Kobe Bryant would win 5 Championship Rings in his career. His third ring would come in 2002 for his Los Angeles Lakers. The ring in 2002 helped Kobe and his Los Angeles Lakers join a rare group of teams that were able to accomplish the coveted Three Peat.
Draft
Kobe Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. Kobe entered the draft straight out of high school. His youth is probably why he went so low in the draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers right after being drafted by Charlotte.
Shaq
After four seasons playing for the Magic, Shaquille O’Neal decided to leave Orlando and join the Los Angeles Lakers. With the Lakers, Shaquille would reach new heights as a player and personality. O’Neal’s best years in the league were while wearing the Purple and Gold. Shaq would win three championships in LA, along with three Final’s MVPs. For his entire career in LA, Shaq and Kobe were teammates.
Phil
The Los Angeles Lakers named Phil Jackson their head coach in 1999. Phil Jackson was coming off his tenure coaching the Chicago Bulls, which resulted in 6 Rings. Jackson was able to nurture Bryant’s game and help take it to another level—the same way he did with Michael Jordan when he coached the Chicago Bulls. Kobe and Shaq were able to co-exist long enough to earn three rings together and accomplish the rare three-peat.
2002
The biggest challenge the Lakers might have faced in their quest for three straight championships was their Western Conference Finals matchup with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings were a young and talented team. Led by Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojaković and Vlade Divac. The Kings pushed the Lakers to a 7 Game series. There were games, and moments, where it looked like the Sacramento Kings would end LA’s strak. However, the combo of Shaq and Kobe proved to be too much. They also got a lot of help from the supporting cast, names like Derek Fisher and Robert Horry. The NBA Finals, where the Lakers would face off against the New Jersey Nets, proved to be a cakewalk for LA compared to the battle they faced against Sacramento. They would sweep the Nets in 4 and accomplish a historic Three Peat. Sadly, this would be the Final Championship Shaq & Kobe would win together as teammates.
- Adam C. Better
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