With the NBA season on indefinite hold, we'll take the month of April to celebrate the life and career of Kobe Bryant, who passed away earlier this year. Kobe Month continues with a look at the teammates who helped him win five championships between 2000 and 2010, from fellow Hall of Famers to past-their-prime All-Stars to young up-and-comers to career bench warmers. Here we rank all 31 of them, from worst to best.
Editor's notes: The list below considers every player that was on the playoff roster for one or more of Bryant's five Lakers championship teams (players that appeared in the regular season but not the postseason were ineligible; apologies to John Celestand, Sam Jacobson, Isaiah Rider, Mike Penberthy, Jelani McCoy, Joe Crispin, Chris Mihm, and Sun Yue). The players are ranked based on their careers as a whole, not just their time with Los Angeles.
31) D.J. Mbenga (2009, 2010)
Making it to the NBA at all was a pretty surreal accomplishment for Mbenga, let alone winning two championships. Born in war-torn Zaire in 1980, he escaped imprisonment as a teenager during the Second Congo War, fled with his brother and mother for Belgium, and took solace in basketball while living in a refugee camp. He had brief stints with the Mavericks and Warriors before joining the Lakers on a 10-day contract in 2008. Thanks to his toughness and work ethic, Mbenga hung around as a third-string center for three years in Los Angeles. He didn't play in the 2008 NBA Finals loss to Boston, but put in a few minutes of garbage time appearances in the 2009 and 2010 victories. He finished up his NBA career with the Hornets in '10-'11 before moving on to stints in China and the Philippines. Nicknamed "Congo Cash" by Bryant, Mbenga became close with the Lakers superstar during his time with the team. For Bryant's birthday in 2010, Mbenga dedicated a court to him that he had built in Kinshasa, the capital of his home country.
30) Adam Morrison (2010)
From college superstar to third overall pick to laughingstock in just three years, Morrison's career was upended by an ACL tear suffered in the summer after his rookie season. Though he was named 2nd-Team All-Rookie in '06-'07 for the Bobcats, it was obvious early on, even before the big injury, that he would struggle against the higher pressure defense in the NBA. Already a certified bust when the Lakers traded for him late in the '08-'09 season, Morrison was actually just a throw-in on the deal, with Los Angeles more interested in Shannon Brown. Morrison was inactive for the entire 2009 postseason but still earned a ring thanks to eight regular season appearances. He did hit the floor twice in the 2010 playoffs, both in garbage time of first round wins against the Thunder, leaving him as the only player in the modern era to win back-to-back titles without logging a single minute of NBA Finals playing time. Attempts to make the roster of the Wizards, Trail Blazers, Clippers, and Nets all failed the subsequent three years, forcing Morrison to retire officially in 2013 and return to finish his degree at Gonzaga.
29) Travis Knight (2000)
When Knight was traded to the Lakers in 1998, immediately after the lockout was lifted, it was a return to the team that gave him his first shot, and a reunion with his fellow Lakers class of '96 teammates Bryant and Derek Fisher. Drafted by the Bulls who subsequently cut him, he had a decent rookie season in Los Angeles and parlayed it into a huge contract with the rival Celtics. Boston then traded him back to L.A. after one year and thus he got to be part of a burgeoning dynasty after all. Never a high impact player, Knight was a key role player in '98-'99, even occasionally starting at power forward though usually backing up Shaquille O'Neal. His playing time and numbers dropped in '99-'00 but he did get a few cursory appearances in the NBA Finals victory over Indiana. Knight was then traded again that summer, this time to the Knicks, with whom he played for three seasons before retiring.
Bryant famously held to a meticulous pre-game routine of stretching, massaging, and rosin puffing, and, for a couple years, getting a hug and words of inspiration from Powell. Though his contributions on the court were minimal, Powell was a hard worker and a vocal leader and became crucial to the Lakers' success and good friends with Bryant as a result. After leaving N.C. State early to play professionally in Russia, Powell spent time with the Mavericks (with whom he played in the 2006 NBA Finals, as end-of-the-bench teammates with D.J. Mbenga), Pacers, Warriors, and Clippers. Not athletic enough to play small forward and not burly enough for power forward, he was never going to be a rotation regular, but he was part of the roster for the 2009 and 2010 postseasons that ended in Lakers titles. In addition to his time in Russia, Powell also played professionally at some point in Italy, China, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Greece, Philippines, Argentina, Venezuela, Australia, and South Korea.
27) Mark Madsen (2001, 2002)
Affectionately known as "Mad Dog" to teammates and fans for his hard-nosed style of play, Madsen's most enduring contribution to the Lakers arguably came during the 2001 title victory parade. Introduced by Chick Hearn as basically the team's errand boy, Madsen launched into a brief, impassioned, bi-lingual speech, then later put on a memorable dance performance during Shaquille O'Neal's rendition of "It Takes Two." His goofy persona belied a talented player, one whom O'Neal would often credit as one of the toughest practice opponents he ever faced. Drafted by the Lakers in the first round in 2000, Madsen played limited minutes on the '00-'01 and '01-'02 title teams, then almost helped upend his former teammates on the 2004 Conference Finals as a backup center with the Timberwolves. He ultimately averaged just 2.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in nine NBA seasons, but his infectious personality and dance moves will live on forever.
26) Stanislav Medvedenko (2002)
One thing Medvedenko certainly had in common with Bryant is that he never met a jump shot he didn't like. Unfortunately for the Ukranian, he was never nearly as prolific as his Hall of Fame teammate, nor did he possess enough other skills to truly thrive at the NBA level. He didn't make the postseason roster as a rookie in '00-'01 but shifted to a backup center role in '01-'02 after Greg Foster was traded. Though only 6'10", Medvedenko found steady minutes behind Shaquille O'Neal, even started a few games, and made seven postseason appearances, including two in the NBA Finals win over the Nets. He had a breakout season in '03-'04, filling as a starting power forward for long stretches when Karl Malone was waylaid, and quickly became a fan favorite for his shooting exploits. But injuries marked the remainder of his career, especially a herniated disc that required surgery and cost him most of the '05-'06 season.
25) Samaki Walker (2002)
Things didn't go exactly as planned in the NBA for Walker, who was a high school All-American in Columbus, Ohio, an NCAA star at Louisville, and the ninth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. At least he got to play for several of the greatest coaches in history, starting off under Don Nelson in Dallas, then later receiving the tutelage of Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, Phil Jackson in Los Angeles, and Rick Carlisle in Indiana. Due to various injuries and just bad luck, he became a career journeyman, averaging just 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 10 seasons. Walker reached the Lakers in 2001 as a free agent after the Spurs waived him and the '01-'02 was a career highlight as he started in 63 games at power forward, replacing the departed Horace Grant. When the rubber hit the road in the postseason, Walker lost that starting job to Robert Horry, though he still made appearances in all 19 playoff games as the Lakers won the championship. His most notable moment in Los Angeles actually happened on a bus, when he was reportedly punched in the face by Bryant over an alleged gambling debt.
24) Tyronn Lue (2001)
After Nick Van Exel supposedly mocked teammates after their early 1998 playoff exit, the Lakers moved quickly to trade their disgruntled star. He was shipped to the Nuggets on draft day for Tony Battie and the rights to Lue. It made some semblance of sense: Lue was a speedy, undersized combo guard who had racked up huge scoring numbers in college but didn't seem to possess any of Van Exel's brash baggage. Things didn't quite work that way for Lue, who found scant playing time in his three seasons in Los Angeles, especially in '99-'00 when he missed almost the entire season with a back injury. He did see significant minutes off the bench in the 2001 NBA Finals, asked to use his quick hands and feet to hamper Philly's Allen Iverson (which he did, to some extent, but it also put him on the wrong end of arguably the all-time greatest, non-dunk posterizing in NBA history). Lue put up bigger numbers in later stints with the Wizards and Hawks, and in '08-'09 ended his career on the Magic team that lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
23) Greg Foster (2001)
Used to losing in NBA Finals, as a member of the Utah Jazz in '96-'97 and '97-'98, Foster finally got a taste of championship winning in '00-'01 with the Lakers, but it was little thanks to him. He was about to turn 32 when the Lakers traded for him in September of 2000 along with Horace Grant, and at the tail end of a long career as a role player. While Foster saw decent playing time in every game of the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals against Chicago, even starting a few times, he did not take the court for the Lakers in 2001 Finals victory over the 76ers. In fact, he made just postseason appearance that year, logging a couple garbage time minutes during the first round sweep of Portland. The Lakers traded him that summer to the Bucks for Lindsey Hunter and he played out two more seasons as a backup center before retiring in 2003.
22) Sasha Vujacic (2009, 2010)
He played 10 seasons in the NBA, scored over 3,000 points, and won two championships, but Vujacic will forever be remembered first and foremost for two embarrassing moments. The first was unseen by the public but recounted by numerous people later, of a rookie Vujacic crying after receiving a hard elbow from Bryant in a 2004 practice, leading Kobe to call up Michael Jordan for advice (Jordan, unsurprisingly, encouraged him to continue being hard on his teammates). The second came late in game four of the 2008 NBA Finals, when Vujacic was decimated by a Ray Allen crossover, leading to a game clinching basket that swung the tide of the series. His playing decreased exponentially from there, and he was mostly a spectator in the postseason as the Lakers secured championships in 2009 and 2010. But he did redeem himself to some extent in the 2010 NBA Finals, hitting two crucial free throws (his only points of the game) late in game seven that put away the series against Boston.
21) Shannon Brown (2009, 2010)
With a powerful array of dunks, a brash style of play, and even a rumored relationship with R&B star Monica (whom he eventually married), Brown was like a Bryant impersonator stuck in a role player position. His game never developed much beyond his obvious athleticism, and Brown often found himself in Phil Jackson's dog house after blowing defensive assignments or taking ill-advised jumpers. He came to the Lakers late in the '08-'09 season via trade from the Bobcats and played decent minutes in the playoffs while earning his first championship ring. His role and stats increased in '09-'10 but lack of trust from Jackson cost him minutes in the postseason, where he averaged just 4.9 points per game (compared to 8.1 in the regular season) as the Lakers won the title again. Brown would see an increased role later on while playing for the Suns and finished his nine-year career with 2015 with a 7.6 points per game scoring average. Thanks to stints in Cleveland, L.A., Phoenix, San Antonio, and Miami, Brown can lay claim to having been a teammate of not just Bryant but also LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, and Dwyane Wade.
20) Luke Walton (2009, 2010)
Thanks to his role on the back-to-back title teams of '08-'09 and '09-'10, Luke and his dad Bill became the first father-son duo to both win multiple NBA titles (Mychal and Klay Thompson later joined them on the list). While the older Walton was a Finals MVP in 1977, the younger was a role player, averaging just 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game across 37 appearances in the 2009 and 2010 postseasons. Drafted by the Lakers in the second round in 2003, Walton was already at the tail end of his career by '09-'10, and had peaked in '06-'07, averaging 11.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as the starting small forward. In addition to the father-son championship tally, it's notable that Bill was also a teammate of Kobe's father Joe (a.k.a "Jelly Bean") on the San Diego Clippers for several years in the early '80s, during which time Luke was born.
19) Jordan Farmar (2009, 2010)
Just playing for the Lakers was a dream come true for Farmar, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, let alone winning two titles with them. He came to the team as a late first round pick in 2006 out of UCLA and spent his first four NBA seasons as their backup point guard, initially behind Smush Parker and later behind the returned Derek Fisher. Though he played big minutes off the bench in the '08-'09 and '09-'10 regular seasons, Farmar did a lot more sitting come playoff time as Phil Jackson shortened his rotation. He did appear in all five NBA Finals games against Orlando in 2009 and all seven against the Celtics in 2010. After leaving the Lakers for the Nets as a free agent in 2010, Farmar played six more NBA seasons but made just one additional playoff appearance, a first round loss with the Grizzlies in 2017.
18) Devean George (2000, 2001, 2002)
He was a surprise first round pick in 1999 out of Division III Augsburg College in his hometown of Minneapolis, and George landed in a perfect NBA situation. He slowly grew into the Lakers dynasty, winning championships in his first three seasons while developing from a lightly used benchwarmer in '99-'00 to a crucial sixth man in '01-'02. George was never a huge scorer (his career scoring average high was 7.4 points per game in '03-'04) but he did all the little things well, especially defensively, which endeared him to Bryant and Phil Jackson. After the three consecutive titles to start his career, George spent four more seasons with the Lakers, and was the starting small forward for most the '03-'04 season, including in the NBA Finals loss to Detroit.
17) Lindsey Hunter (2002)
A fun distinction for Hunter is that he's the only player on this list that won a title with the Lakers and also won a title in a Finals where his team beat the Lakers. The latter case came in 2004 with the Pistons, with whom he played for in 13 of his first 16 NBA seasons. In between his two long stints in Detroit (his career had started way back in '93-'94, when he took over as the starter for the retiring Isiah Thomas), Hunter was traded to the Bucks in 2000, then to the Lakers in 2001, then to the Raptors in 2002. The Lakers wanted him in '01-'02 due to the retirement of Ron Harper, which left them shallow at point guard. Hunter platooned as the starting point guard with Derek Fisher throughout the regular season but spent the playoffs barely coming off the bench, averaging just 2.0 points and 0.6 assists per game. Unfortunately, he also spent the season distracted by the death of his younger brother, Tommie, who was killed by a car crash in the summer of 2001.
16) John Salley (2000)
Along with his Lakers teammate Robert Horry, Salley is one of just two players in NBA history to win championships with three different franchises. He started his career with the "Bad Boy" Pistons and was a key front court bench presence for the '88-'89 and '89-'90 title teams. Later on in his career, he was traded to the Bulls during the '95-'96 season and earned another ring while mostly sitting on the bench. After a short stint in Greece, Salley retired officially in 1998 but was lured back by coach Phil Jackson to provide a steady, veteran presence for the '99-'00 Lakers. He did his job as expected, averaging just 1.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game but keeping the locker room light yet focused and filling in some minutes at center to rest Shaquille O'Neal for the playoffs. In earning his fourth career championship ring in 2000, Salley also secured another distinction: he is one of just two players to win titles in three different decades, along with Tim Duncan.
15) Brian Shaw (2000, 2001, 2002)
A career journeyman, Shaw's stops included Orlando in the mid '90s, where he was a favorite teammate of Shaquille O'Neal, and their alley-oops were nicknamed "The Shaw-Shaq Redemption." Not only did he have the connection with O'Neal when he signed with the Lakers in 1999, but Shaw was also a perfect Phil Jackson back court piece: tall, defensive minded, selfless, able to play both guard positions. He never put up big stats and rarely started, but Shaw was a key component of all three Lakers titles that kicked off the millennium. His most notable moments both came in the 2000 playoffs, when he hit two clutch three-pointers down the stretch to help fuel L.A.'s game seven comeback win over Portland in the Conference Finals, then started game three of the NBA Finals against Indiana after Bryant sprained his ankle. Immediately following his 2003 retirement, Shaw took a job scouting for the Lakers and eventually became an assistant coach under Jackson. Thus, along with Bryant himself, and Derek Fisher, Shaw is the only other player on this list that was part of all five Lakers championship teams between 2000 and 2010 in some capacity.
14) Andrew Bynum (2009, 2010)
When Bryant first took the court for the Lakers in November of 1996, he became the youngest player in NBA history at 18 years and 72 days. Nine years later, Bynum took over the first spot on that list (Jermaine O'Neal had previously broken Bryant's record) when he made his debut just six days after his 18th birthday. Thus kicked off one of the most controversial careers in Lakers history, a player that never lived up to fans', or Bryant's expectations, but who nonetheless was an All-Star and a key contributor to two championship teams. Bynum returned from a knee injury just on time for the '08-'09 playoffs and averaged just 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in the postseason, but did start at center in 18 out of 23 games. He re-injured that knee during the first round in 2010 but played through the pain and put in some big performances during the second title run, including logging seven blocks in game two of the NBA Finals against Boston. As his career flamed out past his All-Star appearance in 2012, Bynum blamed Bryant for his on-court struggles, claiming the superstar had stunted his growth by hogging the ball so severely.
13) Rick Fox (2000, 2001, 2002)
His career started as a potential franchise savior for the Celtics, replacing an injured Larry Bird in the starting lineup in '91-'92, then ended as a steady role player on a Lakers dynasty. By his own admission, Fox struggled with the pressure in Boston but in a lesser role he thrived in the biggest moments with Los Angeles, most notably with a 13 points, 14 rebound performance in the infamous game seven win over Sacramento in the 2002 Conference Finals. After coming off the bench behind Glen Rice in '99-'00, Fox was the starting small forward for the '00-'01 and '01-'02 title runs. He hung around through the 2004 Finals loss to Detroit after which he returned to Boston in a trade that also included Gary Payton. Rather than suit up once again for the Celtics, Fox opted to retire, ending a 13-year career.
12) Trevor Ariza (2009)
It's been a long, journeyman career for Ariza, whose been traded seven times in 15 years and reached the playoffs with five different franchises. He's also the only player on this list who is still active as of the '19-'20 season. His statistical peak came with the Wizards and Rockets, but his biggest team success was undoubtedly his two years with the Lakers, which ended with an NBA Finals loss to the Celtics in 2008 and a win over the Magic in 2009. Still only 22 years old in '07-'08 (but already on his third team), Ariza was lightly used in the 2008 postseason but won the starting small forward job during the '08-'09 season. He was fourth in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and second in steals on the title team that year, and a fan favorite for his defensive intensity. It was a bit of a shock when the Lakers let him leave as a free agent for the Rockets that summer, replacing him with Metta World Peace. Thanks to his toughness and dedication to training and practice, Ariza was a favorite of Bryant. On the night that the Lakers returned to play after Bryant's death with a heartfelt tribute to their former star, Ariza was there, as a member of the visiting Trail Blazers.
11) A.C. Green (2000)
The only player to win a championship with Magic Johnson and with Bryant, Green was drafted by the Lakers in 1985 and was the starting power forward on the '86-'87 and '87-'88 title teams. He stayed with Los Angeles through 1993, then, after stints with the Suns and Mavericks, returned via trade in 1999. By the time of that trade he was the last active member of the Showtime era anywhere in the NBA. He basically ended right where he began, a starting power forward adding rebounding and defense while getting overshadowed by his flashier teammates. And just he had in his previous 12 seasons, Green played in every regular season game, continuing his record Iron Man streak that ended at 1,192 with his 2001 retirement.
10) Ron Harper (2000, 2001)
After a first half of his career where he was a prime scorer for two star-crossed franchises in the Cavaliers and Clippers, Harper shifted into a role player for two of the greatest dynasties of the modern era. As an oversized point guard who could defend, play off the ball, and create his own shot when needed, he was a perfect fit in Phil Jackson's system, especially alongside domineering shooting guard like Michael Jordan and Bryant. Harper won three championships with the Bulls in 1996, 1997, and 1998, then joined the Lakers as a free agent in 1999. He was the starting point guard on the '99-'00 team, finishing fourth in playoff scoring and second in playoff assists. Injuries slowed him down in '00-'01, causing him to lose his starting job to Derek Fisher and appear only sparingly in six playoff games. But he did make some clutch shots in game four of the NBA Finals against Philadelphia, and earned his fifth ring before retiring that summer.
9) Metta World Peace (2010)
En route to their 2009 title, the toughest postseason test the Lakers faced came in the second round against the Rockets, specifically World Peace, then still going by Ron Artest (the World Peace name came as a Laker in 2011). World Peace went toe-to-toe the entire seven game series with Bryant, and later claimed that the Lakers superstar admitted during a game that he was the best defender he had ever faced. A couple months later, World Peace signed with the Lakers, taking over for the departed Trevor Ariza as the starting small forward. Though it didn't always work out smoothly during the regular season, World Peace paid off in spades in the playoffs. His pressure defense was crucial against opponents like Kevin Durant, Jason Richardson, and Paul Pierce, and he hit two clutch shots: a buzzer beater put-back in game five of the Conference Finals, and a last minute jumper in game seven of the NBA Finals. After 11 tumultuous seasons, World Peace earned his first championship ring, which he soon after auctioned off for charity.
8) Derek Fisher (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
The only player to team up with Bryant for all five Lakers championships in the era, Fisher was their first round pick in 1996, the same year they traded for Bryant on draft day. While the two had vastly different careers, with Fisher as a role player, averaging just 8.3 points per game for his career, they are inexorably linked as teammates for 12 seasons. Fisher took over as the starting point guard late in the '00-'01 season and his ball handling and defense were key in the last two championships of the Bryant/Shaq run. Though he was part of five championship teams, Fisher's most memorable postseason moment came in a non-title year, when he hit a buzzer beating three pointer in the final 0.4 seconds of a second round win over the Spurs in 2004.
7) Lamar Odom (2009, 2010)
As the centerpiece of the package that came in return for Shaquille O'Neal getting shipped to Miami, Odom had high expectations in Los Angeles. Though he never did live up to his star potential as the fourth overall pick in 1999, he did become one of the league's most respected players for his well-rounded game. Odom could handle the ball, rebound, score from anywhere on the floor, defend three positions, and succeed either as a starter or off the bench. Along with Bryant, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujacic, he's one of four Lakers on the disastrous '04-'05 team that was still around for the '08-'09 title season. He was reportedly set to leave that offseason as a free agent, returning to the Heat, but Odom was convinced to stay with the Lakers and was a key part of a title team again in '09-'10. He soon after became the first Lakers player to win Sixth Man of the Year in '10-'11 but was traded that summer to the Mavericks.
6) Robert Horry (2000, 2001, 2002)
"Big Shot Bob" already had two title rings in his possession and reputation for clutch postseason shooting when he came to the Lakers via trade in 1997. Those rings and rep were earned with the Rockets in the mid '90s and while his playing time and stats were much lower in his years with the Lakers, his impact in crucial playoff moments was just as pronounced. The most famous/infamous moment came in game four of the 2002 Conference Finals against Sacramento, when Horry rebounded off a miss and launched a buzzer beating three that evened the series at 2-2 and turned the tide. After three championships with the Lakers mostly coming off the bench, he won two more titles later on as a member of the Spurs, joining '99-'00 teammate John Salley as the only players to win a title with three different teams.
5) Glen Rice (2000)
Like Dave DeBusschere on the '70s Knicks or Dennis Johnson on the '80s Celtics, Rice was hailed as the missing piece of a title contender when the Lakers traded for him in 1999. It didn't exactly work out that way at first, as the former three-time All-Star for the Hornets was hampered by an elbow injury in the '98-'99 playoffs and the Lakers were swept in the second round by San Antonio. But '99-'00 was a different story, with Rice settling in as a reliable third scoring option, finding himself typically open for jumpers thanks in large part to double teams on Shaquille O'Neal, and averaging 15.9 points per game. It was a short-lived peace however, as Rice's struggles with understanding the triangle offense and disillusionment over his contract forced the Lakers to unload him on the Knicks in 2000 as part of a massive four-team trade.
4) Horace Grant (2001)
Who did the Lakers receive in exchange for Glen Rice in the summer of 2000? None other than Grant, who had previously won three championships with the Bulls, played in the NBA Finals with Shaquille O'Neal in Orlando in '94-'95, and was still an effective starting power forward at age 35 (Phil Jackson supposedly pushed Jerry West to trade Rice for Scottie Pippen, but settled for his tertiary Chicago star instead). Grant was a steady presence for Los Angeles in '00-'01, starting 77 regular season games and all 16 playoff ones, averaging 8.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in the latter. He joined John Salley and Ron Harper as players to win titles with two different Jackson-coached franchises.
3) Mitch Richmond (2002)
He's a Hall of Famer that played in six All-Star Games, was named 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and scored over 20,000 points in his career, but Richmond had little left in the tank when he joined the Lakers for the '01-'02 season. He was 36 years old and far removed from his prime as one of the NBA's top pure scorers but Los Angeles saw Richmond as a solid veteran presence in the back court after the retirement of Ron Harper. For the first time in his 14-year career, Richmond got to play on a team that advanced to the Conference Finals, let alone the NBA Finals, but he didn't contribute much himself to that run, playing in just two postseason games. One of those appearances was the clinching game four of the Finals against New Jersey, when Richmond made the final basket of the game, which would turn out to be the final one of his career, and then dribbled out the clock to kick off the celebration.
2) Pau Gasol (2009, 2010)
At the time of his trade to the team in 2008, there were some questions whether this Spaniard with a "soft" reputation could truly team up with Bryant to lead the Lakers back to glory. Gasol answered all doubters and then some, to the point that he and Bryant had a brotherly relationship thanks to their collective toughness and resiliency. Though Gasol's best scoring output came in his earlier years with the Grizzlies, his best rebounding numbers actually were compiled for the Lakers, averaging a double-digit rate for three straight seasons starting in '08-'09. He also improved tremendously defensively for Los Angeles, which would prove crucial to the 2009 and 2010 title runs. He led the Lakers in rebounding and blocks in the 2009 and 2010 postseasons, and finished second in scoring and assists behind only Bryant. One could also argue that Gasol deserved the 2010 Finals MVP trophy for his gutsy performance in the games six and seven wins.
1) Shaquille O'Neal (2000, 2001, 2002)
His 1996 signing in Los Angeles is still arguably the most impactful in NBA history, considering that O'Neal won three consecutive Finals MVP trophies for the Lakers. The Lakers also acquired Bryant that summer via draft day trade, and the duo would go on to essentially define the NBA from Michael Jordan's 1998 retirement to O'Neal's 2004 trade to Miami. The era was obviously marked by their great success as a duo, with three straight championships, but also by their feuding. The nexus point seemed to be the 2000 preseason when O'Neal showed up to camp out of shape, rankling the studious Bryant, who was already jealous of O'Neal's MVP and Finals MVP trophies. Phil Jackson was able to keep things civil enough for the Lakers to repeat as champs in 2001 and 2002, but things really came to a head after an early playoff exit in 2003, when Bryant was distracted by his impending rape trial while O'Neal was disappointed in his lack of a long-term deal entering an contract year. Lakers management obviously had to pick one star to keep in 2004 and they went with the younger Bryant, trading O'Neal away to Miami. Their feud only intensified from there, spilling over into rap disses and trial deposition snitching but seemed to cool by the time Bryant was winning championships again at the end of the decade, culminating in the pair sharing All-Star MVP honors in 2009. After O'Neal's 2011 retirement the feud seemed to thaw almost completely, with both players openly praising each other to the media, and Bryant even appearing as the first guest when Shaq launched a podcast in 2015. At Bryant's public memorial service after his death, O'Neal gave one of the most heartfelt and tearjerking speeches of the day, paying respects to his longtime teammate, sometime adversary, but lifelong friend.