Channel the villain. Unleash the hero.
The moment Kobe Bryant announced his retirement, he chose those two sentences to define his 20 years in Los Angeles, bannering them on the home page of his website, explaining them in a box of text.
“No hero is perfect, and no villain is completely void of heroic intentions. We all live as both. What sets the great ones apart is how they use their inner villain to create something epic. It’s living as a HeroVillain. The HeroVillain channels fear, rejection, anger and doubt and turns them into strength, courage, power and determination.’”
That seems like a lot of heavy words to describe a guy who plays a game with a ball and hoop, but it perfectly details the paradox that was Kobe Bryant as he carried Los Angeles through five NBA championship and countless moments of chaos.
Sometimes he was a hero. Sometimes he was a villain. Sometimes fans adored him. Sometimes fans couldn’t stand him. The only place where Kobe Bryant’s HeroVillain never tread was the middle ground, accounting for what is arguably the most memorable 20-year marriage between an athlete and town in the history of sports.
So, ultimately, what was he? Hero or villain? It is the biggest question of the Kobe Bryant era. It is also the one that will ultimately remain unanswered, even though he left plenty of clues.
HE WAS A HERO in the summer of 1996 when, as a high school senior entering the NBA draft, Bryant and his representatives essentially told every NBA team that he would play only for the Lakers. This led most clubs to ignore him until the Charlotte Hornets, in a prearranged deal, drafted him and traded him here.
HE WAS A VILLAIN … when he ended that first season by throwing up four airballs in the final minutes in a series-finishing playoff loss to the Utah Jazz. Right before his ball-hogging binge, he shouted, “Man, don’t you dream about games like this!” For Lakers fans, not so much.
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Kobe Bryant signs the court late into the night at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa long after his last game at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant leaves the court for the last time as a Laker, heading to the locker room after scoring 60 points and leading the team to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz.
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Kobe Bryant is all smiles after his final game at Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with former teammate Derek Fisher on the court after scoring 60 points in his last game as a Laker at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant greets Lamar Odom after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa after his final game.
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Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his final game at Staples Center.
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Lakers Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of the game.
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Kobe Bryant waves to the crowd as he walks off the court for the last time at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down following his last game at the Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant feels the love of the fans at Staples Center following his final game.
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Lakers Kobe Bryant and A.C. Green after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant thanks the crowd after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant waves goodbye to the crowd after his final game at the Staples Center.
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Balloons and confetti fall after Kobe Bryant’s last game
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A security guard stnds alone on the court after Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Los Angeles City Hall is decorated with Lakers’ purple and gold lights for Kobe Bryant’s last game.
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Kobe Bryant is mobbed as he scores 60-points in his final NBA game at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant gets a slap from comedian George Lopez after making a three-pointer in his final game.
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Kobe Bryant watches as the ball hits the bottom of the net during his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Kobe Bryant stretches out as he makes a basket during his final game as a Laker on April 12 at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant drives late in the final minutes of the game at Staples Center.
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Kanye West and Jay Z greet each other before Kobe Bryant’s final game.
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Kobe Bryant drives the ball in the third quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant tries to steal the ball in his last game as a Laker at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 12.
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Kobe Bryant shakes hands with Shaquille O’Neal at his final game at Staples Center on April 13.
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The Weeknd and girlfriend Bella Hadid arrive for Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant is stripped of the ball by Jazz guard Rodney Hood during first half action at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during the first half of his final NBA game.
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Lamar Odom attends Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, heads to the locker room after scoring 22 points in the first half of his final game on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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Kobe Bryant takes a shot in the first quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant blocks a shot by Trevor Booker in his final game at Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Front row fans, including Jack Nicholson cheer Kobe Bryant after he hits a shot during first half action against the Jazz at Staples Center.
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LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 13, 2016: Kobe thanks the crowd before his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant is welcomed onto the court for his farewell game at Staples Center on April 13.
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Kobe Bryant acknowledges the Staples Center crowd during a pregame ceremony.
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Kobe Bryant with Magic Johnson before Kobe plays his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Surrounded by cameras Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson embrace before Bryant’s final game at the Staples Center Wednesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant waits for introductions before his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 13. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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T-shirts await fans who attend Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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A young girl, sporting Kobe Bryant’s original No. 8 Lakers jersey, bounces a ball on the court before the future Hall-of-Famer’s final game.
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The Lakers store at Staples Center was all about Kobe Bryant and his merchandise on the day of his final NBA game.
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Fans gather outside Staples Center before Kobe Bryant’s final game in a Laker uniform.
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Rock star “Flea” rehearses the national anthem before Kobe Bryant’s last game on April 13, 2016, as players warm-up. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans gathered outside Staples Center ahead of Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Lakers.
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Lakers fans gather outside Staples Center before the final game of Kobe Bryant’s career.
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Chick Hearn Court is packed as fans descend on Staples Cener to witness Kobe Bryant play his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Lakers fans get a Kobe chant going outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before Laker great Kobe Bryant’s final game on Wednesday.
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Members of a group of Kobe Bryant fans who flew in from China, including Iris Hong of Beijing, right, get excited outside Staples Center for the player’s last game Wednesday.
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Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center before his final game Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant fans swarm to Staples Center in Los Angeles to show their love for the Laker great at his last game Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant footwear is on display as the Laker Girls arrive for Wednesday night’s game, the basketball star’s last.
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Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) HE WAS A HERO in the spring of 2000 when he threw the alley-oop pass to Shaquille O’Neal to clinch the memorable comeback from a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, leading to their first NBA title together.
HE WAS A VILLAIN because, despite the long hug he shared with O’Neal after that alley-oop, he had already openly begun feuding with the jovial big man. Bryant never respected O’Neal’s work ethic and only reluctantly passed him the ball. Earlier in that season, during a team meeting, O’Neal said he felt Bryant was playing too selfishly for the team to win.
HE WAS A HERO in the spring of 2001 when he led the Lakers to a 15-1 record in the playoffs en route to their second championship, causing even O’Neal to begrudgingly declare him as the best player in the league.
HE WAS A VILLAIN the following season during the All-Star game in Philadelphia, when he was booed so badly in his hometown that his eyes filled with tears. He was hated there because during the previous NBA Finals, he had yelled at a 76ers fan that he was going to “cut your hearts out.”
HE WAS A HERO in 2002 when overcame a bout of food poisoning suffered in a Sacramento hotel to help lead the Lakers to a seven-game victory over the Kings in the Western Conference finals en route to their third consecutive NBA title.
HE WAS A VILLAIN during the 2003 season when he openly questioned O’Neal for not having more timely surgery on an arthritic toe that bothered him through the season. This eventually led to the Lakers’ early elimination in the playoffs and a rift between the two men that would not heal.
HE WAS A HERO … actually, no, in the summer of 2003, he stopped being a hero altogether.
HE WAS A VILLAIN when he was charged with sexual assault in the summer of 2013 in Eagle, Colo., after engaging in an admitted adulterous encounter with a 19-year-old hotel employee.
HE WAS A VILLAIN when he held a tearful news conference shortly after the charge was filed, during which he claimed innocence of sexual assault but admitted to adultery. With his wife Vanessa sitting uncomfortably by his side, he said, “I sit here before you guys embarrassed and ashamed.”
HE WAS A VILLAIN when he played in the 2003-04 season while also spending time in Colorado preparing for the potential sexual assault trial. He would show up at games exhausted and distracted.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant dunks against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 25, 2013, at Staples Center. Arguably the greatest player of his generation, Bryant has played a leading role in helping the Lakers carry their winning tradition into the 21st century. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant holds up his jersey during his introductory news conference on July 12, 1996. (Andrew Scholer / Los Angeles Times)
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Laker rookie Kobe Bryant was a seasoned veteran at getting shot by cameras for advertisements before he took his first shot at training camp. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant puts up a shot during a summer league game against the Detroit Pistons in Long Beach on July 13, 1996. (Michael Caulfield / Associated Press)
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Lakers rookie Kobe Bryant, 18, warms up before a game at the Forum on Jan. 30, 1997. (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant saves the ball from going out of bounds during a game at the Forum on Dec. 29, 1997. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant claps while walking off the court during a timeout against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 24, 1997, at the Forum. (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times)
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Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, left, guards Lakers star Kobe Bryant during the 1998 NBA All-Star game. (Mark Lennihan / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant is dejected after losing the ball late in the second half of Game 3 of the 1999 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs at the Forum. The Lakers lost, 103-91, giving the Spurs a 3-0 advantage in the series. The Spurs went on to win the series 4-0. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant speaks with reporters at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo on May 2, 2000. (Jack Smith / Associated Press)
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Lakers stars Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O’Neal hold the championship trophies after winning Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant jumps over a row of fans after saving the ball from going out of bounds during a win over the Houston Rockets on Dec. 20, 2001. (Pat Sullivan / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, is all smiles while standing next to teammates (from left) Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal during Game 1 of the 2001 Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 45 points in the Lakers’ 104-90 win. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers stars Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O’Neal congratulate each other during the Lakers’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the 2002 Western Conference quarterfinals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant puts up a shot during a win over the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center on Nov. 22, 2002. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, right, steals the ball away from Portland Trail Blazers guard Jeff McInnis during a game at Staples Center on Nov. 3, 2002. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant puts up a shot during Game 1 of the 2002 NBA Western Conference finals against the Sacramento Kings. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, right center, congratulates teammate Robert Horry on his winning shot against the Sacramento Kings in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals at Staples Center on May 26, 2002. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates (from left) Kobe Bryant, Lindsey Hunter and Shaquille O’Neal celebrate the team’s 2002 NBA Finals win over the New Jersey Nets. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant celebrates in the locker room after the team’s 2002 NBA Championship win over the New Jersey Nets. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant looks at the Larry O’Brien trophy after the Lakers’ NBA championship victory over the New Jersey Nets on June 12, 2002. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates Mark Madsen, left, and Kobe Bryant celebrate the team’s 2002 NBA title during a celebration in downtown Los Angeles on June 14, 2002. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers stars Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O’Neal show off their 2002 NBA championship rings before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on Oct. 29, 2002. (Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, drives on Houston Rockets small forward Juaquin Hawkins during a game at Staples Center on Nov. 17, 2002. (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant watches as one of his three-pointers falls against the Wizards at Staples in 2001. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, is double-teamed by Cleveland Cavaliers teammates Eric Snow, left, and Flip Murray during a game on March 19, 2006. (Mark Duncan / Associated Press)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant walks past the courtroom where his pretrial motion hearing for sexual assault charges took place in Eagle, Colo., on March 25, 2004. In July 2003, Bryant was arrested after a woman claimed he raped her at a Colorado hotel. Prosecutors later dropped the charges. (Chris Schneider / EPA)
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Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, take part in a news conference at Staples Center in July 2003 while addressing the sexual assault charges brought against Kobe. The charges were later dropped. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, right, speaks with coach Phil Jackson in 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant dunks against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on April 10, 2003. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant tries to hide his emotions after the team’s season-ending loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Western Conference semifinals. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers players (from left) Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Shaquille O’Neal make their first game appearance together during a preseason game against the Clippers in Anaheim on Oct. 23, 2003. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, is congratulated by teammate Derek Fisher after the Lakers’ victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates (from left) Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton walk off the court after a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the 2004 Western Conference finals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O’Neal sit on the bench during Game 6 of the 2004 Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant wipes sweat from his face during the team’s season-ending loss to the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the 2004 NBA Finals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after injuring his right ankle during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 13, 2005. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, and William “Smush” Parker talk during a preseason game against the Utah Jazz in Anaheim on Oct. 25, 2005. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant reacts after hitting the winning shot against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 2006 Western Conference quarterfinals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant reacts after being fouled by the Houston Rockets’ Ryan Bowen (not pictured) in the first quarter of a game at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2005. (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, left, whispers to coach Phil Jackson in between being photographed during Lakers’ media day on Oct. 2, 2006. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant saves the ball from going out of bounds against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on Nov. 12, 2006. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers forward Lamar Odom, left, and guard Kobe Bryant talk on the bench during a timeout against the New Jersey Nets on Nov. 26, 2006. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant listens to the national anthem before a game against the New Jersey Nets on Nov. 26, 2006. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant shoots over Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade to score the winning basket with less than a second remaining in a 108-107 victory at Staples Center on Dec. 4, 2009. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant holds his daughter, Natalia, while greeting team owner Jerry Buss before a news conference at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles announcing Bryant as the 2008 NBA MVP. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant walks off the court after losing to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the 2007 NBA Western Conference quarterfinals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant walks off the court after a championship loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant celebrates after hitting a late three-pointer in a win over the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the 2009 Western Conference quarterfinals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry, right, calls a timeout immediately after Kobe Bryant hits a three-pointer during Game 2 of the 2010 Western Conference finals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant reacts immediately after a slam dunk against the New York Knicks on Feb. 2, 2009, at Madison Square Garden. Bryant scored 61 points in the win. (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)
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Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, right, celebrate in the closing seconds of the team’s NBA championship win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning his fourth NBA title with a win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant holds the Larry O’Brien Trophy while celebrating his fourth championship with the team following a win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates Derek Fisher, left, and Kobe Bryant, center, give President Barack Obama a personalized team jersey while visiting the White House on Jan. 25, 2010. (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)
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Lakers forward Ron Artest, center, is congratulated by Kobe Bryant, left, and the rest of his teammates after hitting the winning shot against the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the 2010 Western Conference finals. (Wally Skalij / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, and Boston Celtics guard Tony Allen battle for a loose ball during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 15, 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning his fifth NBA title following a victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates after the Lakers’ victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 17, 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant gestures while celebrating his fifth championship with the Lakers during a team parade in Los Angeles on June 21, 2010. (Christina House / For the Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant celebrates his fifth NBA title during the team’s championship parade on June 21, 2010. (Christina House / For the Times)
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Kobe Bryant kisses his championship ring during a ceremony honoring the Lakers’ 2010 NBA title before the team’s season opener on Oct. 26, 2010. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
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Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant share a laugh before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 9, 2010.
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Kobe Bryant, left, exchanges words with LeBron James during a Christmas Day game in 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant walks behind Dallas Mavericks standout Dirk Nowitzki during Game 3 of the 2011 Western Conference semifinals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant walks off the court after the team’s season-ending loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 8, 2011. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant reflects on the 2010-11 season as he answers questions from reporters at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo on May 11, 2011. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant participates in a training session for South Korean fans during a promotional tour in Seoul on July 14, 2011. (Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during an exhibition game in the Philippines on July 24, 2011. (Noel Celis / AFP/Getty Images)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant gets a massage from team physical therapist Julie Seto during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 29, 2012. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, right, greets Oklahoma City Thunder standout Kevin Durant before walking off the court after a season-ending loss in Game 5 of the 2012 Western Conference semifinals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers teammates (from left) Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard celebrate in the closing moments of their 119-108 victory over the Houston Rockets on Nov. 18, 2012. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, puts up a shot over Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum during a game at Staples Center on Feb. 22, 2013. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant shoots over Toronto Raptors forward Rudy Gay during the Lakers’ 118-116 overtime win at Staples Center on March 8, 2013. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant looks on during a game against the New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center on Jan. 29, 2013. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, protects the ball from Sacramento Kings forward John Salmons during the Lakers’ 103-98 win on March 30, 2013. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant rolls on the floor in pain after injuring suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a game against the Sacramento Kings on April 12, 2013. Bryant did not return from the injury until December 2013. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant limps off the court in front of teammate Metta World Peace after suffering an Achilles tendon injury on April 12, 2013, against the Golden State Warriors. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant sits on the bench before being introduced against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Dec. 10, 2013. It was Bryant’s first game back since tearing his Achilles tendon on April 12, 2013. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant grabs a rebound against the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on Dec. 8, 2013. (Harry How / Getty Images)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant puts up a shot against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Dec. 10, 2013. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, sidelined with a torn Achilles tendon injury, sits next to teammate Jodie Meeks during a Lakers’ loss to the Clippers at Staples Center on Jan. 10, 2014. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant walks down the court during the Lakers’ 110-91 loss to the Pacers on Dec. 14, 2014, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant drives on Memphis Grizzlies guard Quincy Pondexter on Nov. 26, 2014. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during a 110-91 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 15, 2014. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, speaks with Coach Byron Scott during a game against the San Antonio Spurs last December.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant dribbles the ball during the first half against the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 15, 2014. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant smiles during the fourth quarter of a 111-103 win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 30, 2014. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant dunks during a game against Indiana Pacers at Staples Center on Jan. 4. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant looks on during the closing moments of a 111-95 loss to the Washington Wizards on Dec. 3, 2014.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant drives to the basket past Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers during a game at Staples Center on Jan. 13, 2015.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, poses for photos with FC Barcelona captain Andrés Iniesta Luján before a training session at the StubHub Stadium in Carson on July 20, 2015.
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Kobe Bryant poses for a photo at the Beverly Hills Hilton on July 18, 2014. Bryant was limited to 35 games during the 2014-15 season because of injury.
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant fields questions from reporters surrounding him during the Lakers’ media day in El Segundo.
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant fields questions from television reporters during the Lakers’ media day in El Segundo.
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is surrounded by reporters while doing a radio interview during the Lakers’ media day in El Segundo.
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Kobe Bryant tries to steal the ball from Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried during a game at Staples Center on Nov. 3.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) HE WAS A VILLAIN when the case was eventually dropped after the woman refused to testify. A civil suit was later settled out of court and Bryant, without ever admitting guilt, publicly apologized.
HE WAS A HERO, once again, at the end of 2004 season when he hit acrobatic jump shots in the final seconds of regulation and double overtime to give the Lakers a division-title-clinching win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
HE WAS A VILLAIN when the 2004 season ended in an NBA Finals series loss to the Detroit Pistons, during which Bryant pointedly refused to include O’Neal in the offense. Shortly after the season ended, Phil Jackson’s contract was not renewed and O’Neal was traded.
HE WAS A HERO in 2006 with his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest point total in NBA history.
HE WAS A VILLAIN because, c’mon man, do you know how many assists he had in that 81-point game? Two. He took 46 shots and had two assists.
HE WAS A HERO in 2009 and 2010 when he proved he could win an NBA title — two of them — without O’Neal. The lasting image of those titles occurred after the 2010 Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, after a dramatic Game 7 victory, with Bryant standing on the Staples Center press table, his arms raised while confetti fell around him.
HE WAS A VILLAIN in 2011 when he shouted a homophobic slur toward NBA official Bennie Adams. He was fined $100,000 and issued a public apology.
HE WAS A HERO when he hobbled to the foul line and made two free throws after tearing his Achilles’ tendon in April 2013.
HE WAS A VILLAIN when, seven months later, he accepted the Lakers’ two-year, $48.5-million extension even though he had yet to recover from the Achilles injury and the contract would hamstring the Lakers’ ability to improve their team for several years.
HE WAS A HERO last November when, realizing his skills had diminished such that he was statistically ranked as the worst player in the NBA, he announced his retirement with a poem on a website and a letter to Lakers fans.
HE WAS A VILLAIN when, in five of the six games after his retirement announcement, he played at least 30 minutes including all of crunch time, leading critics to wonder whether he shouldn’t quietly step off stage so the younger Lakers could get more experience.
HE WAS A HERO when, seven games after his retirement announcement, amid all the criticism, he sat out the entire fourth quarter and overtime in a game in Minnesota after handing the ball to the kids and telling Coach Byron Scott to “Let ‘em go.”
It is time, now, for Los Angeles to finally let Kobe Bryant go.
Goodbye, hero. Farewell, villain.
Follow Bill Plaschke on Twitter: @billplaschke
