It's legitimately interesting to me how much Kobe's peers revere & respect him whilst a lot of the fans outside looking in are genuinely angered by him and resentful. To be honest, I get why he seems so at peace upon retiring. Disregarding him directing his focus towards filming, -- and his early success in that avenue -- I think a major reason for the smooth transition is in large part due to his peers, among many who didn't care for him much while playing against him, but still seem to place him on such a high pedastal. They clearly hold him in high esteem. Hell, you could see it play out in the '08 Olympics when literally the greatest players in the world deferred to him in the waning minutes of the championship game.
It's one thing for an outsider to give you respect, but it's totally different to receive that admiration from the guys in your field who were also the best at what they did. It doesn't even have to be basketball or sports. To stand amongst the top 1% and have those same world class talents remark that you are at the very top of the best that they've seen is pretty dope. If you're a man in a competetive field or sport, that's the highest compliment.
nah chief
