The Kobe Bryant Narrative: American Basketball's Renaissance

Basketball's great man theory produces a few names: James Naismith, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. The introduction of another name nears its completion.

Upon Michael Jordan's retirement in 1998, American Basketball lost its greatest leader and its direction.

Despite his brief return as a Washington Wizard from 2001-03, the Michael Jordan Era of American Basketball ended on June 14, 1998. And since, the American institution and its dunking, brash, and unbeatable forces have been second-rate.

Since Jordan's departure in '98, Team USA has won just one gold medal, in 2000. In 2002, the team lost three times and finished sixth at the World Games. The 2004 Olympic edition fared no better, settling for a Bronze medal. They repeated that mediocrity at the 2006 World Games with another third-place finish: fulfilling the journey from the golden 1992 Dream Team to the bronze of the new millennium.

Similarly, the game's signature league has lost touch with its consumers. After the Bulls' six championships with Jordan, most teams have imitated their formula, relying on a big-scoring, slam-dunking, game winning, overpaid individual. Like Team USA, they produced a poor product.

The winners of the NBA's post-Jordan decade? The San Antonio Spurs: that boring, efficient franchise led by the equally boring and efficient Tim Duncan. This NBA trend simply mirrored the international one. Flash failed and efficiency won. As the Spurs won NBA championships 1999, 2003, '05 and '07, Argentina and Spain won internationally in '02, '04 and '06.

As a result, consumers stopped consuming American basketball.

But in 2009, they may again.

What does America love more than winning? Redemption. See the 1994 film depicting the fictional Shawshank Prison. Research the growing number of American bankruptcies and start-ups. Americans love to fail, and try again.

No American has embodied that narrative better than Kobe Bryant: In the last decade he has traveled from the apex of his industry to its hell. And yet back again with Pau Gasol and Nike's Aston Martin-hurdling youtube sensation.

Money talks and NBA jersey sales reflect this profound trend. Michael Jordan and his unmatched legacy of shoes, fade-away jump-shots, and dunks have sold the most jerseys "number 23" over the last decade. Following him is Kobe Bryant, that truly American persona, numbered 24.

While Jordan took the NBA and American Basketball from good to great, he never tinkered with redemption. Bryant does. Go to Eagle County, CO and request the court files relating to his extra-marital affair in 2003. Go to Colorado Springs, CO and speak with Team USA Basketball. Inquire about their failures in 2002, 2004, and 2006.

But far more importantly, watch the 2008 NBA Finals. Follow the 2008 Beijing Olympic Basketball games. Keep tabs on the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Kobe Bryant, #24, is reprising something Michael Jordan, #23, never did the Andy DuFresne experience.