Kobe Bryant finally has the hardware to validate his status as the world's best basketball player.
When Shaquille O'Neal branded Bryant "the best player in the game" back in the 2001 playoffs, it has only been spoken but never printed that Kobe is the most valuable player in the league. Now, it's official. When the King, David Stern, handed Bryant the Maurice Podoloff trophy Wednesday night before the Lakers dismantled the Jazz in Game 2, the moment felt more like an overdue coronation. The MVP trophy finally landed in the capable hands of the best player in the game rather than the best team player.