Ranking Kobe Bryant’s All-Star Performances

Image via Complex Original

City: New Orleans

Stat Line: 0 points, 1 rebound

Highlights: Due to a torn ligament in his pinky that caused Bryant to actually petition the league to not play in the All-Star Game, Bryant played just two minutes in the 2008 game. 

City: Houston

Stat Line: 8 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds

Highlight: Bryant wasn’t able to do much scoring in the 2006 All-Star Game, but when he did, it was clutch. He tied the game with 32 seconds left on a nasty fadeaway jumper from the right corner. 

City: Houston

Stat Line: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists

Highlight: Bryant filled up the statsheet while shutting LeBron James down in the final minute of the game with his suffocating defense.

City: Oakland

Stat Line: 15 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists

Highlight: In only his second All-Star Game appearance, thanks to the lockout, Bryant dropped a respectable 15 points while showing off his ability to throw up a Magic Johnson-esque hook shot. 

City: Denver

Stat Line: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists

Highlight: Bryant busted out a swooping, left-handed hook shot in the game that we haven’t seen as part of his arsenal since. He also caught a mean alley-oop from future teammate Steve Nash toward the end of the second quarter. 

City: Los Angeles

Stat Line: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

Highlight: A solid, if unspectacular, performance from Bryant on his home court. His teammate, Shaquille O’Neal, stole the show and took home MVP honors. 

City: New York City

Stat Line: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist

Highlight: Kobe shined in his first ever All-Star Game under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, including a 360-dunk and a two-handed alley-oop slam from Kevin Garnett. 

City: Washington, D.C.

Stat Line: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists

Highlight: Connecting with Kevin Garnett for a handful of ridiculous alley-oops became an All-Star regularity in Bryant’s early days, and his one-handed, go-back-and-get-it jam from KG in his third All-Star Game was something to behold.

City: Orlando

Stat Line: 27 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

Highlight: Bryant had his nose broken by Dwyane Wade after Wade swiped him hard on a drive to the basket, making Byrant’s 27-point performance all the more impressive as he played right on through it.

City: Atlanta

Stat Line: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists

Highlight: In Michael Jordan’s final All-Star Game, Bryant ruined some of the old man’s fun when he slapped a MJ jumper right out of his hands. 

City: Phoenix

Stat Line: 27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists (Named Co-MVP)

Highlight: Another typical Bryant performance, with his best play coming by way of a fadeaway 3-pointer over the outstretched hand of Dwight Howard, who had switched out to come guard him on the perimeter. A smile and a head shake was all Bryant needed to express. 

City: Las Vegas

Stat Line: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists (Named MVP)

Highlight: Another All-Star Game and another 30-point performance. Bryant’s MVP performance was punctuated by a flying tomahawk slam, right down the middle of the lane, midway through the second quarter.

City: Philadelphia

Stat Line: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists (Named MVP) 

Highlight: In just his fourth All-Star Game, Bryant asserted himself as a superstar with an eye-popping stat line and a devastating crossover of then New Jersey Nets point guard Jason Kidd. 

City: Los Angeles

Stat Line: 37 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists (Named MVP)

Highlight: Kobe Bryant’s greatest All-Star Game performance fittingly came on his home court at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He dazzled with his typical array of 3-pointers, tough fadeaways, and drives to the basket—but his best move came in the first quarter, when he blew by Derrick Rose on the baseline and threw down a sick up and under dunk.