When a player like Kobe misses three shots in a row, and even worse, they’re all airballs, he naturally becomes a target for widespread criticism, mockery, and sarcastic comments.
The biggest criticism against him, or rather, the biggest crisis Kobe faced wasn’t just about these three missed shots, but the trust issues they caused.
Many people began to doubt whether Kobe would achieve anything in the future, believing he might fade into mediocrity because a true superstar shows the qualities of a winner early on.
Jabbar, Johnson, Jordan, and Ah Gan all achieved significant victories when they were very young, whereas Kobe seemed to lack this ability.
The world of basketball judges character early; a winner is a winner from a young age. If one cannot become a winner early on, they might never become one their entire life.
In the past, Kobe lived in a kind of youthful fantasy of success. He liked to read books, watch cartoons, and science fiction stories, and admired superheroes, imagining himself as one.
In 1993, when Petrović and Lewis died unexpectedly, Kobe witnessed Ah Gan make a miraculous comeback to win the championship. It was the greatest basketball hero performance he had ever seen.
In December 1994, when Gan Guoyang decided to retire, Kobe, having received the news, cried together with his sister, thinking that his heroic dream had ended.
Then, in 1996, with Ah Gan’s return and his own arrival at the Trail Blazers, the dream continued. Everything was wonderful—from being a substitute to joining the rotation, the first basket, the first dunk, the first game-winning shot, to winning the dunk contest...
Yet this season’s story didn’t have a good ending. Although Kobe said "to hell with it" after the game, although Ah Gan praised his courage, and although Kobe knew no one dared to take the shot but him,
those three airballs still became Kobe’s biggest nightmare of the summer. Almost every article about him focused on this event. Interviews, activities, TV shows—all discussed that shot.
Initially, people praised Kobe’s courage, but it soon turned to:
"Why didn’t the ball even touch the rim?"
"Why did you dare to take the shot three times after missing once and twice?"
"If it weren’t for Ah Gan’s putback, would you have dared to shoot at all?"
"Kobe Bryant has gone crazy wanting to be a hero."
"Jordan hit a game-winner to win the NCAA championship in college. At the same age, Kobe couldn’t achieve that."
As time passed and the incident fermented—especially after the championship winner was decided and the NBA entered a long off-season—people needed a topic to pass the time.
The "Gan vs. Jordan" topic had been talked to death, especially since Ah Gan didn’t make it to the Finals this time.
After losing the Finals, the Jazz quickly faded from public view, like a villainous snowmonster defeated by a superhero, making a timely exit.
At this point, people found that Kobe, who had thrown three airballs causing the Trail Blazers to lose Game 7, was the best target for intensive criticism.
Though he had support from capital behind him, he still lacked achievements, power, and a large fan base.
So criticizing and mocking Kobe was relatively easy, low-risk, and high-reward. More and more people got involved.
This included some players, like Raptors forward Walter Williams, who said: "Jumping straight from high school to the NBA is like a virgin bedding a 40-year-old middle-aged woman with three kids. You’d better dramatically improve your skills, or you’ll be humiliated."
Kobe’s identity as a high school player would continue to be used against him for a long time as a reason for criticism.
Kobe’s way of responding was simple: train like crazy.
The day after Game 7 ended, Kobe returned to Portland to start training.
He didn’t ask for help from the team. Instead, he found a school and rented their gym to practice shooting.
Regarding the attacks and criticisms in the media, Kobe didn’t respond with any words, maintaining his silence.
By July, with the Trail Blazers acquiring Sabonis, Mu Lin, and Brellock, people realized that the exceptionally strong Trail Blazers might be returning.
And what about Kobe? Could Kobe find his place in the new Trail Blazers? Would he have the chance to miss three shots in a row again, with Ah Gan still passing him the ball?
When training camp started, would Kobe still be in the rotation? These were all questions people were asking, with many waiting to see him fail.
Many fans liked Kobe, but there were plenty who didn’t, as he always had this cocky, arrogant demeanor which was indeed not very likable.
In the summer, Kobe participated in an Adidas sneaker launch event held for him. At the age of 19, he had his own signature shoes: the KB8.
The black-and-white sneakers had a futuristic design, far from the canvas shoes of old Converse, filled with a youthful vibe.
Thus, Kobe became the youngest basketball player to have his own signature shoes, bringing him millions of US dollars in income and lots of advertising exposure, while also sparking a lot of controversy and criticism.
Since many veteran players in the league didn’t have their own signature shoes despite achieving a lot more in terms of stats and honors than this rookie Kobe,
how could this guy who threw three airballs in the West Finals’ Game 7 have his own signature shoes? The world seemed very unfair.
Thus, criticism against Kobe grew more intense and sharper—rumor had it that it was all linked to competing brands Nike and Avia.