‘He embraced hate’: The ‘ego death’ that transformed Kobe Bryant from the ‘king of LA’ into the Black Mamba

In 2003, Kobe Bryant was on top of the world, but it soon all came crashing down with a sexual assault allegation and court case. Amongst it all, Bryant looked to re-define himself and found inspiration in the animal kingdom.

In 2003, Kobe Bryant was on top of the world. By that time, seven years after he was drafted, he had already established himself as an NBA superstar, winning three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and earning five All-Star selections. Bryant was a cultural icon, too, transcending basketball in a way that only a select few players in history have managed. There was a new mega signature shoe deal with Nike, various endorsements for fast food, drink and sports companies, plus appearances alongside Hollywood celebrities. “He was the king of LA at that point,” Allison Samuels, journalist and writer for The Daily Beast, said in episode two of CNN Original Films and Series’ documentary, “Kobe: The Making of a Legend.” After the Lakers had won their third straight NBA title in June 2002, the streets of the City of Angels were filled with fans chanting one player’s name: “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!”