Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will leave behind one of the most impressive basketball legacies.
Bryant is the first guard to play 20 NBA seasons, and the first to play 20 seasons with one franchise. He'll be remembered at his peak as a great scorer, tenacious defender and a winner.
All-around excellence
Bryant won five NBA titles, is a 17-time All-Star (second-most selections, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 19) and an 11-time first-team All-NBA selection (tied with Karl Malone for most all-time).
He'll retire as the third-leading scorer in NBA history in terms of career points. Where he'll rank in points per game (currently 11th at 25.3) will depend on how he finishes this season.
Bryant was not shy to shoot. He ranks as the NBA's all-time leader in missed shots.
Defensive stopper
Bryant is a 12-time NBA all-defensive team selection (an award that dates to the 1968-69 season. The only player with more selections is Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs with 15.
Bryant is a nine-time first-team selection, matching Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett and Gary Payton for the most all-time.
Bryant currently ranks 14th all-time in steals with 1,894. He's averaging a steal per game, so reaching 2,000 might be a challenge. If he did it, he'd be the 12th player in NBA history to record 2,000 steals.
The rings
Bryant is tied for the most titles in Lakers history. The other players to win five since the team moved to Los Angeles from Minnesota are Derek Fisher, Michael Cooper, Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.
Kobe or Duncan?
Bryant came into the NBA a year ahead Duncan and the two were among the premier players of their era. Each won five NBA titles and was named to at least 15 All-NBA teams. Duncan has a slight edge in all-defensive selections (15-12) and regular season/NBA Finals MVP awards (5-3). Bryant has been named to two more All-Star teams (17-15).
