Kobe Bryant Career in 2009 (Part 2)

As the Lakers rolled toward their date with destiny, Kobe took his game to a new level. He became the league’s finest shot-maker, hitting clutch baskets off-balance, in traffic, and with defenders hanging all over him. Even his critics had to admit that he was now every bit as good as Michael Jordan at hitting the tough buckets. Among his six game-winners in 2009–10 was an unforgettable shot to cap a comeback against the Celtics on their home court. Although Boston was slowed by age and injuries, many traditionalists wanted another Celtics–Lakers Final, LeBron be damned. They would get their wish.

Kobe finished the regular season by upping his scoring, rebounding and assists from the year before. His 27.0 points per game was fourth in the league—3.1 behind the NBA’s precocious scoring leader, Kevin Durant. Once again, he was voted to the All-NBA First team and the All-Defensive First Team.

Kobe was sensational in the conference finals against the Phoenix Suns. He hit one outrageous shot after another. The two teams split the first four games, before the Lakers scored a 103–101 win in Phoenix. Kobe, who missed a triple-double by one assist, tried to break a 101–101 tie with a fadeaway three-pointer from the corner, but his shot was short. Artest outmuscled the Suns for the ball and scored the winning layup. He and Kobe hugged when the final buzzer sounded.

The final two games in LA, were defensive battles. The Lakers beat the Celtics handily in Game 6 to knot the series. Kobe led all players with 26 points. Game 7 was a different matter. Kobe was ice cold most of the game, often finding himself double-teamed. He responded by hitting the glass with fierce determination. Kobe pulled down 15 rebounds.

In Kobe, the Lakers have a championship-caliber player with an impressive résumé and proven track record. Having led LAto two championships without another superstar at his side, he did what many considered un-doable. Can Kobe and the Lakers keep adding to their trophy case? As always, this is likely to be the biggest story in basketball.

Kobe Bryant Career in 2009

The Lakers were ready to reclaim the NBA title in 2008–09. It had been seven seasons since their last championship. Their bench was strong and their starting lineup healthy. Kobe’s finger was completely healed, and he did not miss a game. He was named Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January as the Lakers racked up victory after victory. In one of the season's stranger plays, Kobe collided with teammate Andrew Bynum, wrecking Bynum’s knee. Jackson simply shifted his players around and the team barely missed a beat. The Lakers finished with 65 wins, the third-best record in team history.

Kobe led the Lakers in scoring (26.8) and assists (4.9). Among his season highlights were a pair of triple-doubles—his first since 2005—and a 61-point outburst against the Knicks in New York. He was also named All-Star co-MVP with Shaquille O’Neal. At season’s end, LeBron James edged him for NBA MVP. He was named to the All-Defensive First Team for the third season in a row and sixth time in his career.

Up next were the Denver Nuggets. Game 1 seesawed back and forth until Kobe took over in the fourth quarter. He canned six free throws in the final 30 seconds to finish with an even 40 points in LA’s 105–103 victory.

Kobe’s fourth championship was made even sweeter when he was named series MVP for the first time. The Nuggets took Game 2, another taut affair, 106–103. Kobe was the difference again in Game 3, nailing a clutch three-pointer with the Lakers down 95–94. They never trailed again, pulling away to a 103–97 win as Kobe sealed the deal at the charity stripe. Denver evened the series but the Lakers took the final two games to earn a berth in the NBA Finals. Kobe led the team in points and assists in both contests.

The Magic took Game 3 and then nearly tied the series a couple of nights later. Again, the Lakers dodged a bullet at the end of regulation, as Derek Fisher hit a clutch trey to send the teams into overtime. Fisher nailed another three-pointer to give the Lakers a 99–91 win. Dwight Howard dominated much of the game, but could not make his free throws, and ultimately this was the difference. Kobe was good for 32 points and 8 assists.

In Game 5, Kobe played like a cold-blooded assassin. He was totally locked in as LA seized control of the game and won 99–86. He finished with 30 points, and celebrated like a kid when the final buzzer sounded. Kobe was an easy pick for MVP of the Finals.

Rather than resting on his laurels, Kobe came into the 2009–10 campaign focused on repeating. Even a December fracture of his right index finger didn’t slow him down. He elected to play through the pain and was named the conference’s Player of the Month that very same month. A sore back and knee eventually prevented him from playing nine games, but LA barely missed a beat. Among the key additions to the club was Ron Artest, who would no longer be giving Kobe fits on defense.

Kobe Bryant Career in 2003 - 2008

In the summer of 2003, after six years of meticulously cultivating a spotless image and building a seemingly indestructible empire of endorsements and outside business interests, Kobe was accused of sexual assault by a 19-year-old girl in Colorado. The alleged attack occurred while Kobe was at a resort near Vail, where he was waiting to have surgery performed on his right knee. Kobe acknowledged that the two engaged in sex, but contended it was consentual. It was a humiliating and very public downfall. And though the case crumbled before going to trial (and was settled out of court), Kobe and his marketing appeal took a death blow. The episode stretched his marriage to the breaking point.

Despite the ongoing distraction of Kobe’s case, there was basketball to be played. The Lakers went into 2003-04 loaded for bear. Along with Kobe and Shaq, the team also featured future Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Karl Malone. LA started fast, winning 20 of their first 25 games. The Mailman missed some time with a knee injury, but the team soldiered on, finishing strong with 14 victories in their final 17 games. They edged the Kings for the Pacific Division title, with their single-game margin coming courtesy of Kobe. He tied the clinching game against the Blazers at the buzzer, and then won it with another buzzer-beater in double overtime. He averaged 24.0 points per game on the season.

With two frustrating misses after three straight championships, Kobe felt stifled as third banana to Jackson and O’Neal. He did not have to wait long, however, to make the Lakers “his” team. Jackson resigned as coach after the seson and O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant. With Chucky Atkins at the point and Chris Mihm stepping into the pivot, Kobe was suddenly the only holdover from the starting five that had made it to the 2004 NBA Finals.

The highlight of '04-05 was probably the first meeting between the Lakers and Heat, on Christmas Day. Kobe hit for 42 and helped LA build a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter. But Miami stormed back to tie the game and then won in overtime. It was one of 48 losses the Lakers suffered on the way to a mind-blowing last-place finish in the Pacific Division.

LA assembled an interesting supporting cast for Kobe in 2006-07, but injuries kept the team from flourishing. Still, with Kobe leading the club in points and assists, and Odom chipping in around 10 boards a night, the Lakers were winning consistently enough to stay near the top of the Pacific Division. The team was within striking range of the first-place Suns until it hit a February losing skid. A rumored deadline deal for Jason Kidd fell through when the Lakers refused to part with teenage center Andrew Bynum.

Kobe put his stamp on the season during the All-Star Game in February. Going head-to-head with LeBron James on several first-half possessions, he looked intense from the opening tip-off and finished with 31 points, six assists, six steals and five rebounds. The West won 153-132 and Kobe was named MVP.

The rest of the year did not go as well, at least for the Lakers. The team finished 42–40, the worst record of Jackson’s coaching career. They did make the playoffs, but were eliminated again by the Suns in the first round.

Kobe, however, led the NBA in scoring again with 31.6 points per game. He did this on the strength of a monstrous March surge. With the Lakers mired in a long losing streak, Kobe exploded for 65 points against Portland. The T-Wolves came to town, and he dropped 50 on them. The Lakers next took the court in Memphis, where Kobe totaled 60 points on the Grizzlies’ defense. Incredibly, he netted 50 against the Hornets the next day.

Kobe had nothing left to prove except that he could take a team to the NBA Finals without Shaq. After off-season rumblings from Kobe that he wanted to be traded, the Lakers vowed to build a decent team around him in 2007–08. Los Angeles made good on itss prommise when it dealt for Pau Gasol to join Bynum and Odom in the frontcourt. The feel around the locker room was different going all the way back to training camp. This was a different Lakers teams. Slowly, quietly, Los Angeles knit into a winning unit.

Kobe Bryant, 2006 Total

                         

           

Unfortunately, prospects for a championship run dimmed somewhat after Kobe blew out the little finger on his shooting hand in a February game. He decided to put off the delicate surgery and deal with the pain.

Kobe played in all 82 games nonetheless and scored 28 a night He . Although his numbers across the board were far from his best, he had fully matured into a veteran leader on the floor. The Lakers finished with 57 victories and the Pacific Division title. Kobe was an easy choice for MVP. Had an average player been in his situation, the team’s 57–25 record could easily have been reversed.

Kobe continued his MVP performance in the playoffs, as the Lakers swept the Nuggets. Kobe scored 49 points in Game 2. He closed out Denver with 14 points in the final five minutes of a 107–101 victory in Game 4.

Next up were the Jazz. The Lakers took the first two games in Los Angeles, and the Jazz evened the series in Utah. Gasol and Odom came up big in Game 5 to give the Lakers a series edge. The Lakers thenfinished off the Jazz in Game 6, winning by two but having led virtually the entire way. Kobe scored 34 in the victory.

Most experts figured the Spurs would give the Lakers problems, and they did—for about 24 minutes. San Antonio opened up a 20-poin t lead in the first half of Game 1, but Kobe scored 25 in the second half of a stirring 89–85 victory. The teams split the next two games before Los Angeles took control with a narrow win at home. Kobe missed an ill-advised shot that gave the Spurs a chance to win at the buzzer, but the Lakers survived. They won the series two days later, as Kobe netted 17 points in the final quarter of Game 5.

Kobe had proven he could lead a team to the NBA Finals by himself. The final hurdle was the Boston Celtics, a team built to derail a club like the Lakers. Veteran superstars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen simply proved too much for Los Angeles.

The Celtics won the first two games in Boston and split the next two in California. Kobe scored 36 in a Game 3 win, his best output for the series. He had a poor shooting night in Game 5, but made a nice defensive play to save a victory and narrow Boston’s series lead to 3–2. This just delayed the inevitable as the Celtics humiliated Kobe and his teammates in Game 6, 131–92.

That painful loss became a distant memory for Kobe during the 2008 Summer Games in China. Kobe headlined the newest version of the Dream Team, happily sharing time with LeBron and Dwyane Wade. The Americans rolled through the tournament, blowing out opponents on the strength of tough defense and an unstoppable fast break.

Kobe played well throughout the Olympics, but he put his stamp on Team USA with a scintillating performance down the stretch of the gold medal game against Spain. After the Spainards cut America's lead to 91-89, coach Mike Krzyzewski called a timeout to settle his squad. Kobe responded with a short jumper, assisted on a 3-pointer by Deron Williams, and then set up Wade for a monster jam. Kobe scored 13 in the fourth quarter, as the U.S. captured its first gold since 2002 with a 118-107 victory. Kobe—nicknamed "Flying Little Warrior" by adoring Chinese fans—lived up to the billing.

Kobe Bryant Career in 2000 - 2001

Kobe raised his performance even higher in the playoffs. With the Lakers sweeping by Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio in succession, he was scintillating. Kobe tallied 48 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in Game 4 against the Kings to close out the series. In the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, he shot a sizzling .514 (54-105) from the field.

Facing the 76ers in the NBA Finals, the defending champs opened at home with a surprising 107-101 overtime loss. It was all Lakers after that, however, as Los Angles roared to victories in the next four. Kobe was high scorer for LA in Games 2 and 3. At just 22 years old, he had his second NBA championship

Los Angeles soon began a steady ascent through the Pacific standings. Kobe was the main man. In January he launched a scoring streak of at least 40 points in nine straight games, including 52 in an overtime victory against the Rockets. The Lakers won eight times during Kobe's sensational stretch.

The Lakers faced Minnesota in the first round and dropped two of the first three in the series. After back-to-back poor shooting performances, Kobe asserted himself over the next three games. Averaging 31 points and six assists, he led Los Angeles past the Timberwolves to set up a tough match-up against San Antonio.

The strain of the Minnesota series on the Lakers was evident early against the Spurs. When San Antonio took the first two games on their home floor, the pundits were ready to write the defending champs' obituary. But Kobe and his teammates came back to life at the Staples Center. He hit for 39 and 35, and the Lakers knotted the series.

In San Antonio for Game 5, Los Angeles fell behind by 20 points, then launched a furious rally in the fourth quarter. But when a late three-pointer by Horry didn't go down, the Lakers lost a 96-94 heartbreaker—not to mention their legs. The tank finally ran dry in the second half of Game 6, as the Spurs cruised in a 28-point blowout. Like the rest of the team, Kobe watched the carnage in a daze.

Kobe Bryant 1999 - 2000 Career

Kobe, meanwhile, enjoyed his best season as a pro. After missing the first 15 games with a broken bone in his right hand, he blended in perfectly with his teammates and blossomed into a complete player. His shot selection was better, his rebounding and scoring increased, and he began hitting more regularly from the outside. Most notable, however, was his sterling defense. In a February victory over the 76ers, Kobe shut down Allen Iverson, holding him to 0-of-9 shooting in the fourth quarter. It was this kind of effort that earned him a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.

Though Indiana battled hard, Los Angeles won the series in six games, earning its first title since 1988. Kobe went down in a heap early in Game 2 after rolling an ankle. He sat out the next contest, which the Lakers lost.

Kobe returned in Game 4, limping through the entire first half. With the Lakers trailing in the third quarter, he got a burst of adrenaline and exploded for 10 points. He then finished off the Pacers after Shaq fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Jackson told his troops to abandon the triangle and get the ball to Kobe. He responded with a virtuoso performance to give the Lakers an insurmountable 3-1 series lead.

Tired and battered after the longest season of his young life, Kobe took it easy during the summer of 2000. After declining a last-minute offer to join Team USA at the Olympics in Sydney, he regained his health and felt refreshed by the start of the following campaign

Kobe was key to the club’s resurgence. Playing 40 minutes a night, he averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 68 games. Among the single-game career-highs he established during the season were points (52), steals (six), and blocked shots (five). Kobe also posted the first two triple-doubles of his career.

Kobe Bryant Career in 1996 - 1998

       The Los Angeles Lakers and their president, Jerry West, were among the teams convinced that Kobe was destined for greatness. In a private workout for the club, the teenager impressed with his leaping ability and wide array of offensive skills. The Lakers asked Kobe to play one-on-one against Dontae’ Jones, and he blew the Mississippi State star off the court.

Los Angeles also felt Kobe’s upbringing was an advantage. As the son of an NBA player, he would be able to assimilate into the league better than other rookies.On draft day, Charlotte Hornets had grabbed Kobe at #13, and after a little haggling arranged a trade for Vlade Divac

Kobe was ecstatic to join the Lakers. Not only was he starting his pro career with his favorite team, but he would not be expected to be its savior.Kobe signed a three-year, $3.5 million contract with the Lakers, then averaged 25 points per game for their summer-league team.

During a Labor Day pickup game at Venice Beach, Kobe fractured his left wrist. Though the injury wasn’t serious, it forced him to sit out five weeks and miss much of training camp. Going into the 1996-97 season, Harris and the Lakers decided to bring their 18-year-old rookie along slowly.

Kobe made his official NBA debut against Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In six minutes, he bricked his only shot and committed a turnover. Sparse playing time was the norm for Kobe throughout the first half of the season. With Los Angeles vying for the Pacific Division crown, there was no need to throw him into the fire.

In January, At 18 years, five months and five days, Kobe became the youngest starter in NBA history. Weeks later, during All-Star Weekend, he set a record with 31 points in the Rookie Game and won the Slam Dunk Contest—the first Laker ever to do so.

Those were the highlights of the season for him. Injuries to O’Neal and other key players decimated Los Angeles, and the club was steamrolled by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the playoffs. Kobe, who saw only spot action in March and April, ended the year contributing just under eight points a night.

In the 1997-98 season, West and Harris agreed to install Kobe as the team’s sixth man. An observant and well-educated player, he took to the role immediately. Playing between 20 and 30 minutes a game, Kobe boosted his scoring average to nearly 18 points per game. He was just the spark the Lakers needed, as they reeled off 11 straight victories to start the year.

Kobe nailed down a spot in the starting lineup. He flourished at both ends of the court, earning Third Team All-NBA honors. Kobe began to add depth to his game, leading the Lakers in steals and ranking second on the team in scoring with a 19.9 average. In all, he logged nine double-doubles and proved increasingly dangerous in crunch time. Though his jumper lacked consistency, the Lakers were going to Kobe more and more in key situations.

KOBE BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL CAREER 

On the court, Kobe’s transition was seamless. He was one of the Sonny Hill League’s top players during the summer of 1992. He then entered Lower Merion High School and made the varsity basketball team for the Aces. The following spring he began going to the gym at Temple University looking for pick-up games.

By his junior year, Kobe finally felt comfortable in his surroundings. He also began to make major strides in his hoops career. At 6-5, he decided his basketball future was probably in the backcourt and began to think and practice like a guard. This was fine by Lower Merion coach Gregg Downer, who liked the mismatches Kobe presented to opponents. In truth, between the expert advice the youngster received from his father and the competition he faced each year in Philadelphia’s top summer leagues, he would have been a handful for just about any high-school defender.

Kobe sizzled during the 1994-95 season. The junior averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Kobe also unveiled his devastating cross-over dribble during the campaign.

After Kobe’s breakout year, college recruiters from across the country came knocking. The soon-to-be senior boasted excellent grades and SAT scores, so academics would not be an obstacle. At the top of his list were Duke, North Carolina, Villanova and Michigan.

But when Chicago schoolboy Kevin Garnett went in the first round of the NBA Draft in June of 1995, Kobe began seriously considering moving directly to the pros. That summer, Joe arranged for his son to work out with members of the 76ers, and Kobe was awesome. He also made a big impression on scouts at the ABCD All-America Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

As a senior, Kobe’s sparkling play put Lower Merion on the high-school basketball map. The Aces posted a 32-3 record and captured their first state title in 42 years. The school’s name was in the newspapers constantly, college coaches filled the stands for every game, and coach Downer received invitations to several prestigious tournaments. Kobe finished the year with a scoring average of 30.8 points, pushing his four-year points total to 2,883.

           

Kobe ended the speculation that spring at a press conference in the Lower Merion gym. Before dozens of reporters and camera crews—and with friends from the group Boyz II Men nearby—he announced that he had decided to take his talents to the NBA. A short time later he signed on with the William Morris Agency, then inked multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas and Sprite.