Report: Bryant to win first MVP

May 3, 2008 - 5:19 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Long considered the NBA's most talented player, Kobe Bryant now will be recognized as its Most Valuable Player.

The superstar guard of the Los Angeles Lakers will win his first league MVP, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times on Friday night.

Commissioner David Stern will be in Los Angeles next week to present the trophy to Bryant, the report said. The Times cited anonymous sources familiar with the outcome who "were not authorized to speak publicly about the award until the official announcement."

The MVP race was one of the most hotly contested in recent memory as Bryant, New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James all were considered legitimate contenders.

It has been a whirlwind season for Bryant, who littered the offseason with on-again, off-again trade demands. He had a reported rift with Lakers' management, which he accused of not doing its best to improve the team.

Los Angeles, which had not gotten out of the first round of the playoffs in three seasons, appeased Bryant by acquiring former All-Star center Pau Gasol in coupe from the Memphis Grizzlies on February 1.

The trade accompanied the development of the Lakers' young supporting cast. Center Andrew Bynum, who reportedly will not be back this postseason after a knee injury, had been one of the most improved players in the league prior to his injury.

As a result, the addition of Gasol and the development of his teammates was the perfect recipe for a standout season for the 29-year-old Bryant, who has been considered the best player in the league for several seasons.

But he finally let his full all-around game flourish this campaign, averaging 28.3 points - second in the league - 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists. While his stats fell a bit, he became a willing passer and a good teammate.

Labeled as a selfish player, Bryant apparently has turned his mindset around.

"MVP nowadays is not an individual award," he said last month to the Times. "You really have to make your teammates better and elevate your ballclub. For me to be nominated in that race is a tremendous honor because that's really been one of the criticisms that people have had of me, is how well do I make my teammates better. From that standpoint, I feel like I've already won."

In reality, Bryant has been a winner since he entered the league, winning three championships with the Lakers alongside legendary center Shaquille O'Neal earlier in the decade.

But predictably, that marriage was broken because of a personal rift between the two, causing many detractors to doubt Bryant's ability to lead a team on his own.

Already a two-time scoring champion and perennial All-Star, Bryant will receive the final jewel in an already impressive career. He also continued a long legacy of individual success for the Lakers, who have seen three others take home the hardware.

O'Neal won in 2000, Magic Johnson won three times, the last in 1990, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also won three times as a Laker, the last time in 1980. But it wasn't easy to join that elite company.

Paul revitalized basketball in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, helping the surprising Hornets snag the No. 2 seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Garnett helped engineer the biggest turnaround in the history of the NBA with the Celtics, and the 23-year-old James led the league in scoring.

All four are still alive in the playoffs. Bryant's top-seeded Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the opening round.