The Young Superstar

"Is this where our son plays?" Dressed to the nines, Pamela Bryant sat courtside, feeling as though it was all a little unreal. The Great Western Forum was packed to capacity, and celebrities from every walk of life lined the sidelines.

Joe Bryant had played in the NBA as well, but the Philadelphia arenas of twenty years ago were vastly different from the Los Angeles arenas of today.

Under old Buss's management, watching a game courtside at a Lakers game had become something coveted by high society. Industry elites and Hollywood superstars were everywhere.

Kobe's family sat courtside, while Joe and his basketball buddies occupied the third row directly behind the Lakers' bench. It was a perfect viewing spot, and Pelinka had gone to no small amount of trouble to get those tickets from the team.

Not every player was given tickets that close to the court; such seats were often worth a fortune. But the moment Jerry West learned that Kobe had asked for tickets for his family, he immediately arranged a whole row of prime seats.

With a beaming smile, Joe accepted every compliment from his friends. He had truly made an impression in front of his old buddies. Having been away from professional basketball for years, he rarely got the chance to watch a game from courtside again.

Tonight, the Phoenix Suns faced the Lakers at the Great Western Forum.

It was Shaquille O'Neal's first official game since joining the Lakers, and West had specially prepared a welcome ceremony for him. Buss, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had all come to witness the arrival of this legendary center.

Two days before the regular season began, NBA commissioner David Stern had announced the NBA's Fifty Greatest Players and Ten Greatest Coaches in NBA History at the New York Hyatt Hotel.

The list had been selected without ranking by a panel of fifty judges. Sixteen were former athletes who voted in their capacity as players; thirteen were members of print and broadcast media; and twenty-one were team representatives, including current and former general managers, head coaches, or executives. Thirteen of the team representatives were former NBA players. Players could not vote for themselves.

Eleven active players had been selected among the fifty superstars: Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockton.

The youngest among them was Shaquille O'Neal, who had joined the Lakers that year. The Lakers had shown plenty of respect for the arrival of this young superstar, and the presence of so many retired legends had the Great Western Forum buzzing.

O'Neal was thrilled. The Lakers had given him the respect that the Magic never had. He loved being surrounded by stars, loved being the center of attention under the spotlight. The banners hanging above the Lakers' court and the big names coming courtside to congratulate him filled him with delight.

"Not once, not twice. I will bring the Lakers into their next golden era!" O'Neal declared boldly. He was extremely satisfied with the team, the front office, the coaches, and his teammates. He believed he would deliver results very soon.

The courtside crowd rose as one and applauded. They liked this domineering big man. Was the post-Showtime era finally coming to an end? Were the Lakers about to rise again?

Kobe watched O'Neal, who seemed to stand at the center of the world, and knew that one day he too would shine just as brilliantly.

"The Lakers' starting lineup: PG Kobe Bryant, SG Eddie Jones, SF Cedric Ceballos, PF Elden Campbell, C Shaquille O'Neal."

"This is ABC's nationwide broadcast. Mike Breen will be on commentary, joined by Lakers legend Magic Johnson."

"Looking at the court, the Lakers' home fans are giving their new superstar O'Neal a wild welcome. Magic, how high do you think O'Neal can take the Lakers?"

"Shaquille O'Neal is a player on the same level as my former partner, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They can dominate the paint for an era, and the Lakers' revival will begin with him."

"We've also noticed that the Lakers' starting point guard is just eighteen-year-old Kobe Bryant. What do you think of this player, who performed so well during the preseason?"

"Kobe's talent is beyond words. He can handle the ball, score, create plays, and defend. To be so mature and well-rounded at this age is extremely rare."

"Now let's look at the Suns' starters: PG Kevin Johnson, SG Wesley Person, SF Michael Finley, PF Robert Horry, C A.C. Green."

"The Suns have solid depth as well. Their bench also features quality players like Sam Cassell, Danny Manning, and Steve Nash."

"The game begins. O'Neal wins the first possession for his team. Kobe calmly brings the ball across half court under Kevin Johnson's pressure, then lofts it inside. O'Neal catches it cleanly."

"A thunderous dunk! O'Neal powers through A.C. Green, and this veteran of the Showtime era looks helpless in front of him."

"Kevin Johnson faces Kobe Bryant. A series of fakes, but Kobe keeps his balance and holds his position. Kevin Johnson drives hard, but Kobe stays glued to him. Kevin Johnson settles for a jumper—missed."

"O'Neal grabs the rebound and throws the ball ahead. What is he doing?"

"Oh, it's Kobe! Kobe catches the long pass. The instant Kevin Johnson released his shot, Kobe had already turned and sprinted toward the other end. Excellent fast-break instincts."

"No one gets back. Kobe shows off his talent on an empty half court—a windmill slam."

"Damn, this kid can jump unbelievably high. I'm giving his hang time full marks."

"Kobe spreads his arms and soaks in the cheers from the arena. Los Angeles fans were never stingy with their appreciation for Kobe."

"Kevin Johnson doesn't force the issue. He goes for a floater after the pick-and-roll and makes it over Campbell."

"Kobe and O'Neal run a pick-and-roll. It's an answer basket. After the screen, Kobe feeds the ball to O'Neal, who knocks down a hook shot."

"The Suns have no answer for the Lakers' offense, and they call a timeout."

"After the timeout, the Suns still can't stop O'Neal and Kobe. They dominate the game, and by halftime, the Lakers lead 62–40, ahead by twenty-two!"

"We thought it would take years before we saw the Lakers' dominance, but West's unique eye for talent has made the Lakers' revival come so quickly."

"O'Neal goes 5-for-6 from the field and 4-for-7 from the free-throw line for 14 points and 4 rebounds. Kobe goes 3-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 at the line for 9 points and 6 assists."

"I can tell every Lakers fan this: the Lakers are about to shine across the entire NBA."