Before, Bryant was considered a polished, respectful, well-spoken kid who was the perfect Madison Avenue pitchman. After being accused of rape, that persona was replaced by a spoiled NBA superstar who alienated teammates and coaches alike.

Yet most of the bad publicity came and went in less than two years. That concentration of events is easier to rally from than another athlete whose missteps span an entire career.

Bryant will have a harder time with the complicated concept known as street cred, an urban variant of television’s Q rating. Allen Iverson has street cred. He came from underprivileged beginnings and rose to stardom with a passionate style of play. Fans forgive his various scrapes with the law. Bryant, though, has never attracted the same rough-and-tumble following, since his upbringing was considered more middle-class. And he squealed on Shaq, a major code violation among those who believe athletes should act with honor.

All of that, though, is surmountable. Bryant has a great advantage in that he remains one of the best all-around players in the game. His skills are worshipped even if he isn’t. If he refrains from revealing any more character flaws and keeps the focus on his basketball ability, he’ll slowly gain admirers.

Unfortunately, his major problem is that the rehabbing of the Lakers and the rehabbing of his own image are inextricably linked. Because he was so intent on having his own team — one without Shaq as the No. 1 option or Phil Jackson as his No. 1 irritant — the failure of the current Lakers is a scarlet letter he will have to wear until the franchise returns to championship form. And that may be a while.

Monday night’s game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden is the perfect example of just what a mess Kobe’s ego hath wrought.  He wanted a team with him as the focus, and he got it. But in the final seconds of overtime in New York, Luke Walton had a five-footer that would have tied the game. Instead of taking it, he passed to Kobe, probably because he has been conditioned to think in terms of Kobe first. Bryant bobbled the ball, and the Lakers suffered their third straight defeat.

Afterward, various Lakers grumbled about how they need to play better as a team. Expect that grousing to continue. As long as it does, Kobe will struggle to regain the standing he enjoyed before that fateful encounter with a hotel employee at a Colorado resort.

But at least he can celebrate in one area:

The worst is over for Kobe Bryant. He hopes.

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