For Kobe
Justin Semmel As my son admired his basketball trophy, I crumpled up the paper in my hands, tossed it away and yelled, “Kobe!” He was confused and asked, “Why Kobe?” I sat down and said, “Son, lemme tell you a story.” It starts at Lower Merion High School in Philly Where a star was born, Not an actor or singer, but the scorer who wore number 33, Where on the court he was as dangerous as Jason Bourne. He was the 13th pick of the 1996 NBA draft. The Hornets gave up the man who couldn’t be guarded, And once the rookie contract had his autograph, The legacy started. His original number—8—is now forever legendary. Through his first 3 seasons, he was a little unreliable, Only given the ball if necessary, But after that, he began to shine, now recognizable. Season 11 was about to start, expected to be even greater. He decided the legend of number 8 would be no more. 3 championships and 14,034 points later, The legend of number 24 began. We skip ahead to the 2009 finals, Where his legacy as number 24 would become set in stone. This year and the next, he would have the title, As he secured his seat on top of the NBA throne. April 12, 2013—the day he proved he couldn’t be dethroned, He stepped wrong and tore his Achilles. Unable to walk, he hobbled out, draining his free throws. It was then that he would be forever loved, and not only in his city. April 13, 2016, a day that will go down in history, In his final game, he shot 22 for 50, Hitting the clutch shots to lead his team to victory, While on his way to scoring 60! Regardless which number was on his jersey, 5 Larry O’Brien trophies and 33,643 points created an amazing journey. So I stand up and say, “Son, you try!” He gets up, grabs the paper, and yells “FOR KOBE!” |