Los Angeles Lakers: Building the all-time Kobe Bryant teammate team

By Jason Reed | May 20, 2020

Shaquille O'Neal (L) and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the 1st quarter of game two of the NBA Finals against the New Jersey Nets 07 June 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. AFP PHOTO/Lucy NICHOLSON (Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images) /

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(Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Kobe Bryant’s best shooting guard teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers: Eddie Jones (1996-97)

The shooting guard position seemingly would be a tough one as Bryant played the two-guard for his entire career, not giving much leeway for a solid player unless we picked someone who came off the bench.

However, in his earliest seasons in the league, the Los Angeles Lakers had an all-star shooting guard that helped the Lakers overachieve prior to their threepeat and Bryant really coming into his own. That all-star two-guard was none other than Eddie Jones.

Jones was an integral part not only of the Lakers’ success in this time but was big in helping teach Kobe the ropes to adapt to the NBA. He spent two and a half seasons with the Lakers serving not just as the second-best player on the team but as one of Kobe’s most important mentors.

Jones’ best season with the team was Bryant’s rookie season. This was before Kobe started to get a big share of the minutes and Jones averaged 17.2 points, 2.4 steals, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Jones was also an all-star the following season, alongside Bryant, and had better shooting numbers, but the 1996-97 season had better overall numbers.

Jones was traded during the 1998-99 season to the Charlotte Hornets, effectively paving the way for Bryant to take over in the backcourt.

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