by By Danny Scop
In the world of professional basketball, Michael Jordan is recognized as the G.O.A.T., and Kobe Bryant as the Black Mamba. Maybe you’ve heard of the Lakers’ organization talking about Mamba Mentality before. It’s the work ethic that Kobe resembled that many players, like Anthony Davis and LeBron James try to embody.
In recent social media, there’s been a trending photo of Michael Jordan (Bulls) guarding Kobe Bryant (Lakers) alongside Alex Caruso (Bulls) guarding Austin Reaves (Laker). The two NBA guards can’t escape the media surrounding their comparison.
Why compare the two?
Well let’s take a look. Both Caruso and Reaves are 6-foot-5 guards who can start but mostly come off the bench. The two of them have a tendency to get hot and make uber-athletic highlight plays.Reaves is a current Laker and Caruso a former Laker. As a Lakers fan myself, I’ve participated in the MVP chants for both of them. But I have to make it clear that neither Caruso or Reaves are anywhere as good as Jordan or Kobe, and maybe that’s part of the media’s fascination with the two.
After the comparison went viral, Silver Screen & Roll Podcast interviewed Reaves, asking him if he ever “feels any pressure showing up as Austin Reaves, when this was a Caruso City”. I think that Reaves knows exactly why they’re compared so much. He says, “We’re both White, and we both played for the Lakers, that’s about it.”
I have to agree with that statement. Fans loved Michael Jordan and Kobe. They were both very skilled and exceeded in ticket and jersey sales. Most importantly, they were fun to watch. Reaves and Caruso are entertaining to watch as well, but I think that what makes them viral among fans is the fact that they’re both athletic White guys. One of Austin Reaves’ fan pages on Twitter is called @Hillbilly_Kobe.
The media has a fantasy about White men in a Black dominated league. According to Racial Equality Activist Richard Lapchick @RichardLapchick, the NBA in 2021 was 73.2% Black, 16.8% White, 3.1% Latino, and 0.4% were Asian. That makes the NBA the most African American dominated National sport in the US.
I’m also watching Adam McKay’s drama series about the ShowTime Lakers on @hbomax called, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty“. In the show, I can find a lot of racism rooted in the building of the franchise, so it’s interesting to see trends change.
Ever since Jerry Buss put Magic and Kareem to work in The Forum together, the Los Angeles Lakers have been an iconic franchise. Magic Johnson was the first face of the franchise his first year in the NBA. When Jerry Buss bought the team, his goal was to make the experience different. Buss wanted the Lakers to be fan driven and family oriented. Buss brought Laker girls and a halftime show to The Forum. The fan base grew. Magic’s game style and personality drew media attention to the franchise as well.
But social media and society have changed since then. It’s interesting to see how fans changed the script.
There is a certain pride that Lakers players carry with them. Playing for a franchise such as this one can add pressure to the individuals. Crypto.com Arena is one of the biggest stages in the NBA. There’s lots of media going in and out of Los Angeles, and it takes a level head to be a successful ballplayer.
Follow Danny on Twitter: @Danny_Scop
