On the Court With... Kobe Bryant (6 page)

All joking aside, Kobe knew that now that he had accomplished his goal of winning the state title, the conversation would
soon turn to another topic.

Would Kobe Bryant really decide to go straight from high school to the NBA?

CHAPTER SEVEN
1996

Kobe had but one short month to make up his mind. If he decided to enter the NBA draft, the league required that he declare
his intentions in early May, nearly two months before the draft, which was scheduled to take place on June 26. Similarly,
if he wanted to attend college he had to decide as quickly as possible because a number of schools, including LaSalle, were
holding scholarships for him. It wouldn’t be fair to keep them waiting forever.

In newspapers and magazines all over the country, sportswriters and various other basketball personalities debated his options.
Most felt that it would be a mistake for Kobe to go straight to the NBA.

Their arguments made a great deal of sense. If he went to the NBA, most people believed he was taking a gamble. If he failed
in the NBA or became injured they worried that he might never attend college and would thereby compromise his future. They
claimed that attending college and experiencing the collegiate lifestyle were important for his personal development and maturity.
They cautioned that if he chose to enter the NBA, he might someday regret it. There would be no turning back.

They also cited the experiences of several other young basketball phenoms who had gone straight into the NBA only to have
disappointing careers. Center Darryl Dawkins, for example, had entered the NBA out of high school in 1975, becoming a teammate
of Joe Bryant’s on the Philadelphia 76ers. A remarkable physical talent, Dawkins had lingered on the bench for several seasons
before becoming a starting player. And although he had a productive career, he never quite seemed to reach his potential.
Many people thought that if Dawkins had attended college for four years he could have developed into an all-time great.

Some observers also expressed concerns about how Kobe’s decision might affect other young players. While Kobe was immensely
talented, other players without his myriad skills and maturity might incorrectly assume that they, too, could go straight
from high school to the NBA. If they miscalculated and the NBA disagreed with their assessment of their skills, their opportunity
to attend college to play basketball
would be gone, for once a player declares for the draft and signs with an agent, he becomes ineligible for collegiate play.
That had, in fact, already happened to several misguided players. Thinking they could go straight to the NBA, several such
players didn’t take the academic side of high school very seriously. But they were rejected by the NBA and then discovered
they were unprepared to move on in a life without basketball.

Others in the basketball community questioned whether Kobe had the talent to make it in the NBA. At six-foot-six and just
over 200 pounds, Kobe was what basketball fans sometimes refer to as a “tweener,” a player without a true position. They believed
that he was too small to play forward in the NBA and didn’t yet have the ballhandling or shooting touch to play guard. Jon
Jennings, then the director of player development for the Boston Celtics, was one of many NBA insiders who were outspoken
in their belief that Kobe wasn’t yet an NBA prospect. “It’s a total mistake,” he told a reporter.

But others believed Kobe could and should go straight to the NBA. They recognized that his background was much different from
that of most high school players. They realized that he was more mature
and had been exposed to pro basketball his entire life. In Bryant’s defense, they cited a number of high school stars who
had rejected a chance to go directly into the NBA and chose to attend college, only to be injured or have disappointing careers
that harmed their professional prospects. They argued that if the NBA was interested in Kobe, he should jump at the chance
and take the money he was certain to be offered. He might not get a second opportunity.

Kobe’s parents spent hours discussing his decision with him. But they didn’t try to sway him one way or the other. Joe Bryant
best summed up their attitude toward their son by saying simply, “Kobe has choices.”

Instead of pressuring him, they just tried to make sure that he was aware of the opportunities and risks that each choice
entailed. Unlike many other players in his position, for Kobe the money he would earn in the NBA wasn’t really an issue. The
Bryants were well off and Kobe was under no pressure to join the NBA for monetary reasons.

Meanwhile, as Kobe struggled with his decision, he won a host of honors and awards. His per-game averages of 31 points, 12
rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and four steals during his senior year made him a consensus all-state selection in Pennsylvania,
and he was named to the prestigious
Parade
and McDonald’s High School All-American teams.
USA Today
even named him their High School Player of the Year.

Kobe finally reached his decision and held a press conference in the gym at Lower Merion High School just after the final
bell on the afternoon of April 29. His classmates raced from class and crowded into the gym to hear the announcement. They
were joined by hundreds of media members, the teaching staff, and Kobe’s family.

Kobe approached the podium, his shaved head glistening, wearing his best suit jacket and a pair of trousers he’d bought at
the last minute, which needed tailoring. The gym turned still as he stood and surveyed the crowd.

Most seventeen-year-olds would have been nervous, but Kobe was cool and assured. He had daydreamed about this moment for years.
Before he spoke, he tilted his head, rolled his eyes, and brought his fingers to his chin as if still pondering his decision.
Everyone laughed as Kobe’s stunt broke the tension.

Then Kobe spoke, clearly and confidently. “I’ve decided to skip college and take my talent to the NBA,” he said.

Kobe Bryant, star of Lower Merion High School, slams the ball home during a practice session.

Cool and confident, Kobe Bryant announces his plans to enter the NBA draft instead of college.

The rookie Laker goes in for a layup against the Jazz during a 1997 playoff game.

A face-splitting grin after a successful — and crowd-pleasing — slam dunk!

All muscle and determination, Kobe Bryant drives the lane against the Houston Rockets.