Complex Kobe in the middle of yet another metamorphosis

A great Kobe Bryant story: Early in his NBA career, he goes overseas with Tracy McGrady on an Adidas promotional tour. They plan to work out together every day while they're away, but after one hectic afternoon, they returned to their hotel, weary.

"Let's just skip working out today," Bryant says.

"Nah, I think I can get one in," McGrady replies.

"I'm tired, man. We can wait until tomorrow," Bryant says.

"OK, you're right," McGrady replies.

And so they go to their rooms. Thirty minutes later, McGrady wanders the hotel in search of a beverage. He goes toward the gym, looks inside, and there's Bryant, lifting weights with a furor. McGrady grins, shakes his head and keeps walking.

The tale is so Kobe. He's the slyest superstar in sports. He's always looking for an advantage, always trying to prove he's the best, never concerned with anything else.

Behind his made-for-commercials smile, Bryant is a little off, every bit the menacing personality that once caused Reggie Miller to remark, following a fight, "Kobe has other issues to deal with."

Over time, we've learned what Miller meant. Bryant has gone from golden boy to accused rapist to spoiled superstar. Now, he's back, the best player in the game, the MVP, and quite likely, a champion once more.

Just a year ago, Bryant had demanded that the Los Angeles Lakers trade him. Just seven months ago, he was booed at home. A redemption tale this unpredictable could only happen in Hollywood.

Bryant owns the basketball world again, but as he showed McGrady years ago, don't expect him to rest. Bryant will go through two or three more transformations before his polarizing career ends.

Even this redemption story comes with a controversial undercurrent. Bryant is currently embroiled in a dispute with a Web site that claims he had an affair with a former Lakers cheerleader. This past week, Bryant's lawyers issued a cease-and-desist order, saying the site "has maliciously published totally false, libelous, defamatory and disparaging information about our client."

It's one of those Internet fiascos that all celebrities encounter. The truth will never be known, and if Bryant is being wrongly targeted for gossip's sake, it's another embarrassing, irresponsible cyber joke.

But with Bryant, there's always something sensational happening. He's showboating at his first All-Star Game, or feuding with Shaquille O'Neal, or winning at an envious clip, or getting booked in Colorado, or feuding (again) with Shaq, or seeing his rape case dismissed after months of agony, or fighting with Karl Malone over off-color comments Malone made to Bryant's wife, or throwing vicious elbows, or calling the man who signs his checks an "idiot" and a "liar," or winning (again) at an envious clip.

It's like he's a novelist living a story he created.

Because of all the strife, Bryant will never be better than Michael Jordan. He'll never be beloved or revered. Give him credit for being the first Air Apparent to withstand the pressure, but he will not replace Jordan.

Bryant will score more career points, but Jordan will be better. Bryant will play longer and likely accomplish more, but Jordan will be better. Bryant may win more championships, but Jordan will be better.

Bryant knows this. On the inside, he cannot stand the fact, but he accepts it.

"Just let me do me," he said during an ESPN interview about the MJ comparison. "Just let me do me. I'm trying to be the best I can be. You understand what I'm saying? Michael is Michael. You've gotta let me be me."

There's only one problem with that.

Who is he?

For a player already 12 seasons into his career, Bryant seems to be just in the middle of his evolution cycle. He doesn't turn 30 until late August. He'll change again and again, and if his past is an indicator, every version of Bryant will be better than the last.

After the Shaq-Kobe Lakers broke up, I thought Bryant would never win another championship. I wasn't even sure he'd return to the Finals.

Yet in four days, he will lead a rebuilt Lakers team back to the championship round. His team will be favored to win, even though Boston has home-court advantage. And if the Lakers don't triumph this time, they have built the kind of team that should contend for titles for the next five years.

This rejuvenation is bigger than Bryant, but he's the most important piece. In a league with too many maximum-salary players shying from the top-dog role, Bryant is the ultimate franchise player. Despite his flaws, you can't deny him this much: No one epitomizes competitive thirst — sports' essential trait — better than Bryant.

And he's almost at the top again. Complex, confounding Kobe is almost a champion again.

It's a comeback that few would've even attempted. He's a little off, for sure.

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For his Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports.