#8. #24

"love me or hate me, it's one or the other always has been. hate my game, my swagger. hate my fadeaway, my hunger. Hate that I'm a veteran. A champion. Hate that. Hate it with all your heart. And hate that I'm loved for all the same reasons".

 The man who I stole this quote from is a man who has been misunderstood ever since he sat at a podium with a bald head and superstar shades at the sweet age of 18. he's been compared to the best of the best in his field and has overcome some of the toughest media storms of the past century. he was said to be arrogant. rude. selfish. immature. a rapist. but for some reason i have never bought it. never. i think this man is what he is. what i have seen him do for the last what 14 seasons in the NBA. win. be amazing. be a leader. be a follower. be a kid growing into a man in a career based solely on manhood and street cred in terms of making friends. i see him as someone who people love to hate. love to build up and tear down. he takes the heat whenever something goes wrong around him he takes it. smiles. and then torches the next team he meets to death to let go of all the negativity. he's a self-proclaimed assassin on the court. and whenever i watch him take the court. i think of myself. of my drive. passion. ambition. and all the foolish things i did in the years between where I am now and where i was straight out of high school. and i think i would have never come out as strong as he has. he's a great athelete. a phenomenal ball player. a leader who leads with an iron fist...but so did Jordan. he's a husband (good or bad...this is not an article on morality). he's a father. he's a champion (3 times over...god willing 4 if they pull out a win tonight). he's a role model. he's the next best thing since Michael Jordan. He's Kobe Bryant. And he's amazing!