Heart of a Champion

Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan are widely regarded as two of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. Both led their teams to championships, and both were named MVP and All-Star multiple times. But Bryant, the "Black Mamba," and Duncan, the "Big Fundamental," had very different styles of play and ways of interacting with their teammates, coaches, and fans. This case offers an overview of these two champions' careers and brings up questions about leadership and how we measure effectiveness. Excerpt UVA-OB-1288 May 17, 2019 Heart of a Champion Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick in the 1996 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. The son of a former professional basketball player, he was drafted straight out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets but immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he spent his entire career. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history. In almost every year of his career, Bryant's jersey was in the top 10 sold around the country, and in many of those years it was the number-one selling jersey. His high-flying, accurate shooting offensive style made him a regular on sport shows' highlight reels and led to countless “Did you see that?” moments. His style of play seemed perfectly suited for the Lakers and Los Angeles, where glitz and flash were woven into the culture. Los Angeles was the second-largest media market behind New York, and players greatly desired to play there in order to have the viewership, potential sponsors, and entertainment deals the city could offer. On top of that, the nightlife and beaches made the city a destination for free agents (players whose contracts had expired and who were looking for a new team to join), allowing it to attract new talent when it needed to. Bryant took advantage of these resources. He appeared on numerous talk shows, sponsored countless products, and kept people coming to the games. As a result, he was one of the most highly paid players in the league, even in his final several seasons when his performance was in decline (for Bryant's salary, see Exhibit 1). And while the money it spent on Bryant's salary in his last few years made it difficult for the Lakers organization to pay for other talented players to join the team, it was hard to argue that he didn't have a huge fanbase. . . .