Kobe sells tickets for the same reason Jackie Chan and a few other Bruce Lee knockoffs sold movie tickets; people overrated the original's value to the point where he became a god, and the reasonable facsimile thereof was brought on to sop up residuals from the huge splash of that overrating, post mortem. Where Bruce was in the realm of the Hong Kong martial arts film world, Michael Jordan was in the NBA world. After MJ retired, those who called themselves basketball fans wanted someone to emulate him, so they could still watch Michael, especially those who never saw Michael play (never saw him often enough to know it wasn't his one on one scoring ability that won championships).
So, enter Shaq and the formidable team he had around him when he got to LA. A 3peat brought on by the most dominant big to play since Wilt Chamberlain set up the facade of a Jordanesque player in Kobe Bryant. All the swagger was there, the athleticism, the moves (he copied MJ to the letter), and now he had the 3 championships on his resume. Shaq would never be confused with MJ. Shaq was dominant in his own right. So that left Kobe. Lakers fans were torn between Shaq and Kobe, however Shaq wasn't the MJ protege, he wasn't trying to be. Lakers fan naturally gravitated toward Bryant to get their fill.
Other NBA fans who were homesick for MJ found comfort in at least the plastic blowup doll of MJ that is Kobe Bryant. No, it doesn't satisfy like MJ, it doesn't finish like MJ, it doesn't get you "there" like MJ did. It's all you have and it's better than humping your fist though. Shaq leaves LA for Miami, Kobe becomes the face of the LA franchise. Then the wonder years happen (like, wonder how an all time great can miss the playoffs). Kobe threatens to quit, so Lakers pull a huge deal and bring in Pau "Franchise Savior" Gasol.
Pau was Jesus to LA, he came from a bas union, 12 disciples who didn't know really what he was, and he dragged Kobe to the Finals kicking and screaming, and did it thrice before the s crow. Then Judas Bryant sells out the PauChrist for the Libyan midget Chris Paul, but Pilaus nixed that trade and the PauChrist remained in Canaan. Then Paul Bryant, who never actually had anything to do with the success of the Lakers, is writing the books of Lakers history and the PauChristians now quote Paul as if PauChrist wasn't real to begin with.
No, the Pharisee Paul Bryant has altered the annals of Lakers history by putting himself there and the unwashed masses of East LA couldn't care less, since they wanted the Immanuel of MJ anyhow, this must be him as far as they are concerned. These are the same people who have plastic figurines of Mary on their dashboards and tattoos of her on their backs, but mostly end up in prison for satanic acts.