Kobe Bryant was a fantastic player, an 18-time all-star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during his 20-year career with the Lakers. I faintly remember watching my family members watching him play on the T.V. and how big an impact he had on them and the world. Kobe Bryant became one of the NBA’s most popular players and the face of the Lakers, winning a record four NBA All-Star MVP awards.