To begin to understand what it must be like to be Bryant, here's a scenario for you:
You're a high school graduate who discovered alcohol, cigarettes, pot, and women too early, nearly flunked yourself out of sophomore year, and had to go to the local community college to right your wrongs.
When your parents decide not to fund your schooling until you get your act together, you get a 3.9 GPA while graduating on the dean's list, and get accepted to NYU.
Unfortunately, your sister has done this all along, and as a result you're held to her standard no matter how good you do, and the fact that you're working on your dissertation for a doctorate.
Need I say more?
Can we say, "resentment?"
That's what it seems like. Bryant resents the public because what they have collectively done to his psyche.
He doesn't smile at the media as much as he used to. His comments are always serious, short, and extremely concise to the point where there's not really much to dissect.
When Bryant speaks at the podium, don't expect Phil Jackson's sly humor, LeBron James' hubris, or Dwyane Wade's heartthrob-like charisma.
Bryant's just a man on a mission—a mission to not have to hear about his past failures, such as being an underachieving high-school freshman, but to be revered for his attention to detail and contributions to the game.
A mission to finally stop comparisons to the game's best player of all-time, Michael Jordan, and to just be No. 24 for the Lakers.
A mission to evolve as he evolves, and to let his past failures speak for his present and future development.
For now, it's resulted in a sixth NBA Finals appearance, and a chance for a fifth ring...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
