Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to a few consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was adopted by O'Neal's commerce from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring through the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting quite a few scoring records in the course of. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points towards the Toronto Raptors, the second most factors scored in a single game in NBA history, second solely to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point sport in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award in 2008.

The choice for Kobe to be on the duvet speaks to his character and the popularity he has earned all through his basketball career. Coach Phil Jackson put Bryant on Iverson during the second half of the game. Kobe held AI to 0-11 subject aim taking pictures whereas blocking three of his pictures within the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Bryant scored eight of his 18 points within the fourth quarter and sparked a 9-0 fourth-quarter run that helped them pick up the win over the Sixers.

He remained the league's highest-paid participant, although he accepted a discounted deal; he had been eligible to obtain an extension starting at $32 million per year. Bryant resumed playing on December 8 after lacking the season's first 19 video games. On December 17, Bryant matched his season high of 21 factors in a 96–92 win over Memphis, but he suffered a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee that was expected to sideline him for six weeks. He had played six video games since returning from his Achilles harm, which included time at point guard after accidents to Nash, Steve Blake, and Jordan Farmar. Bryant was averaging thirteen.8 factors, 6.three assists, and 4.three rebounds.

In that same month, Bryant additionally grew to become the primary participant since 1964 to score 45 factors or extra in four consecutive games, becoming a member of Chamberlain and Baylor as the one players to do so. For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.four factors per sport, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any participant apart from Chamberlain. By the end of the 2005–06 season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise data for many 40-point video games and most factors scored . He won the league's scoring title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per recreation, changing into just the fifth player in league history to common no much less than 35 in a season.

Despite the injury, Bryant elected to continue taking part in, rather than take any day with out work to rest the injury. Five days after his finger injury, he made another game-winning shot, after lacking on a possibility in regulation, this time against the Milwaukee Bucks in an additional time sport. Bryant additionally grew to become the youngest participant to succeed in 25,000 points in his career through the season, surpassing Chamberlain. He continued his dominant clutch plays making yet another game-winning three-pointer against the Sacramento Kings, and what could be the game-winning subject aim towards the Boston Celtics. The following day, he surpassed West to turn out to be the all-time main scorer in Lakers franchise historical past. After being sidelined for five games by an ankle harm, Bryant made his return and made one other clutch three-pointer to provide the Lakers a one-point lead with 4 seconds remaining towards the Memphis Grizzlies.

Even at an early stage of his career, sportswriters were evaluating his expertise to those of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. The playoff outcomes, nonetheless, have been no better, because the Lakers had been swept by the San Antonio Spurs within the Western Conference Semifinals. Fitting in is a challenge that I’ve by no means been in a place to master. I was a tall, skinny 13-year-old kid who spoke Italian higher than English. I knew very little of American tradition and other people knew me only as “the son of a former NBA participant.” During this time, the game of basketball grew to become greater than only a refuge, it grew to become my outlet.

But as an alternative of watching the two stars go at it in a shootout, it was a shutdown. But Bryant was a special kind of athlete, the son of a well-to-do Philadelphia household who spent his early life in Europe. His unusual upbringing and steely dedication — holding himself and people around him to the very best requirements — sometimes led to friction with coaches and teammates.

Bryant turned the oldest participant to score 60 or extra points in a sport at 37 years and 234 days old. At the time of his announcement, he was second on the team in minutes (30.8) behind Jordan Clarkson and main the team with sixteen.7 field aim makes an attempt per game, whereas averaging just 15.7 factors and shooting a career-low 31.5 %. In his press conference after the announcement, he acknowledged his declining expertise. "Even though I play like shit, I’ve worked actually, really onerous not to play like crap and I do every thing I possibly can. And I be okay with that", he mentioned.