Los Angeles Lakers: Remembering Kobe Bryant’s lone MVP award

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had plenty of memorable seasons on his career rap sheet, but his 2007-08 MVP season could be arguably his best when you consider the totality of the circumstances. While he gave up some scoring in the wake of the acquisition of Pau Gasol and the development of Lamar Odom, Kobe drove LA to another Western Conference title.

Bryant, who had won two scoring titles in the last two seasons, had found his usual playoff success hard to come by without Shaquille O’Neal in the lineup. While the Boston Celtics and their Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen took home the ring, Bryant was electric in that season.

On this day 13 years ago, Bryant was officially awarded his MVP, putting a button on a season for ages that proved even though he didn’t win a championship that year, the Lakers would be in very good, capable hands with Kobe as the main offensive force.

Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. Kobe helped the lakers win 57 games that season, getting them to their first Finals since Shaq and Kobe were taken down by the Detroit Pistons in 2004. In a career filled with so many highs, this season was without a doubt near the top.

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Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant was unstoppable in 2007-08.

Bryant took home the award over Chris Paul, who finished in second in the voting at age 22 after his tremendous season with the then-New Orleans Hornets. Garnett was right behind the pair of them in third place, while a 23-year-old LeBron James overcame dysfunction in Cleveland to take home fourth place.

Bryant was robbed of two MVPs before this season. Steve Nash is a Hall of Fame lock and one of the greatest point guards who ever breathed, but Kobe won two scoring titles, including averaging 35.4 points per game at a time when crossing 30 was seen as almost uncharted territory. Still, Bryant managed to get at least one in his legendary career.

Kobe wasn’t dominating the ball as much in this season, as Gasol, Odom, and Andrew Bynum all required touches. Even with all those obstacles, it was Bryant who ended up beating out his piers and add another piece of metal to his trophy case.

Kobe might’ve only had one MVP in his career, but he could’ve easily had three if the voters had actually looked at the numbers and correctly interpreted them. Still, this season was arguably his finest to date, and to show off everything that made the Black Mamba such a feared presence for the decade before that year.