Star Status
With two championships under his belt, it was rather obvious that Kobe Bryant was the star in the NBA. Considering his game mirrored the legend that is Michael Jordan, the shift in commercial appeal seemed to be rather seamless as Bryant would grace television airwaves with his trademark afro and las smile.
In addition, his lucrative deal with adidas boosted his appeal even more as the signature adidas Kobe line would be a success at retailers, despite being years removed from inking the 6-year 48-million dollar endorsement deal.
