Official: KOBE BRYANT IS 2008 NBA MVP

[Tacker]

The Lakers season started off with a bit of uncertainty. Kobe Bryant said during the summer he wanted to be traded and publicly voiced his displeasure about team's direction. Here he is surrounded by the press during the annual Media Day in El Segundo.
Email Picture
Stern will make the official presentation to Lakers star next week.
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 3, 2008
It took 12 seasons, but Kobe Bryant has finally been selected the NBA's most valuable player, The Times has learned.

Sources familiar with the outcome who were not authorized to speak publicly about the award until the official announcement from the league said Commissioner David Stern will be in Los Angeles next week to present the trophy to Bryant.

The award, selected by NBA writers and broadcasters, figured to go to either Bryant or New Orleans guard Chris Paul, who guided the Hornets to second place in the Western Conference in the regular season.

Bryant's season capped a massive turnaround from a tumultuous off-season in which he asked to be traded.

The Lakers went from shaky preseason forecasts to winning the top spot in the West, finishing 57-25 in one of the most grueling regular-season races in league history. The Lakers then swept Denver in the first round of the playoffs, with Bryant averaging 33.5 points a game in the series, although the votes had already been cast by then.

Bryant, 29, lost a little in the scoring column during the regular season, falling from 31.6 points a game last season to 28.3 during the 2007-08 season, but his defense was notably better and he averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists, numbers that were tied for the second- and fourth-best outputs of his career.

He also deferred to teammates much more than in the last few seasons and rarely forced his will on games, a trait that saddled him in the past.

Despite his explosive on-court ability, Bryant never engendered much MVP support until this season. He was third in the voting last season, fourth two seasons ago, and did not receive a vote three years ago when the Lakers failed to make the playoffs.

He was fifth when the Lakers last advanced to the NBA Finals, in 2003-04.

As the 2007-08 regular season wound down, Bryant spoke about the MVP award.

"MVP nowadays is not an individual award," he said last month. "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."

The Lakers usually let the fortunes of their players rest on their own achievements, but the team took the added step of creating a Bryant-for-MVP campaign by sending material to NBA writers around the league.

The concept mimicked an old-style political election campaign and consisted of bumper stickers, campaign buttons, red suspenders and a letter from "campaign manager" Jerry Buss, who urged writers to vote for Bryant.

It might have lent a helping hand, although Bryant's season-long play ultimately had the final say.

Bryant is the fourth Laker to win the MVP award. Shaquille O'Neal won in 2000, Magic Johnson won three times, the last in 1990, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP three times as a Laker, the last time in 1980.

[duncan228]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93939

[angel_luv]

Seriously?

I wanted Chris Paul to win it.

[Tacker]

Finally the media got it right!

The best player in the game for the past 5 years is finally the MVP!

Kobe won the MVP by a landslide!

Here are some MVP voters to give you a clue!

Full ballots listed:
Brian Hanley - (1) CP3, (2) Kobe, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Amare
Mike Wells - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Ira Winderman - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Peter May - (1) KG, (2) CP3, (3) Kobe, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Chris Broussard - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Chris Sheridan - (1) KG, (2) Kobe, (3) CP3, (4) Dwight Howard, (5) LBJ
Rick Bonnell - (1) CP3, (2) Kobe, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard (tentative as of 3/30)
Chris Tomasson - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Ken Berger - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Ross Siler - (1) Kobe, (2) LBJ, (3) CP3, (4) KG, (5) Deron Williams
Fran Blinebury - (1) Kobe, (2), CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Brian Windhorst - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Michael Wilbon - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4)T-Mac, (5) LBJ, (6) Amare
Sam Amick - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Gary Washburn - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) Melo, (5) Amare
Lang Whitaker - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Tim Duncan
Ric Bucher - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) Tim Duncan, (5) KG (tentative, as of 4/1)
Marc Stein - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Jan Hubbard - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Tim Duncan
Chris McCosky - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Amare
David Moore - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Amare
Jack McCallum - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Amare
Marty Burns - (1) KG, (2) Kobe, (3) CP3, (4) LBJ, (5) Tim Duncan
Ian Thomsen - (1) Kobe, (2) KG, (3) CP3, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Sam Smith - (1) Kobe, (2) KG, (3) CP3, (4) Steve Nash, (5) LBJ
Kevin Ding - (1) Kobe, (2) LBJ, (3) CP3, (4) KG, (5) Dirk


Kobe got 20 first place votes!
Garnett got only 3 first place votes
Paul go only 2 first place votes

[honestfool84]

Finally the media got it right!

The best player in the game for the past 5 years is finally the MVP!

Kobe won the MVP by a landslide!

Here are some MVP voters to give you a clue!

Full ballots listed:
Brian Hanley - (1) CP3, (2) Kobe, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Amare
Mike Wells - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Ira Winderman - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Peter May - (1) KG, (2) CP3, (3) Kobe, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Chris Broussard - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Chris Sheridan - (1) KG, (2) Kobe, (3) CP3, (4) Dwight Howard, (5) LBJ
Rick Bonnell - (1) CP3, (2) Kobe, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard (tentative as of 3/30)
Chris Tomasson - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Ken Berger - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Ross Siler - (1) Kobe, (2) LBJ, (3) CP3, (4) KG, (5) Deron Williams
Fran Blinebury - (1) Kobe, (2), CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Brian Windhorst - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Dwight Howard
Michael Wilbon - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4)T-Mac, (5) LBJ, (6) Amare
Sam Amick - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Gary Washburn - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) Melo, (5) Amare
Lang Whitaker - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Tim Duncan
Ric Bucher - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) Tim Duncan, (5) KG (tentative, as of 4/1)
Marc Stein - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Manu
Jan Hubbard - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Tim Duncan
Chris McCosky - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Amare
David Moore - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) KG, (4) LBJ, (5) Amare
Jack McCallum - (1) Kobe, (2) CP3, (3) LBJ, (4) KG, (5) Amare
Marty Burns - (1) KG, (2) Kobe, (3) CP3, (4) LBJ, (5) Tim Duncan
Ian Thomsen - (1) Kobe, (2) KG, (3) CP3, (4) LBJ, (5) Dwight Howard
Sam Smith - (1) Kobe, (2) KG, (3) CP3, (4) Steve Nash, (5) LBJ
Kevin Ding - (1) Kobe, (2) LBJ, (3) CP3, (4) KG, (5) Dirk


Kobe got 20 first place votes!
Garnett got only 3 first place votes
Paul go only 2 first place votes


you're such a troll, its too sickening

[Tacker]

die fucker die

[BonnerDynasty]

I like pancakes.

[K-State Spur]

throwing your entire team under bus to start off the season = MVP.

[Tacker]

throwing your entire team under bus to start off the season = MVP.

rage?

[SpursFanFirst]

:vomit:

[Borosai]

At least he'll get one trophy this year.

[Sexy Stud 28]

Seriously?

I wanted Chris Paul to win it.


I though Chris Paul deserved it way more!!!

[Cherry]

Finally the media got it right!

:lol

[Allanon]

If CP3 wanted to be #1, he should have gotten #1 in the West.

[kingmalaki]

Finally the media got it right!

The best player in the game for the past 5 years is finally the MVP!


I thought Tim Duncan already had two MVP's? :wakeup

[Nahtanoj]

Congratulations Kobe Bryant, very deserving..

On another note, the fact that Kevin Garnett have a DPOY Award and Tim Duncan having none is SICKENING. Almost as sickening as Kobe not having an MVP Award before this year.

[Allanon]

Congratulations Kobe Bryant, very deserving..

On another note, the fact that Kevin Garnett have a DPOY Award and Tim Duncan having none is SICKENING. Almost as sickening as Kobe not having an MVP Award before this year.

I agree.:toast

[JackArse]

didn't they only get to being a really good team once gasol got there?

[xtremesteven33]

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD....nothing else...the NBA is rigged on these matters.

first off, Lebron had way better stats....Garnett had a way better record....and Chris Paul is the best player right now. Kobe is an AMAZING player but the sportswriters voted for him as a lifetime award. all these mainstream shows on ESPN all wanted him to recieve it. like if he doesnt win it this award wont mean anything. Chris Paul or Lebron James deserves it. they just knew this was one of his last years to win it....stupid sportswriters....

[TheMACHINE]

didn't they only get to being a really good team once gasol got there?

LOL...ur a suns fan right? How many times did they beat you without Gasol? That should answer your question.

[TheMACHINE]

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD....nothing else...the NBA is rigged on these matters.

first off, Lebron had way better stats....Garnett had a way better record....and Chris Paul is the best player right now. Kobe is an AMAZING player but the sportswriters voted for him as a lifetime award. all these mainstream shows on ESPN all wanted him to recieve it. like if he doesnt win it this award wont mean anything. Chris Paul or Lebron James deserves it. they just knew this was one of his last years to win it....stupid sportswriters....

Lebron - Better stats, Crappy record

Garnett - #1 record...in the EAST with 2 other all stars.

CP3 - well deserved imo...tie breaker was the record.

[DazedAndConfused]

didn't they only get to being a really good team once gasol got there?

The Lakers were #1 in the WC before Pau got to LA.

[xtremesteven33]

LOL...ur a suns fan right? How many times did they beat you without Gasol? That should answer your question.



wow you must feel very haughty now being a lakers fan when the media praises an adulterer who stole an award from more deserving talent this year.
EVERY freakin day i hear JIM ROME just kissing Kobes butt for every thing he does....I HATE ESPN....Los Angeles fans should feel proud that sportswritters GAVE this award to kobe....he didnt deserve it....

[JackArse]

LOL...ur a suns fan right? How many times did they beat you without Gasol? That should answer your question.

i'm not saying anything about him playing the suns. yep, they beat us, so did many other teams. but in general, the team wasn't performing nearly as well before gasol as after.

[TheMACHINE]

i'm not saying anything about him playing the suns. yep, they beat us, so did many other teams. but in general, the team wasn't performing nearly as well before gasol as after.

LOL..yah they were only like #1 seed when Bynum got injured. :rolleyes

[xtremesteven33]

Lebron - Better stats, Crappy record

Garnett - #1 record...in the EAST with 2 other all stars.

CP3 - well deserved imo...tie breaker was the record.



i agree with Larry Bird that the player with the best stats on a 500. team should win MVP...and that my friend would be LEBRON JAMES. Lebron just OWNED Kobe everytime they played this year. The media GAVE IT TO HIM cause they knew this was his best chance and not the more deserving player.....

[TheMACHINE]

wow you must feel very haughty now being a lakers fan when the media praises an adulterer who stole an award from more deserving talent this year.
EVERY freakin day i hear JIM ROME just kissing Kobes butt for every thing he does....I HATE ESPN....Los Angeles fans should feel proud that sportswritters GAVE this award to kobe....he didnt deserve it....


ok..thanks to all the sportswriters for praising an adulterer...woot! :rollin

[Allanon]

Yup, Bynum and the Lakers were possibly a better team than Gasol + Lakers. More defense in the middle. But Gasol gives more offensive variety. So it's a toss-up.

And if you guys realize it took THIS long for the media to give Kobe an MVP, you can also see that the media has hated Kobe for the longest time. But they had no choice, they ran out of excuses and had to give it to #1 in the West, the season record was the tie-breaker for CP3 and he failed...especially that late season Laker vs Hornet game. If CP3 had won that game, he'd be holding the MVP...but he didn't. Better luck next year.

Mamba deserved it, he got it.

[TheNextGen]

i agree with Larry Bird that the player with the best stats on a 500. team should win MVP...and that my friend would be LEBRON JAMES. Lebron just OWNED Kobe everytime they played this year. The media GAVE IT TO HIM cause they knew this was his best chance and not the more deserving player.....


wow weak arguement...lebron won heads up against Kobe..give it to Lebron..:rolleyes

[Allanon]

League MVP, Finals MVP and Ring all in the same year, that would be quite a nice year for Laker Employee #24 :D

[xtremesteven33]

wow weak arguement...lebron won heads up against Kobe..give it to Lebron..:rolleyes



how is that a weak arguement?

ur the weak one who buys into all this hype crap about kobe deserving MVP. hes an AMAZING player who got outdone AGAIN by better overall performances this year by LEBRON JAMES and CHRIS PAUL....bottom line.

[Allanon]

^^ http://operachic.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/haterade.jpg

[TheNextGen]

how is that a weak arguement?

ur the weak one who buys into all this hype crap about kobe deserving MVP. hes an AMAZING player who got outdone AGAIN by better overall performances this year by LEBRON JAMES and CHRIS PAUL....bottom line.

Hmmm weak, because you would give it to Lebron for having the best stats OR you would give it to CP3 because of god knows what...but you wont give it to the guy who has the second best stats with the best record. Everyone and thier mom thinks Kobe deserves it, but you and 2 people per sports forum think he doesnt. How does it fell to be in the 0.5%?

[TheMACHINE]

how is that a weak arguement?

ur the weak one who buys into all this hype crap about kobe deserving MVP. hes an AMAZING player who got outdone AGAIN by better overall performances this year by LEBRON JAMES and CHRIS PAUL....bottom line.

Lol ...better overall performance..yet 4th in the EAST. HILARIOUS. I REPEAT 4th in the east....

By the way. Based on your argument, Kobe should have won it the last two years.

[Banzai]

wow you must feel very haughty now being a lakers fan when the media praises an adulterer who stole an award from more deserving talent this year.
EVERY freakin day i hear JIM ROME just kissing Kobes butt for every thing he does....I HATE ESPN....Los Angeles fans should feel proud that sportswritters GAVE this award to kobe....he didnt deserve it....
lets move on:toast

[21_Blessings]

Kobe deserved the MVP. He'll win another one next season as well.

[Deuces88]

Duncan has and will always be better than Kobe. Unfortunately, MVP is chosen by season performance and Duncan doesn't need to even wake up during the season. It's guaranteed the Spurs will make the playoffs and Duncan plays his best there.

Either way, Chris Paul was robbed. I'm pretty sure the people who made this decision only considered that the Lakers did better this season. What they didn't analyze is because the Lakers have a better team this season. Hornets run through Chris Paul. If Paul does bad, they do bad. If Paul does good, they do good and he lead them to only 1 game behind the Lakers. You figure out the rest.

No point in arguing with Lakers fanboys though. They've been riding Kobe's cock ever since he came in the NBA, even when he's was shooting airballs, so you're not going to convince them even with facts.

[Allanon]

Duncan has and will always be better than Kobe. Unfortunately, MVP is chosen by season performance and Duncan doesn't need to even wake up during the season. It's guaranteed the Spurs will make the playoffs and Duncan plays his best there.

Either way, Chris Paul was robbed. I'm pretty sure the people who made this decision only considered that the Lakers did better this season. What they didn't analyze is because the Lakers have a better team this season. Hornets run through Chris Paul. If Paul does bad, they do bad. If Paul does good, they do good and he lead them to only 1 game behind the Lakers. You figure out the rest.

No point in arguing with Lakers fanboys though. They've been riding Kobe's cock ever since he came in the NBA, even when he's was shooting airballs, so you're not going to convince them even with facts.

Sure thing, Peja, David West and Chandler are just sucky players and would be nothing without CP3. :lmao

[TDMVPDPOY]

pity award hahahaha fok that kent

[Tacker]

Sure thing, Peja, David West and Chandler are just sucky players and would be nothing without CP3. :lmao

lakers wouldn't have been where they are without Kobe as well.

[J Zone]

lmao@ all the hate in this thread

fucking pathetic

[1Parker1]

I don't think there was any doubt they were going to give the Lifetime acheiv..oops I mean MVP award to Kobe this season. :lol

[LakeShow]

League MVP, Finals MVP and Ring all in the same year, that would be quite a nice year for Laker Employee #24 :D

:toast Sounds good to me!

Congrats KB24, well deserved! You're the man!

[PistonsDynasty]

Chris Paul was robbed of the MVP.

Everyone knows even the kobe nuthuggers knows that Kobe was given the MVP out of "Sympathy"

Sympathy MVP

[Jimcs50]

:elephant


Well deserved.

[CP3 Dynasty]

Kobe needed the emergence of Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and an already proven all star in Pao Gasol to win games.

Me? I MADE an all star out of David West, helped my boy Tyson fool everyone into thinking he's playing like an actual NBA player, and rejuvenated Peja's career.

I'm the real MVP

[Tacker]

Kobe needed the emergence of Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and an already proven all star in Pao Gasol to win games.

Me? I MADE an all star out of David West, helped my boy Tyson fool everyone into thinking he's playing like an actual NBA player, and rejuvenated Peja's career.

I'm the real MVP

Fuck off imposter.

[Allanon]

Kobe needed the emergence of Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and an already proven all star in Pao Gasol to win games.

Me? I MADE an all star out of David West, helped my boy Tyson fool everyone into thinking he's playing like an actual NBA player, and rejuvenated Peja's career.

I'm the real MVP

What? Kobe is supposed to win 1 on 5?

You don't even know your own starters:

David West was runner up for Most Improved Player in 2005, he's averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for the LAST 3 YEARS

Tyson Chandler was a #2 draft pick and last year he had 9.5 ppg and 12.4 rpg to go with 1.8 bpg

Peja's points per game this year are the lowest in the last 9 years. Peja has been the best 3 point shooter of this decade.

Don't try to take all the credit CP3, you have a very talented starting 4.

[TheMACHINE]

Kobe needed the emergence of Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and an already proven all star in Pao Gasol to win games.

Me? I MADE an all star out of David West, helped my boy Tyson fool everyone into thinking he's playing like an actual NBA player, and rejuvenated Peja's career.

I'm the real MVP

I guess you forgot that Bynum didnt play even half the year. How many games did your starting 5 play together?