The top 5 seasons of Kobe Bryant's Career

Kobe BryantLegendary Laker Kobe Bryant recently announced that 2015 will be his last season in the NBA, and his Hall of Fame worthy career will finally come to its conclusion.He is one of the best players to ever have played the game, being an All-Star 17 times in his 19-year career. The second-generation basketball player has been playing in the NBA since he was 18 and has been one of the fiercest competitors that the game has ever seen.A loyal Laker all his life, Kobe has been a source of inspiration to ballers around the world. They say “In the end, you start thinking about the beginning” and the same happens when you think about Kobe’s career.A young man with incredible talent and a need to win manned up against the best that the world had to offer and broke numerous records while defining the game as he went along. As a flashback to Kobe Bryant’s extraordinary career, we count down to the top 5 seasons of his career.

#5 2012-13

Kobe Bryant playing through his torn Achilles in his final moments of the 2012-13 season

This was perhaps Kobe’s last season where he played like the Kobe Bryant of old. He averaged 27.3 PPG along with 6 assists and 5.6 boards. Kobe was exceptional and went against all odds to get his Lakers the 8th seed in the playoffs.

In the deciding game of the playoff race against the Warriors, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season. That game was one of the most inspiring sights to see as Kobe played as much as he could through injury; getting bashed multiple times in the game.

He received a standing ovation from the whole arena as he made his final two free throws with a torn Achilles. It was one of the finest seasons of his career as he reached 40 points 8 times during the season, and eleven times he had 10+ assists; highlighting his role as the distributor.

He was also briefly nicknamed ‘Magic Mamba’ after the passing skills of Magic Johnson.

Here are his top 10 plays that season:

#4 2007-08

Kobe Bryant winning his first MVP trophy

The numbers fail to tell the story behind the 2007-08 season that Kobe Bryant played for the Lakers. He averaged 28.3 PPG, 5.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds; standard Kobe numbers. However, Kobe was a true captain on the court making his supporting cast better with every consecutive game. He played most of the season with an injury to his shooting hand’s little finger.

This was the year when Kobe won his first Most Valuable Player award. Come playoff time, Bryant led the Lakers to his 5th NBA Finals and this was the first time he did so without Shaquille O’Neal by his side.

Here are his top 10 plays that season:

#3 1997-98

Bryant as a young kid, showing the NBA what’s going to be in store for them in the upcoming years

In his second year in the NBA, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to ever become a starter in an All-Star game. The team had three of his teammates (Shaquille O’Neal, Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones), making it the first time since 1983 that four teammates were selected to play in the same All-Star game. This season forced him to put Big-boy pants on because he had to man up against the best in the league.

He doubled up his point average from 7.6 PPG in his rookie season to 15.4 PPG. Even though he finished second in the sixth Man of the Year race, Kobe’s points per game average was the highest of any non-starter in the season. Getting a better feel of the game, he also doubled up his assists to 2.5 per game; as compared to 1.3 in his rookie year.

Here are his top 10 plays that season:

#2 2002-03

Air Jordan being picked up by Kobe in his dominating game against the Wizards

After finishing a 3-peat and establishing themselves as the best team in the league, Kobe went on to set the NBA record for the most three pointers made in a game with 12 against the Seattle Supersonics. The record hasn’t been broken yet but we can be sure it’s on Stephen Curry’s bucket list. Averaging 6.9 Rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.2 steals, Bryant established himself as the Lakers’ best player; above Shaquille O’Neal.

A highlight of the season came against the Wizards, wherein Kobe exploded for 42 points in the first half against Michael Jordan in the first half. He got the dominating win against Jordan’s Wizards, establishing himself as the heir the Jordan’s era in the NBA.

Here are his top 10 plays that season:

#1 2005-06

Kobe Bryant, dominating wearing #8 the last time

In Kobe’s finest individual season, he averaged a career high 35.4 PPG. With Phil Jackson returning to coach the Lakers, Bryant achieved extraordinary feats this season. In December 2005 against the Dallas Mavericks, he scored 62 points in the first three quarters of the game. He outscored the entire Dallas team 61-62 entering the fourth quarter. He is the only person to have done this since the introduction of the shot clock.

Talk about dominance! Kobe then went on to have his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in January, making the second highest score in a single game only superseded by the great Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game in 1962. At the end of this historic season, Kobe made his request to change from 8 to 24. Clearly the biggest milestone of a season in Bryant’s legendary career.

Here are his top 10 plays that season: