The day was June 26, 1996. No one could have predicted the exact ramifications of the deal that Mr. Clutch, Jerry West, authored that day to acquire the services of a brash young high school standout, Kobe Bryant. It’s still somewhat funny to see how so many people don’t realize that the Mamba was drafted by the Hornets, not the Lakers.
Sometimes, even I forget because that’s just how ingrained Kobe is into the fabric of Laker lore.
The ‘Draft Day Hornets’ colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe V sure knows exactly what team punched Kobe’s ticket into the NBA. The white base upper has the Swoosh, outsole, tongue and heel dressed up in colorful teal with purple accents on the Swoosh border, inner lining, Sheath and laces (speckled with teal). All in all, the design is pretty simple and I’m sure Hornets fans at one point or another have all wondered, “what if”?
When it comes to sports, it’s hard to not think of fate and destiny playing some kind of role, however minimal, in the careers of major players. Five championships later, it’s also difficult to see how the Mamba could have ever been meant to play on another team. The Lakers is where his heart was as a child and without question, L.A. is where his heart will always be.
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