I was a teenager through the 2000s. On the playground, no one pretended to be Duncan. Everyone wanted to be Kobe. I agree with what is said below, Iverson had his moment. But it was fleeting in comparison. Shaq was dominant, but he was a big man and had big man moves. Shaq was my favorite player since I was 5 and he played on the Magic. But no one wanted to pretend to be Shaq on the playground. Kobe was the man (love him or hate him) and face of the NBA during this time.

What does my wife, who doesn't watch or care about basketball, say when she throws something into the trashcan from across the room? "Kobe."

I don't think these statements are overboard at all but spot on.