The competitiveness that drove Kobe Bryant to get two jerseys retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and made him the closest thing the NBA has ever seen to Michael Jordan will also likely lead the former NBA All-Star into the Hall of Fame.
That Bryant would reach that status was far from a certainty to anyone but himself when he was a 19-year-old All-Star going up against Michael Jordan in his first appearance in the exhibition. And how quickly Lakers fans fueled Bryant into the game left many outside of Los Angeles hoping Jordan would make him a sacrificial lamb.