If you have caught any Los Angeles Lakers games this season (and considering that the Sixers are owed their first-round pick, I have), it’s tough to watch Lower Merion’s Kobe Bryant play basketball. Now in his 20th season, the Black Mamba is shooting 32 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point range.
Even if you aren’t a Kobe stan, there is something depressing about watching greatness fade. It’s impossible to argue that Bryant isn’t one of the ten greatest basketball players of all time, but at 37 years old, Kobe stinks on ice. It’s certainly not how I want to remember him.
The phrase, “Father Time in undefeated” has been around a long time, but unfortunately for Bryant, he’s playing in an era when the Internet is getting really, really good. And from The Cauldron comes this hilarious video of Bryant’s bricks seamlessly integrated into one of the most iconic sports video games ever, NBA Jam:
Remember that the Lakers pick is Top-3 protected this season, meaning the Sixers get it if it falls anywhere below the fourth pick. After watching that team’s ghastly perimeter defense, I’m convinced that they’ll still have a decent chance to keep that pick for another season.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann