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LeBron James gave Kobe Bryant his due after long-awaited MVP: "He's been the best player the last five, six years"

LeBron James gave Kobe Bryant his due after long-awaited MVP: "He's been the best player the last five, six years"

Yahoo2 days ago
LeBron James gave Kobe Bryant his due after long-awaited MVP: "He's been the best player the last five, six years" originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In 2008, after 12 years of highlight reels, clutch buckets and All-Star nods, Kobe Bryant finally secured the one trophy that had long eluded him — the regular season MVP. It wasn't his best statistical season, but with the Los Angeles Lakers sitting atop the Western Conference under his leadership, the recognition felt inevitable.
Even LeBron James, who finished fourth in voting that year, knew there was no one more deserving.
"I've said since two, three years ago that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league," James said before the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2008 playoffs. "He's been the best player the last five, six years. I'm glad he won it. His team had a great year, finishing first in the West."
Team accomplishment
It's not only James who thought Bryant becoming the league MVP was a long time coming. Kobe's head coach, Phil Jackson, echoed the same sentiment.
"I don't know anybody that has ever deserved this more," The Zen Master stated after the NBA announced the award.
However, as much as James and Jackson thought Bryant was the best in the Association, that doesn't guarantee anything as far as championships go. How the team does in the regular season matters; without it, even a guy averaging 50 points wouldn't be in the conversation.
"This is a team award. This is not an individual award. The special thing about this award is that we did it together. I couldn't have done it without them," Bryant said.
In 2008, Kob' had the most help from a team perspective in years. After the Purple and Gold traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat, they were forced to start Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, Jumaine Jones and Chris Mihm at various points.
Then, Derek Fisher returned in 2006, Andrew Bynum came into his own, Pau Gasol fell into their lap and Bryant finally found a decent squad. As brilliant as Kobe was on his own, the Lakers still missed the playoffs once and suffered two first-round exits during that stretch.
Even though 2008 ended in disappointing fashion, it started a string of three straight Finals appearances for Los Angeles. They won in 2009 versus the Orlando Magic and got their revenge against the Boston Celtics in 2010, while Black Mamba won Finals MVP on both occasions.Why did Kobe only have one MVP?
Bryant jokingly blamed the media for having only one MVP despite being considered the best player in the league for a good chunk of the 2000s. It was said in jest, but it also carried weight.
Media people who had votes to decide the award often favored players who were easier to deal with — the ones who smiled during interviews, played nice with reporters and gave them good copy. That was never Bryant's game.
He wasn't chasing headlines or handshakes. His intensity, while magnetic on the court, could be standoffish off it. In a league where likability often swayed MVP narratives, Kobe didn't always fit the mold. And for years, it may have cost him.
Nonetheless, Bryant did a 180 in that department in 2008, as evidenced by his gesture during the award acceptance. He called the rest of his teammates with him in the center court and high-fived every single one of them.
"I couldn't have won this award without the play of my teammates… This is one of the awards that I couldn't have won on my own. This gets done because we all do it as a unit," a smiling Bryant acknowledged in a press conference.
"I can't thank these guys enough. These are my guys, are my brothers and WE have won MVP," added Kobe.
For a player once defined by isolation — both in playing style and public perception — Kobe's lone MVP became a symbol of something bigger. It wasn't just recognition of his brilliance, but of the rare season where performance, team success and narrative finally aligned.
And when it did, he made sure the spotlight wasn't solely pointed at him.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
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