Kobe BryantThis past weekend, I watched Kobe Bryant win his fourth National Basketball Association title as his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, defeated their opponent, the Orlando Magic, four games to one in a best of seven series. While the victory was definitely a team effort, Bryant, who was voted MVP of the play-offs, stood out above the rest, not only for his incredible performance, but more significantly for the maturity and leadership that he demonstrated throughout the arduous 100+ game journey that led to the championships.

To be honest, I have never been a Kobe fan. For most of his career he has exhibited a kind of brash arrogance on the court that has often repulsed both his opponents and his teammates and his controversial escapades off the court have won him little praise in the public eye. But something was different about him in this series. Read the rest of this entry »