Greatness or ball hog? Bryant remains controversial

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored an astonishing 81 points against the Toronto Raptors Jan. 22, leading his team to a 122-104 victory.

His 81 points in a single game are the second highest point total in NBA history, second only to the immortal Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 against the New York Knicks March 2, 1962, while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bryant's historic feat followed his 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks in just three quarters Dec. 20, leading to a 112-90 victory for the Lakers.

The 81 points sparked a media frenzy across the league and upstaged the NFL conference championship winners for the Super Bowl that day.

Langston Wertz Jr. of The Charlotte Observer wrote on Jan. 25, "When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100, he did most of the work inside against smaller guys. Kobe was shooting jump shots."

Wertz said if the NBA picked its top 50 greatest players again today, Bryant would be one of them.

Wertz's opinion typified those who were impressed with Bryant's achievement. Yet there also were those who shared less complimentary sentiments.

The Los Angeles Daily News columnist Bob Kessler also wrote Jan. 25, "Excuse me for avoiding the parade of well-wishers. I have trouble with the conceit some media types have in now saying this effort and his previous 62-point night have changed the image he tarnished a few years back with his Rocky Mountain low."

Kessler referred to Bryant's rape trial and acquittal in Denver last year.

Here on campus, students and staff were willing to share their views about the Laker star's performance.

Mechanical engineering sophomore Gilbert Sanchez said, "He was great. He is not a team player, but he is doing what he is paid to do: to score and win games."

Business management sophomore Francesca Oliver said, "Because of the situation, Kobe did what he had to do and did a great job at it. However, I think that he is only scoring a lot to get attention because of all the bad things that he has done."

Computer-aided drafting sophomore Steve Ibarra said, "He is a great player and what he does in his private life is his business. Obviously, he does not have the players behind to support him so he is doing what he has to do."

Radiology sophomore Jennifer Torres said, "He made those 81 points because he is a ball hog. He believes the team is all about him and there is no I in team."

Nutrition sophomore Nina Guerra said, "I don't admire him. He is an aggressive player and does not seem to be a team player. Just because you have talent does not make you a great player."

Radiology sophomore Gabriella Vasquez said, "I don't care for him because of his personal issues, and it's not the Lakers but Kobe Bryant's team."

Mechanical engineering sophomore Aaron Ramirez said, "He is a magnificent athlete with tremendous skills. He can make a jump shot from anywhere on the court. With the level of athleticism in the NBA and for him to put up 81 points is an overwhelming statistic."

Theater arts sophomore Jessica Ramirez said, "I think that he is a great ball player. I think that he does not have that many options in passing the ball. The Lakers are a good team, but they are not on his level and that leads to losing and a ball-hog performance."

She added that she does not believe the Lakers team blends well with Bryant's talent.

Absent from this discussion was Bryant's on-again-off-again professional relationship with coach Phil Jackson, who won three championships with him.

In The Los Angeles Daily News Jan. 25, columnist Steve Dilibeck wrote, "It was lost on Sunday, the way everything else was dwarfed by Kobe Bryant's incredible 81-point night against Toronto. Yet something else should have been signaled to NBA followers Sunday besides confirmation of Kobe's greatness. It's not as historic, but ultimately may prove to have greater significance in the Lakers attempt to regain elite status: Kobe and Phil Jackson have made peace."