Kobe Bryant reportedly will receive the most valuable player award on Tuesday. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant reportedly will be named the NBA's most valuable player on Tuesday.
Bryant, 29, would be the fourth member of the Lakers so honoured, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin (Magic) Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal.
"It is a great honour," said Bryant, who finished third in 2002-03 and 2006-07 in voting by league writers and broadcasters.
"I'm very thankful for it. I didn't know if it was going to come or it was going to happen in my career.
"But to have that moment come now is special, especially to share it with the group of guys we have here. It is nice.
"We talked about [how] winning this MVP is extremely special because that means I'm doing good. I'm making my teammates better, putting them in a position to win."
Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 38.9 minutes in 82 starts this season, his 12th in the NBA.
He averaged a whopping 33.5 points as the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, and scored 38 points in Sunday's 109-98 victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal.
"I just do whatever we have to do to win," he said.
Bryant has averaged 25.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 36.5 minutes in 866 NBA games (718 starts), all with the Lakers.
He and O'Neal combined to lead Los Angeles to back-to-back-to-back league titles from 2000 to 2002.
With files from the Associated Press
