Chapter 554: Chapter 392 Thank You

Chapter 392: Thank You For That

Los Angeles, Staples Center

Some games carry such high expectations that their content alone cannot fully express the entire story behind them.

Kobe had been waiting for far too long.

Since being selected by the Lakers in 1996, things hadn't gone as expected with Shaquille O'Neal; they did not become the new-century version of the dynamic duo, and the anticipated legacy of "you grow with me, I watch you get old" never materialized. The ugliness of power struggles—too harsh to look at—centered around a sudden rape case and continued with a season-long, covert rivalry, ultimately leading to Shaquille O'Neal's exit and Kobe's crowning as the king of Los Angeles.

But who could have imagined the weight of the crown? Over the years, the Lakers had never made it past the first round, even though Kobe's performances were shocking enough to rival Yu Fei, the team still couldn't find success.