Kobe Bryant became Lord of the Rings at Rucker Park

The magical day Kobe Bryant became Lord of the Rings at Rucker Park???????? ON JULY 18, 2002, Kobe Bryant approached Rucker Park, the streetball institution in Harlem. He wore a powder blue sleeveless shirt and dark shades; an oversized key-pendant swung from his chain with each step. Onlookers sprinted toward the park's metal fencing, meant to separate superstars from the streets, to catch a glimpse. A boom mic dangled in front of Bryant's face. An army of security guards flanked him. Hannibal, an omnipresent announcer at Rucker, wore Bryant's No. 8 jersey. "Straight to the court," Bryant shouted.