8 reasons why Kobe Bryant is the toughest player in NBA history

#2 2003-04 NBA season

Los Angeles Lakers v Los Angeles Clippers

The Lakers' 2003-04 season will be remembered for bringing 4 first-ballot Hall of Famers in Kobe, Shaq, Gary Payton and Karl Malone together in a botched attempt at regaining the championship from the Spurs. Much of their regular season campaign was, however, marred by Kobe's off-court troubles.

Kobe was undergoing the investigations of rape charges filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee in Denver, with the incident taking place in July 2003. The legal formalities that kicked off then carried over to the season itself, and he spent a lot of off-court time in shuttling between judicial hearings and Lakers games.

His relationship with wife Vanessa was understandably at an all-time low at that point, but the Mamba was still himself on the basketball court.