Kobe Bryant was the first ever guard to be drafted out of high school. Even though he was drafted to the Charlotte Hornets, they saw that there was a chance to trade with the LA Lakers, so the Charlotte Hornets traded Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac. During Kobe Bryant's rookie season, he usually started on the bench but later on during the season he earned more court time, by the end of season Kobe averged 15.5 minutes per game. He was getting use to the level of competition pretty well, he was off to a good start. |  |
In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. As a result Bryant's point averages more than doubled from 7.6 to 15.4 points per game. he also became the youngest NBA-All-Star starter in NBA history. During the season, Bryant signed a 6-year contract extension worth $70 million. This kept him with the Lakers till the end of the 2003–04 season. Even at an early stage of his career sportswriters were comparing his skills to that of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Kobe Bryant earned the reputation as a High Flyer and becamevery popular.
 | Bryant started the 1999–2000 season sidelined for six weeks due to an injury to his hand in a preseason game against the Washington Wizards. With Bryant back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he saw an increase in all statistical categories in the 1999–2000 season. This included leading the team in assists per game and steals per game. The duo of O'Neal and Bryant backed with a strong bench led to the Lakers winning 67 games, tied for 5th most in NBA history. This followed with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being named to the All-NBA Team Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors). |
In the 2002–03 season, Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career highs up to that point. Bryant was once again voted on to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams, and came in third place in voting for the MVP award. After finishing 50–32 in the regular season, the Lakers foundered in the playoffs and lost in the Western Conference semi-finals to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs in six games. In the final game of the regular season the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a three pointer as time ran out to tie the game and send it into over time. The game eventually went to a second over time and Bryant made another three pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers past the Trail Blazers 105–104.
On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in a 122–104 victory against the Toronto Raptors. In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant's 81-point game was the second highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. In that same month, Bryant also became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players ever to do so. |  |
 | During the 2006–07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. On December 23, 2007, Bryant became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points. May 6, 2008, Bryant was officially announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first for his career. Bryant led the team to tie the franchise record for most wins to start the season, going 17–2. |
Bryant continued his dominant play in the season, earning his eleventh consecutive All-Star Game start and again positioning himself as one of the front runners for the NBA Most Valuable Player award. Bryant was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the week three times. In January, Bryant recorded 2 triple doubles to bring his career total to 16.During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant who tallied 27 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal as the Western Conference All-Stars defeated their Eastern counterparts, 146–119. The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the Finals to become the 2009 NBA Champions. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP trophy upon winning his fourth championship, becoming the first player since Jerry West in the 1969 NBA Finals to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists for a finals series and the first since Michael Jordan to average 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for a title-winning team in the finals.
