Kobe Bryant became a league superstar at the age of 22. Why didn't he join the American Dream Team until 2008?

Kobe Bryant was traded to the Lakers immediately after being selected by the Hornets in 1996. At that time, the Lakers traded 17-year-old Kobe Bryant for quasi-All-Star center Divac. Many people think that the Lakers management is crazy, but after two seasons, it must be? Large-scale real fragrance scene? /kloc-At the age of 0/9, Kobe was elected as the starting shooting guard in the All-Star Game and was regarded as the real successor of Jordan. By the time Kobe was 22 years old, he had averaged 28.5 points per game, becoming one of the dual cores of the Lakers' three consecutive championships at that time, and was already a real superstar in the league.

But Kobe was so strong that he didn't join the American Dream Team until 2008. It has been 12 years since he took part in the draft. As the first player in the league for a long time, why did Kobe join the national team so late to win glory for his country? Actually, there are four main reasons.

First, the previous qualifications were insufficient.

During the period of 1996 -2000, Kobe didn't receive an invitation from the national team. During this period, Kobe was also a rookie. At that time, the dream team already had many big-name stars, so it was really not Kobe's turn to represent the national team.

Second, the league boycotted the Lakers in 2002.

The Lakers won three consecutive championships at the beginning of the century, and their strength was very strong, which made other teams feel desperate. In order to resist the rule of the Lakers, many stars have expressed their refusal to join the dream team defense. As a member of the Lakers, it is naturally impossible for Kobe to join the dream team. Therefore, the dream team 5 at that time could not be called the dream team. In the end, the fifth place in the World Championships was all a group of second-tier stars, which is a shame in the history of the dream team.

Third: Kobe is riddled with lawsuits.

In 2003, Kobe accepted the invitation of Dream Team Six, but because of the Eagle County incident, Kobe faced the dilemma of losing everything and even being jailed, so he naturally had no energy to serve his country. He chose to quit the dream team and deal with the lawsuit. The American Dream Team VI only won the bronze medal at the Athens Olympic Games, which once again became a disgrace.

Fourth: injury problem

In 2006, Kobe missed the World Championships in Japan again. This time, Kobe had to undergo surgery during the offseason because of a finger injury. At that time, the results of the Lakers were not very good. As the core of the team, Kobe should first consider the interests of the team and ensure his health. Team Dream Seven also won the World Championships in Japan again.

However, Kobe finally got his wish and joined the Dream Eight Team. Even coach K said at that time? Our best player has finally arrived? Kobe appeared at the Beijing Olympic Games, and he also gave a long shot of more than ten seconds at the opening ceremony broadcast live around the world. Most other NBA players only shoot for 2 seconds, which shows Kobe's popularity. Because of the arrival of Kobe Bryant, the American team finally regained the long-lost gold medal. Although Kobe didn't score high, he helped the team at both ends of the offense and defense at the crucial moment, which suppressed the Spanish team's offensive frenzy.