After Brutal Loss to $2.025 Billion Worth Team, Kobe Bryant Was Confronted by Lakers Legend in 1998

The name Kobe Bryant is synonymous with loyalty in the NBA. Bryant spent his entire career in LA, making him one of only three NBA stars to have spent 20 years or more with a single franchise. In that span, the Black Mamba led the Los Angeles Lakers to 5 NBA championships. While his success with the Lakers helped him to get a strong foothold, it took time for his team to become successful. Before all the glory, Kobe’s honest take on the Lakers’ embarrassing sweep in the 1998 WCF impressed viewers. And it continues to do so today.

A clip from Kobe’s interview in 1998 resurfaced some time ago and it shows a young Bryant put onto the spot by another Lakers icon.

Were Kobe Bryant and the Lakers overconfident?

Former Lakers star Magic Johnson hosted his own talk show called ?The Magic Hour? in the late 90s. Viewers distinctly remember one episode when Johnson played host to a then 19-year-old Kobe Bryant. Having spent just two years with the Lakers by that point, the young star possessed a much different look than what fans have come to associate the player with.

With a full set of hair and donning a black suit, Kobe entered the show to a huge round of applause from the audience. The Black Mamba?s fresh look was a short surprise for Johnson himself, who instantly sat down and said, ?Boy, you?re all dressed up?. To this, Kobe replied, ?Man, you know I gotta be clean like you.?

Johnson did not waste any time and got right to the main topic. He kicked things off by touching base on the Utah Jazz sweeping the Lakers during the 1998 Western Conference Finals. The former Lakers star was excited by the fact that the Lakers could have reached their first Finals in over 7 years, only for the hope to be dusted off.

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Referencing their previous series with the Seattle Supersonics, Kobe Bryant explained that his team wasn?t as much in ?rhythm? during the Jazz series as they were during the Semis. Giving credit where it was due, the 19-year-old also complimented his opposition for making ?hot shots?.

Johnson then proceeded to ask the young player whether overconfidence played any role in diminishing their chances. While hesitant, Bryant didn’t say that they were overconfident. Claiming that even if they were overconfident, it would have been brought back down to earth after the Game 1 drubbing by Utah. ?It should put things back in perspective a little bit,? said Bryant as the audience let out a laugh.

The 1998 Utah Jazz completely dominated the Lakers

1998 was still an adjusting period for the up-and-coming Kobe Bryant. Therefore, the Western Conference Finals against the Utah Jazz were proving to be amongst the Black Mamba?s first big challenges. Unfortunately, the Utah Jazz roster, consisting of players like Byron Russell, John Stockton, and Karl Malone, was easily able to sweep the floor with the Lakers.

Utah swept the series, winning by margins of 35, 4, 11, and 4 points, respectively, securing their position in the Finals against Michael Jordan?s Chicago Bulls. Having gone head to head with His Airness the same year during the All-Star game, Kobe missed out on the chance to face the legend in the Finals.

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The 1998 loss may have been a career-defying moment for the Black Mamba. By taking the defeat in his stride, Kobe Bryant went on to build an NBA career that became the envy of all other players.