At the end, Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was the Michael Jordan of those born in the late 80s. The Michael Jordan of those born at the beginning of the 90s (like me) was (indeed, is) LeBron James. Michael Jordan is the symbol of a basketball generation, but not only. Michael Jordan is the kind of player that catalyzes all the interest of the sporting world and the one all the brands want to put under contract, one that even non basketball fans know.

After so many years thinking that his long run-up to the myth would never end, Kobe Bryant is quitting the NBA. He did it with a touching letter published by The Players' Tribute, a letter addressed to basketball, the origin of his obsessive-compulsive disorder to victory, to the manic perfection. It has become big with Shaq and without him, he did it alongside Phil Jackson, agonistic father of Michael Jordan as well. The real one.

Its story on the floor has been almost clean, and the numerous acknowledgments he received are there to witness it. But what has been Kobe Bryant as well as a kind of reincarnation of God? We go back to the fundamental moments of his "commercial and stylistic" life more than his working one, admitted that the two things, for an obsessive-compulsive of the game, can really be separated.

8 or 24

The retirement of Kobe is not unexpected. His followers have been trying to get ready to live ​​an NBA without Kobe for years now. Two years ago, on the Bleacher Report, they discussed which of the two jersey worn by Kobe had to be retired: the 8 or 24?

The number 8 coincides with the last classic Lakers uniform, more of that yellow with white and blue outlines, and people who have learned to fall in love with Kobe during the 90s, when Jordan was missing, still had hair and entertained reports love and hate with Shaq, they would like to see the number 8 hanging from the ceiling of the Staples.

But to Kobe #24 has a higher meaning. The 24 was his number in HS (and that means work very hard), with 24 on the shoulders has shown the world to be able to win without Shaq, has shown the world to be the best player on the square. Probably will end as planned by Arash Markazi, "I think Kobe will choose to withdraw the 24, but at the same time never any Lakers player will wear the 8".

The signing of Kobe
The main feature  common to all great champions, is the precocity. Like Michael, like LeBron, so Kobe. Even before the age of 18 in fact, the son of Jelly Bean had already signed its first contract worth millions (48 million dollars, to be exact) with adidas. The choice of adidas to bet strong on Kobe was dictated by the will of the German brand to bridge the gap that Nike had put between himself and everyone else, thanks to the MJ. The first signature shoes, however, comes a year after its debut, with Adidas KB8. THE marriage will last six years, and each year will be marked by a new release, including the futuristic THE KOBE, badged 2000. The End of adidas relationship, the born with that with Nike and the beginning of the hegemony coincided with the worst moment of life and carreer of Kobe Bryant: allegations of rape of a hostess of a hotel in Colorado cost him Kobe public pillory, as well as the cancellation of several sponsorship contracts including McDonalds and our Ferrero. Nike stood firm, and from 2005 began to produce the Zoom Kobe, which will last 10 years and will follow the constant evolution of materials and styles all other lines, while remaining faithful to the original idea of ​​how to imagine a shoe worn by Kobe. Functional and essential, slippery. "Serpentesca", by Black Mamba.

Your Michael
When we’re talking about Kobe Bryant like Jordan we certainly makes it for its sporting attitude, but not only. Kobe - as after him Bron - represented the kind of player who, charisma and ascend to the entire human race, passes once every 20 years. It is not surprising then how the whole industry dell'endorsement went mad at the sight of the Philly boy. The debut of Kobe was accompanied by contracts with McDonalds (with whom he will turn a memorable TV commercials), Coca Cola (in particular for the Sprite division), Spalding, Upper Deck (a kind of Panini overseas) and even Nintendo, which will create a video games on him (the Kobe Bryant NBA Courtside) and in recent years Call of Duty (in what is still his most incredible performances of acting) and Turkish Airlines ( the saga spot with Lionel Messi). A global success, arrived in Italy as well as in China and South America. Kobe Bryant has managed to impose his mark everywhere, and what is more surprising is its ability to do almost everything falls outside of the media circus that inevitably parried around. The boundary has always been for him, precisely, contour, more. The goal was to basketball, "dear basketball".

Sing Kobe
In a long article dedicated just to Kobe other job perspective on Grantland, Golianopoulos Thomas speaks of "secret career as a rapper in Kobe." An open secret in all respects, but one that could be lost on anyone. Before Kobe became an all star, eyes and hands of the US discography had already come upon. He and his rap group: the CHEIZAW (for the record, the acronym stands for Canon Homo sapiens Eclectic Iconic Zaibatsu Abstract Words). Sony, represented by its chief operating at the time Steve Stoute had offered him a contract If it seems strange to everything, do not be surprised. In the '90s  basketball players often delighted to compose rhymes and release records, armed with a huge popularity. "Shaq Diesel" Shaquille O'Neal is even certified silver disc, while "You Can not Stop the Reign" appeared even the feat. Notorious BIG and Janet Jackson. Chris Webber finished in the top 10 of Billboard with his Gangsta Gangsta and even Allen Iverson has the proven repeatedly. Currently the tradition is continued (very well) by Marquis Daniels and above Damien Lillard. Kobe's career never took off, and after the single Tyra Banks KOBE with the chorus, was finally set aside to give way to true love.

Love that will end in the end of this summer. The Italian Kobe, who spent his youth in our country, will not continue to play in the pros Americans, let alone here in Europe. His city, his Philadelphia (the same one that has cheered more for him than for the 76ers in he home game) has paid tribute with a  audio letter and a standing ovation. All the NBA has stood up to pay tribute homage to the number 24, 33 of Lower Merion High School. End for real this time, it will end up in the eye the memory of the second best perfectionist ever. Indeed, perhaps the first. Because if you really want to think of disturbing the King from his throne you have to be so crazy or so good. Or is there a third way: you must be Kobe.