He wore tight threads and a killer smile.

He could vanquish opponents with the dispassion of an assassin and sell shoes, soft drinks and hamburgers with the charisma of a polished pitchman.

For basketball fans and consumers alike, it was hard not to be charmed by the talents of Kobe Bryant.

With three championship rings, The OC good looks and a clean-cut image that would make Ryan Seacrest look like a street thug, Bryant was one of the most marketable athletes of his generation - all at age 23.

Five years later, nothing has changed, yet everything has changed.

After weathering accusations ranging from selfish play to sexual assault, the Los Angeles Lakers guard remains one of the most dominant players in the NBA and an attractive commodity in corporate America.

Just as he did near the pinnacle of his career in 2002, Bryant walked away from the 2007 NBA All-Star Game with the MVP trophy. His No. 24 jersey resides atop the sales chart at the NBA team stores, and he is a centerpiece for Nike ad campaigns. Once viewed as a selfish teammate, he is recognized as a team leader who has reached a new level of maturity.

"I don't know if he's the golden boy," Denver-based sports marketing expert Dean Bonham said, "but he certainly has made a dramatic recovery."

Every recovery must be preceded by a splat. In Bryant's case, the splats played out in the form of an ever-evolving E! True Hollywood Story.

If he ever tires of spin moves and jump shots (not to mention the occasional flying elbow) Bryant, who makes his 2006-07 debut at the Pepsi Center tonight against the Nuggets, could give seminars on how to restore a tarnished image.

Stock plunge

The fall of Kobe began with petty accusations of ball hogging (23.4 shots a game in 2002-03) and accelerated after more serious charges of sexual assault in Eagle County in July 2003.

Bryant apologized to his wife and admitted to adultery, but he professed his innocence to an accusation that he raped a hotel employee while staying at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in Edwards.

Not surprisingly, corporate sponsors such as McDonald's and Sprite severed ties with Bryant, and Nike quietly made him disappear from print and television ads while honoring his five-year, $45 million contract.

Boos dogged Bryant in virtually every NBA arena, including his Staples Center home, and his performance suffered. His scoring average dropped from 30 points a game to 24 and his 43.8 shooting percentage was the lowest since 1997-98, his second pro season.

"It was, I'm sure, a scary time for him," said Utah Jazz guard Derek Fisher, who played with Bryant from 1996 to 2004, "especially in the situation where you're feeling as though you haven't done anything wrong."

In addition to facing criminal charges, Bryant was decried as the malcontent who got Shaquille O'Neal traded cross-continent to Miami on July 14, 2004. A few months later, coach Phil Jackson took parting shots in a tell-all book that described Bryant as uncoachable who lacked leadership skills.

"I don't think nobody understands," said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, who has faced his share of off-the-court distractions in his four NBA seasons. "They just expect you to go out there and be a superhero night in and night out, not understanding the other things that go on and how much weight is on your shoulders."

On Sept. 1, 2004, Bryant's personal baggage suddenly got a lot lighter.

Rising again

When Katelyn Faber - 19 when she accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room - decided she could not bring herself to testify at trial, Eagle County prosecutors were forced to dismiss all charges against Bryant.

In response, Bryant issued a statement apologizing to Faber for his behavior on the night in question. He maintained their sexual encounter was consensual but acknowledged Faber saw it differently.

The apology was a big step in the process of restoring Bryant's image.

"If you don't appear to be contrite and humble and honestly apologize to the fans and teammates and coaches, then there are cases when the fans are going to forget about you," Bonham said.

Faber moved forward with a federal civil lawsuit, but she and Bryant agreed to an undisclosed settlement on March 2, 2005 - thus ending a 20-month saga that played out in tabloids, box scores and court transcripts.

Nike executives saw the announcement as an opportunity to reincorporate Bryant in their marketing campaign with a series of edgy print and television ads, and the Lakers star went about doing his part on the court.

He ran away with the NBA scoring title in 2005-06, averaging a career-high 35.4 points. The highlights included an 81-point outburst against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006, and a near upset of the No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.

"I think everybody goes through phases of a career with adversity, and he's overcome everything," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, who played against Bryant's father in the Italian League.

"I didn't have any doubts that he would. This guy is focused and determined to be the best in the game. He does it night in and night out."

Formula for forgiveness

While it's tough for a sports fan drawing minimum wage to relate to an athlete making in excess of $100 million, missteps - even those that potentially are criminal - humanize the modern sports hero.

Bryant apologized for his mistakes, then reinvented himself as a player, even going to the length of changing his number from 8 to 24 before this season.

By most accounts, Bryant is more nurturing toward his teammates and is more selective with his shots. He has mended fences with Jackson, who returned to the Lakers bench after a one-year hiatus, and made an attempt to be more accessible to fans, media and teammates.

"As far as letting people in and seeing what type of guy he is, he's a lot more talkative this year," said Lakers forward Brian Cook, a rookie when Bryant went through his tumultuous 2003-04 season.

"We've been around him for a while, so he's opened up every year more and more. He's still a dominant guy, a guy that needs to be by himself because he's so dominant in everything he does. At the same time, he's been a lot more unselfish each and every year."

Asked if what happened in Colorado in 2003 and 2004 served as a catalyst for change, Bryant deftly dodged the question without coming across as evasive, callous or arrogant.

"It's just maturation," he said, looking his inquisitor directly in the eye. "I think everybody has to go through a process of evolution. It's just growth. We, as human beings, have to continue to try to be human beings and continue to get better."

Still embraced

During a game in Phoenix this month, Bryant heard the boos every time he touched the ball. The scorn was a carry-over from the first-round playoff series between the Suns and Lakers last spring.

Yet even in enemy territory, several people wore Bryant jerseys and showed support with signs touting him for MVP. The scene should be no different tonight, when the Lakers take the floor at the Pepsi Center.

Because of his infamous connection to Colorado, some of the most intense harassment came during games in Denver. The heckling gradually has subsided with time.

"Your true fans are your true fans. If people are going to forgive, then they forgive," Nuggets point guard Allen Iverson said. "The only thing you concentrate on is the people that actually care about you. You can't change anybody's mind."

Lakers fans who stood by Bryant through the toughest of times are sure to be heard tonight after he hits a three-pointer or converts a smooth move in the paint. As is his custom, Bryant probably will not visibly acknowledge any crowd reaction - good, bad or indifferent. He instead will focus on guiding his teammates and taking charge when necessary.

"That's your role as a leader," he said. "You're kind of the compass and provide the direction, provide the emotional support in practice and in games."

Playing with an edge

Though carrying himself with a new air of honesty, humility and maturity, Bryant recently has encountered another image problem.

He twice has been suspended for one game after throwing wild elbows on shot attempts. San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili was the first victim Jan. 28 and Minnesota guard Marko Jaric was flattened March 6.

In addition, Bryant received a flagrant foul for elbowing Philadelphia guard Kyle Korver in the jaw while dribbling Friday.

Playing the role of supportive coach, Jackson said the NBA is conducting a "witch hunt" against Bryant, who fears earning a reputation as a dirty player.

"It's insulting," Bryant told reporters in El Segundo, Calif., on Wednesday. "I don't need to be a dirty player. That's just ridiculous. I'm not a dirty player - never have been, never will be."

Compared with the accusations levied against him in Eagle County in 2003, allegations of dirty play should be relatively easy to withstand.

Former teammate Fisher believes Bryant will rise above this latest attack and ultimately return to the pinnacle of the NBA.

"He's not going to run away from trying to get (the Lakers) back to a championship level," Fisher said. "He'll win at least one more championship before his career is over, that's for sure."

And with that, the image rehabilitation would be complete.

Image Restoration 101

Recovering alcoholics have a 12-step recovery program, but what about pro athletes such as Kobe Bryant who need to rehabilitate a suddenly tarnished image? Here are five key steps toward returning to the public's good graces.

• Step 1: Apologize. Two simple words - "I'm sorry" - can be powerful in seeking forgiveness. Delivery must be sincere. Tears are optional but always encouraged. Bryant delivered a public apology to his wife on July 19, 2003, and apologized to the woman who accused him of rape after criminal charges were dropped Sept. 1, 2004.

• Step 2: Open up. With the exception of Tiger Woods, it's hard for Joe Average Fan to root for a robot. Smile for the television cameras and occasionally appease the beat writers with self-deprecating quotes. Spending an extra 15 minutes signing autographs never hurts, either.

• Step 3: Play well. Fans are much more willing to forget off-the-court indiscretions when you're scoring points and hitting clutch jumpers on a regular basis. Bryant averaged 24 points and helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals in the season after he was accused of sexual assault.

• Step 4: Give back to the community. Nothing says you care like an appearance at the local children's hospital or a generous donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Bryant rarely trumpeted his charitable work, but he now realizes publicity can serve the dual purpose of improving his image and raising more cash for a good cause.

• Step 5: Stay out of trouble. Loyal fans tend to give their heroes a second, third or even fourth chance (see Darryl Strawberry), but testing their patience - not to mention the boundaries of the penal code - is not advised (see Maurice Clarett).

America's punch line

Kobe Bryant's nightmare became dream material for late-night personalities, particularly Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Though a sexual-assault charge eventually was dismissed, Bryant probably doesn't feel much like laughing when he looks back on the potshots.

• June 30, 2003: In Vail for knee surgery, Bryant is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old employee at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera.

• July 4, 2003: Turns himself into Eagle county authorities and posts $25,000 bail.

Tom Arnold, on Bryant declining an invitation to make a cameo appearance with rapper Snoop Dogg in the movie Soul Plane: "Kobe was considering it, but he called back and said, 'I have to be in Colorado that day to get a little bit of surgery.' It is the only time in history that someone could say, 'Damn, if I had only been with Snoop Dogg last night, I wouldn't have gotten in trouble!"

• July 18, 2003: Charged with felony sexual assault. With his wife by his side, Bryant admits to adultery but says he is innocent of the rape charge.

• July 24, 2003: People magazine reports Bryant bought his wife, Vanessa, a $4 million ring in the days after being accused of sexual assault.

Tiny Fey Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update: "Next month, a flawless $10 million diamond the size of a walnut will go on auction at Sotheby's, and just in time - Kobe Bryant's wife has a birthday coming up."

• Nov. 26, 2004: Scores 22 points in 26 minutes against the Wizards. Also is called for a technical foul in the Lakers' easy victory.

Jay Leno, below: "Kobe Bryant got a technical foul last night. But he says he didn't foul the guy - he says it was consensual."

• May 27, 2004: Appears in court in Colorado, then scores 31 points after returning to Los Angeles in time for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

• June 6, 2004: Lakers lose to the Pistons 87-75 in Game 1 of NBA Finals.

Leno: "The Lakers only scored 75 points. Detroit's defense was so good, Kobe tried to hire them as his attorneys."

• June 15, 2004: The Pistons win the NBA title in five games, beating the Lakers 100-87. Leno: "Kobe Bryant was so depressed, he didn't touch the food in his room. He didn't touch the drinks. He didn't even touch the girl who brought it."

• Sept. 1, 2004: At the request of the accuser, Eagle County prosecutors dismiss case against Bryant.

lopezaa@RockyMountainNews.com

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