Kobe Bryants airballs in the final game of his rookie season drew derision and added kindling to the perception that he should have gone to college. Those misses were the first of many public failures throughout his 20-year NBA career, and his response to adversity was the same in those early years as it was when he got older.

[ The different eras of Kobe Bryant: Kobe the rookie ]

He endeavored toward self-improvement, undeterred by swirling narratives. He had gone from playing 35 games as a senior at Lower Merion High School where he was always the most physically imposing player on the court to 71 games as a rookie in a league of full-grown men. He devoted more time to his conditioning the following offseason to prepare for that grind.

Strengthened legs provided a foundation for the increased burden he would be asked to shoulder in the 1997-98 season. Lakers head coach Del Harris promoted him to the sixth man role, where he was asked to back...

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The different eras of Kobe Bryant: The youngest All-Star starter in NBA history - The Athletic