Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for the Hoopdoctors, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven.
We here at The Hoop Doctors are big fans of Kobe Bryant’s game. He is the total package, elite scorer, supreme defender, and proven winner. The NBA’s current overall best player in the game. Although he has nothing left to prove, his drive and desire to succeed is among the league’s best. In this new multi-part series we will take a look back at some hidden gems caught on video showcasing some of the “Black Mama’s” biggest and best moments in his HS and NBA career.
Part Three – The All Star Games
“The Black Mamba” in his career has proven himself to be a man among boys in the some of basketball’s biggest moments, and the annual midseason showcase of the league’s best players, called the All Star Game, is no different. While some players use the All Star Weekend as an opportunity to relax and cruise through the actual game, Kobe does the exact opposite by showing his skills and taking it to the NBA’s best players, in front of the millions of viewers watching across the globe. He has won the All Star Game MVP three times(’02,’07, and ’09) and has scored 20+ points in the game, 5 times. His averages of 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals are amazing considering the level of competition. Even in his 30’s, he shows no signs of slowing down and should challenge Bob Pettit’s record of 4 MVP’s, and with another 55 points, should pass Jordan’s record for career points at 262.
First All Star Game – 1998
Kobe’s scoring jumped from 7.6 ppg in his rookie season to 15.4 ppg in his second year as he was given more playing time, earning him an All-Star appearance. Mr Bryant proved that he could hang with the NBA elite on both sides of the ball in his first of 11 All Star Games. He became the youngest ever to be an All Star starter, scored 18 points, while grabbing 6 rebounds, and probably had the best dunk of the game, a 360 dunk off of a full court outlet pass from Shaq. At times, He seemed to revel in his defensive assignment to guard the game’s MVP, Michael Jordan.
First MVP Award – 2002
Before he won his third straight NBA title in ’02, Kobe made his 4th All Star Game appearance, winning his first of three All Star MVP’s by tallying 31 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He showed his excellent handle by constantly dribbling between the legs, seemed to enjoy embarrassing A.I. by constantly posting him up, and had numerous dunks off of passes from Chris Webber and Steve Nash. He even impressed some of his hometown crowd in Philly, who were loudly booing him because his Lakers beat the Sixers in the ’01 Finals, with an amazing left to right hand switch layup, a la MJ in the Finals, against the defending Jermaine O’Neal, who was then with the Pacers.
Second MVP Award – 2007
In the ’07 game, Bryant was “the man” as he regularly schooled Gilbert Arenas and Dwayne Wade while taking it to the hoop for an array of reverse dunks. He totaled 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals in leading his West squad to a 153-132 win, earning his 2nd MVP Award. Bryant was obviously the main catalyst in the West team’s scoring 153 points which were 2 shy of the All Star Game record of 155 set by the West in ’03.
