Kobe Bryant’s Best Los Angeles Lakers Teammates

Kobe Bryant

was and has remained a prominent figure in the sport of basketball for nearly three decades. While his esteemed list of individual accolades was more than enough to secure a Hall-of-Fame nomination, Bryant’s career can be held in an even higher regard because of his immense success with one franchise and one franchise only, the

L.A. Lakers

.

With five championships over ten seasons, Bryant dominated the 2000s as a creative scorer and face of the league. His rise to stardom, along with many solid free agency moves and trade acquisitions, once again positioned the Lakers as an NBA dynasty. Bryant’s primary ability as a lead option made him easy to build around, which resulted in the late Hall-of-Famer taking the court with an unimpressive supporting cast at times.

Despite a few years with an underwhelming supporting cast, Bryant’s best moments were achieved alongside talented groups.

Each of the following players contributed to at least two titles playing beside Bryant, with all having varying roles and skillsets that helped Los Angeles become champions once again.

5

Rick Fox

Lakers tenure: 1997-2004

After building his career with the

Boston Celtics

, Rick Fox joined the Lakers prior to Bryant’s second season in 1997-98. While his best statistical campaigns came with a subpar Celtics team, Fox’s reliable shooting and defense transferred seamlessly to a roster gearing up for a title run.

Fox started every game in his first season in Los Angeles, settling in as the perfect small forward to play alongside the team’s stars. As an elite perimeter stopper and spot-up shooter, Fox didn’t need the ball in his hands to make his mark on a game, an essential trait for playing alongside usage-heavy All-Stars in Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Known most for his defensive chops, Fox was often tasked with guarding the opponent’s best player.

Fox played an essential role during the Lakers’ three-peat to begin the decade, sticking to his role and impressively playing all 82 games every year from 1999-00 through 2001-02. Fox was a high-volume marksman for his era but averaged over 10 points per game only once during his tenure in L.A. As a result, he often flies under the radar as an irreplaceable piece during some of the franchise’s best years.

4

Lamar Odom

Lakers tenure: 2004-2011

Unlike Fox, Lamar Odom joined Bryant in Los Angeles as the franchise was in a downward spiral. Acquired in exchange for a disgruntled O’Neal, Odom was added to the fold as a multi-faceted forward and Bryant’s best teammate during the Lakers’ most forgettable stretch of the decade from 2004-05 through 2006-07.

A solid inside presence with great playmaking chops for his height, Odom was one of the league’s unique talents. After years as a featured talent with the

Los Angeles Clippers

, he settled in as a top-tier role player with the Lakers. Odom helped Bryant keep the Lakers from being completely terrible, but he began to truly show his value once the team became competitive again. Odom started 77 games in 2007-08, but his move to the bench the following season gave the Lakers a notable second-string advantage.

Odom started a handful of games during the franchise’s back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010, but arguably his most important contributions came off the bench. Odom only saw his stats and minutes fall slightly compared to his starting role, and his all-around skillset was key in pushing the Lakers back to contention.

Odom took home Sixth Man of the Year in 2010-11, but decided to leave the Lakers after. His career flamed out just two years later, but Los Angeles may not have been able to win without his contributions for nearly a decade.

3

Derek Fisher

Lakers tenure: 1996-2004, 2007-2012

Entering the

NBA

the same year as Bryant in 1996-97, Fisher had a slow and steady beginning to his career before assuming the role of lead playmaker and Kobe’s backcourt partner. While never an All-Star or a player to put up big numbers, Fisher was Bryant’s only teammate to win all five of his championships alongside him – and was key in winning each one.

Fisher was a backup during the Lakers’ three-peat, filling in as a spot starter when Ron Harper was sidelined. Despite being a part of a competitive point guard group that also included Brian Shaw, Fisher contributed upwards of 20 minutes a night throughout the team’s first run in the 2000s.

He eventually became known as a clutch late-game shooter and took over as the team’s full-time starting point guard. After the Lakers’ upset loss to the

Detroit Pistons

in the 2004 NBA Finals, however, Fisher was moved to the

Golden State Warriors

.

After a brief three-year stint away, Fisher returned to Los Angeles as the team’s ever-consistent starting point guard. He started every game for the franchise from 2007-08 through 2010-11, establishing himself as one of the Lakers’ most memorable role players. As the floor general for Bryant’s final two titles, Fisher is firmly enshrined as one of his very best running mates.

2

Pau Gasol

Lakers tenure: 2007-2014

After spending seven seasons as the face of the

Memphis Grizzlies

as a low-post wizard,

Pau Gasol

was moved to Los Angeles in a blockbuster trade that included his younger brother, Marc, during the 2007-08 season. Alongside Bryant, Gasol was essential in orchestrating the Lakers’ run back to the Finals. After being nothing more than a first-round out in previous years, the franchise’s acquisition of Gasol made them immediate contenders once again.

Gasol turned in three straight All-Star campaigns in his first full campaign with the Lakers, helping guide the team to back-to-back championships as a creative complement to Bryant. As one of the league’s craftiest and most consistent big men in the NBA, Gasol quickly became Bryant’s best-ever non-MVP teammate.

His addition also allowed Los Angeles to experiment with Odom off the bench. While Gasol’s individual contributions were needed, the versatility he added to the roster was also key to the franchise’s return to the top.

Gasol struggled with injuries during his later seasons with the Lakers, resulting in a couple of underwhelming playoff runs following their championships. Once Bryant tore his Achilles in 2013, Gasol put together another solid campaign on a rough Los Angeles roster before eventually moving on to the Chicago Bulls in 2014.

1

Shaquille O’Neal

Lakers tenure: 1996-2004

Already one of NBA history’s most unstoppable forces with the

Orlando Magic

,

Shaquille O’Neal

joined the Lakers on a massive deal in 1996. The $100 million contract was what brought O’Neal to Los Angeles, but in hindsight, he may have joined the team anyway if he knew what his 18-year-old rookie teammate would become.

O’Neal remained an MVP candidate after his move to the West Coast, but it became evident that The Diesel alone would not be enough to propel the Lakers back to a title. It took time for the team to mesh around such a prominent presence, as evidenced by a pair of second-round losses after O’Neal joined the team. The Lakers’ patience with what they had built eventually paid off, though.

Once Bryant settled in as an All-Star shooting guard, the two cemented themselves as the best duo in the league, with seemingly unparalleled dominance or athleticism from any other team. Bryant truly put the league on notice after winning his first ring in 2000, but it was O’Neal who was most prominently responsible for leading the way. O’Neal’s hold on the league was stronger than any other player’s during the early 2000s and his statistics prove it.

As the alpha of the Lakers’ three-peat, O’Neal is the only player to play alongside Bryant, who was clearly the top dog as his teammate. However, Bryant’s rise to superstardom notably rubbed O’Neal the wrong way, eventually leading the pair to feud off the court. Once the two fumbled their way to a Finals loss in 2004 as heavy favorites, the electric duo was split up for good.