My favorite basketball player is Kobe Bryant. He signed up for the draft immediatley after graduating high-school. He was hoping to be drafted by the Lakers. Instead, he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. He was traded to LA almost right away. He won the dunk competition his rookie year. He signed a shoe deal with Adidas in 1996, before he was even drafted. A couple seasons later, Kobe was a starter. By 2003, Kobe had three championship rings. In 2008, the Lakers found themselves in the finals once again. They lost to the Celtics, reviving a rivalry from the days of Magic Johnson. The next season, LA was back in the championship. They defeated the Orlando Magic, and Kobe went home with with four championship wins under his belt. In the 2009-2010 season, the Lakers found themselves in the Finals for the third year in a row. They were facing an old enemy, the Boston Celtics. The series went all the way to game seven, the Lakers taking home the title. The next two seasons were dissapointing for LA, with no Finals appearances. Over the off-season going into the 2012-2013 seasons, LA had a complete overhaul. They shipped off Andrew Bynum, the seven foot center drafted straight out of high-school, for Dwight Howard, arguably the best center in the league. Then LA got a good deal for Steve Nash, one of the best point guards in the league and future Hall of Famer. This deal makes them championship contenders, and the favored team in the Western Conference. Kobe Bryant was very excited about the deal, happy to know that when he retires, the team will be in good hands. Kobe Bryant has had several All-Star game appearances, five championship rings, a few MVP awards, a couple Olympic medals, and countless other achievements.