hu·bris n. Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance. [Greek, excessive pride, wanton violence]
I'll grant you that Kobe's pride is overbearing, but I don't think it's excessive. He is one of the best players in the league at the age of, what, 22? He earned three consecutive championship rings by
And what do you want? You want him to be sensitive and philosophical and thoughtful? Oh sure, those are exactly the ingredients that enable a person to become a sport superstar. Absolute, blind self-confidence was a key ingredient in Kobe's success. He came into the NBA out of high school and played fearlessly from day one, even when he wasn't yet ready. And when game-winning opportunities came his way, he took the shot. Over a very short period of time this self-confidence pushed him to become the star his potential foretold. And without it? If he "waited his turn"? Would he have developed so quickly? It seems unlikely. Think Elway.
Think Magic Johnson! In Magic's first NBA season (when he would otherwise have been a junior in college), the Lakers went to the finals. Kareem got injured! Magic took Kareem's place as the team's center. Before the game he told his teammates, "Never fear. Magic's here."
Overbearing pride? Yes. But excessive? In both cases, no.
Wait until Kobe is a thirty-year-old. He has many years to develop life perspective and the understanding that man is mortal. For now, let him be the cocky young superstar. (Not that you need to spend time feeling sorry for him.)
I think that's a bad definition of hubris and, in any case, it's not what I meant by the word. Hubris is thinking that you can control fate, arrogance is knowing that you can't, but believing you can come closer than anyone else. Hubris is insufferable, arrogance can be perfectly appropriate.