, his performance, his personal life and his detractors.

While it's evident that Bryant has an awe-inspiring, gruesome workout that rivals military boot camp, his role as leader is sometimes less apparent to the average sports fan, but Shaw contends that Bryant simply leads by example. The confidence that he exudes permeates the locker room and sets the team expectations. As Shaw puts it, "If Kobe were nervous before a game, it would trickle down to the rest of the team. Kobe is always eager and good to go." As far as words of encouragement, Shaw admits that Bryant is neither an animated cheerleader nor a charlatan of sorts; before a game, the understated Bryant may simply look into the eyes of his teammates and emphatically announce, "Everybody get ready to go!" That's where they know to trust in their leader to set the tone, increase their energy and get them fired up for every game. According to Coach Shaw, Bryant has always been a leader, but he was forced to share the spotlight with Shaquille O'Neal for his first few seasons in the league. In the last couple of years, he has accepted the singular role and made strides to create a cohesive, winning squad.

Although it is apparent to most on-lookers, Bryant places far more pressure on himself to win than he could ever heap on his teammates. Even when he has injured himself and endured a great deal of pain, Bryant has continued to play the game, never shirking his responsibility by giving in to the kind of pain that would sideline a great majority of players in the league. Coach Shaw proclaims that the game is completely mental for Bryant, and since his priority is getting the job done, he plays through aches and pains because he knows his team not only relies on him, but needs him at the helm.

As a leader, Bryant's Achilles Heel may have been that he lacked a sense of compassion. He has been known to come down hard on teammates when they have missed a shot, turned the ball over, or missed a defensive assignment. In his recent past, Bryant wouldn't shoot the rock to teammates after they missed shots that he felt they should've made, obviously punishing them for their errors. Bryant may have had little tolerance for players that weren't the fierce competitor that he is, but during the maturation process he has begun to accept his teammates' strengths and weaknesses and allowed them to do their jobs without unfairly harsh criticism. In the role of a leader, Bryant now allows those same teammates to prosper without judgment or retribution.

Although Bryant is highly motivated to win another championship, and although it's quite obvious that his individual prowess has dramatically contributed to the Lakers Dynasty, the subsequent fall from grace during the 2004-2005 was attributed to Bryant's marked arrogance and selfishness. It would be easy to jump on the bandwagon and shamelessly blame Bryant for the Lakers demise; however, one has to remember that he has endured both personal and professional growing pains on national television. As the head coach disappeared and most of the locker room was emptied by frustration and trades, the Lakers didn't reach the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Bryant learned a tremendous lesson about trusting his teammates, his coach and the front office; working more successfully with his peers has produced more wins, as well as improved the morale for the betterment of the team. As a side, it is important to recall that at the time of the draft, Bryant was the youngest ever to play in the NBA, and in 10 years he has literally grown into a man before our very eyes.

Just one year after the post-Shaq, post-Phil debacle, Bryant led his team to the Western conference semi-finals before being defeated by the Phoenix Suns, where he demonstrated trust, selflessness and patience with his teammates. Much to the chagrin of Lakers fans, his benevolent spirit and subsequent failure to steal a win precipitated criticism that the leader didn't step up when the team was in need of his infamous buzzer-beating jump shot. Regardless of his critics, by demonstrating leadership qualities and sharing the ball, he allowed Luke Walton, Kwame Brown, and Lamar Odom to play big roles in their playoff run; nevertheless, the Lakers were defeated in their ambitious aspirations of a 2006 championship. However, the greater goal was wholly achieved; the team finally gelled and began to resemble the powerhouse of old. Ultimately, Coach Shaw contends that Kobe leads by pushing his body beyond physical limitations, motivating his teammates, and terrorizing the court like a beast, stalking his prey and attacking without mercy.