Why Kobe is the real MVP

By Jenna Hudson

In every sport, there are good athletes and there are great athletes. Once in a generation, there is an athlete like Kobe Bryant. The Los Angeles Lakers star is proving to be among the truly elite athletes of his generation and of all time.

Tuesday night, Bryant led the Lakers in their 98-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 42 points to lead the Lakers to a 2-2 tie against the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. And all this was after spending the past two days in a Colorado courtroom.

It seems somewhat sad that the infamous rape trial that Bryant is currently embroiled in is tarnishing his image and overshadowing his dominance on the basketball court.

Scoring 42 points in one night is incredible for any player â€" but in light of the problems in his personal life, Bryant's perseverance demonstrates a focus and dedication that are nothing short of phenomenal, and draws comparisons to the likes of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Barry Bonds, all who had superb focus and superhuman performances during times of turmoil.

In an interview with the Associated Press on ESPN.com, Shaquille O'Neal, who is not exactly known as a Kobe admirer sang Bryant's praises.

"He's a fabulous player, probably the best player that ever played the game, especially with all the stuff he's been going through," he said.

And with a 42-point performance in the playoffs against arguably the most dominant team in the NBA after spending two days in court, who can argue?

Tuesday afternoon, Bryant pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges in Eagle, Colo. Only a few hours later he, delivered yet another dazzling performance, which was capped in the fourth quarter when he scored 15 points.

This game marked the fourth time Bryant played in a game after spending a day in court. The previous time was during the Lakers' series against Houston.

In each game, Bryant led the team to victory.

Not too shabby. One cynic, JT the Brick from KNBR 1050, mused that if Kobe was accused of sexual assault in every city, the Lakers would never lose.

Truly his efforts on the court overshadow his case in court.

Forget about Kevin Garnett; forget about Jason Kidd. Kobe Bryant is the real MVP.

û Contact Jenna Hudson at (408) 554-4852 or jhudson@scu.edu.