Bryant finally lands MVP accolade

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has ended his long wait to be named as the NBA's Most Valuable Player.

The guard received the MVP award this week for the first time in a prolific 12-year career which has seen him win three NBA titles with the Lakers.

He averaged 28.3 points, 5.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds a game this season as the Lakers notched a Western Conference best win-loss record of 57-25.

"This is a beautiful day, a special day for me," said Bryant, 29.

"I'm just deeply, deeply honoured. This is a team award, not an individual award. This gets done because we all do it as a unit and I can't thank these guys enough."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson: "I don't know anybody who deserves it more.

"I've never known anybody who has worked as hard to accomplish what he's accomplished in this game."

Bryant added that he hoped winning the MVP award would lead to a grand finale for the Lakers, who are playing Utah in the Western Conference sem-finals.

"It's Hollywood, it's a movie script and the perfect ending would be us holding that championship trophy at the end of it."

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