NBA History: 5 Most loyal players of all time

#2 Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (1996 to 2016)

Kobe Bryant with his family

Kobe Bryant entered the NBA directly after high school and was the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. Kobe played at the shooting guard position, and he is the only guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons.

Kobe was initially drafted up by the Charlotte Hornets, who traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. His playing style drew comparisons to Michael Jordan, and he was often compared to the latter. Bryant holds a plethora of records and is known as the greatest player of his generation. He is the Lakers' all-time leading scorer.

The Black Mamba led the Lakers to five NBA titles and won the Finals MVP two times. He was voted the 2008 NBA MVP and was named NBA All-Star 18 times (ranks second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 19).

In his last NBA game against Utah Jazz, Bryant scored 60 points and became the oldest player to score 60 or more points in a game at 37 years old. Kobe finished his career averaging 25 points. 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Both of his jersey numbers 8 and 24 were retired by the Lakers.