There are many things that I love about social media. It’s awesome how it connects people. It’s great that it gives fans a way to interact with celebrities. It’s also amusing to see it used when friendships go sour. In the San Francisco Bay Area tech community, it was common for squabbling people to unfollow each other on Twitter or defriend each other on Facebook. It’s brilliant that professional athletes are doing the same thing.
As many of you know, Dwight Howard left the Los Angeles Lakers for the Houston Rockets. Shortly after the news broke, Laker legend Kobe Bryant unfollowed Howard on Twitter. That’s frickin’ awesome! It’s such a nerdy way to make a statement. I love it!!! There are many ways to read into the situation. Some are dismissing it as pettiness on Bryant’s part. Others believe that it’s a way for one of the most insanely competitive players in the NBA to tell another player that he doesn’t matter anymore.
What’s your take on Kobe Bryant unfollowing Dwight Howard on Twitter?
Dude, I think you’re reading WAY too much into this.
They were co-workers who gave each other the courtesy of following each other’s Twitter feeds for the sake of appearing united.
One guy goes to work for another company (team) and the other guy stops following him. No harm, no foul.
Why is this a thing?
-M
Kobe is the most competitive NBA player I’ve seen since Jordan. I sincerely doubt he sees Howard leaving as just going to work for another company. He’s already made thinly veiled jabs questioning Howard’s heart, his respect for basketball history, etc.