Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest players to ever do it. Even when he was in the prime of his career, Kobe was very accomplished. He was a perennial All-Star and a 3-time NBA champion even before he turned 25. But it was the mid-2000s when Kobe was at the peak of his powers.
While the Los Angeles Lakers were floundering, especially after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant was playing some of the best basketball of his career. Even though the Los Angeles Lakers were not a championship contender, Bryant was playing incredible basketball.
Even though he had no help, Kobe was able to keep the Lakers afloat and make sure they were always in the playoff mix. Because of his efforts, Bryant became one of the most beloved figures in the NBA and became a fan favorite.
Recently, Steph Curry has been making the news, as he has been receiving MVP chants from away fans while the Golden State Warriors are on their road trip. Fans of the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers gave Curry MVP chants during the games.
Fans were suggesting that Curry might be the first player to have received MVP chants from the opposition. But a fact pointed out online was that Kobe Bryant received MVP chants from opposition fans from 9 different fanbases, including deep rivals like the Celtics, Kings, and the Atlanta Hawks.
https://twitter.com/kobehighlight/status/1462102735235387396
Kobe’s biggest gift was his incredible scoring ability. Bryant could take over a game with his ability to score at any point in a game. Kobe is the only player in NBA history to come close to Wilt Chamberlain’s historic 100 point game, scoring 81 against the Toronto Raptors.
Kobe was able to finally win the MVP in 2008, as he and the Lakers became championship contenders again after the arrival of Pau Gasol. The Lakers went on to reach 3 consecutive NBA Finals between 2008 and 2010 and won 2 NBA Championships. Kobe was named Finals MVP for both their championship wins.
