Kobe Bryant is now being spoken of as the season's presumptive MVP. Curiously enough, the Maurice Podoloff Trophy remains about the only individual prize not in Bryant's custody. As his physical gifts exceed those of anyone not named LeBron James, it would be a long time coming. What's more, as far as the Lakers are concerned, winning the MVP should be considered the least he could do.

The Lakers have given Bryant everything he wanted, though more than he dared to have imagined during his infamously comic series of trade-me-I'm-a-Laker-for-life tantrums. He got his favorite point guard. He got a center. He has an All-Star big man. As presently constituted, still awaiting the return of their starting center, the Lakers are talented enough to call Lamar Odom their third option. Looking back, the Lakers did a great job in protecting their star from himself. How do you think Kobe Bryant would be enjoying winter in Chicago right about now? It should surprise no one that Bryant has yet to officially rescind his trade demands. Nor has he apologized, to the fans or those who suffered his most egregious insults, including Jerry Buss — the guy who traded Shaquille O'Neal so that Bryant might have a franchise to call his very own; Mitch Kupchak, who had the foresight not to trade Andrew Bynum; and Bynum himself, who at 20, is that rarest of NBA commodities, a true center who will be good for years to come. Of course, this being Hollywood, no apologies are necessary. Stars have no need of good manners until they are something less than stars.

Still, the real test begins next month when Bynum returns from his knee injury. It's Bryant's team. It's on him to make sure it remains a team. This isn't about the MVP. Rather, it's what the award signifies. In his 12th NBA season, Bryant has won three championships (though never without O'Neal). He has led the league in scoring twice. He's a perennial member of the all-defensive team. He once scored 81 points in a game, more than anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain. But he has never made his teammates better. Now, if Bryant is what he has long fancied himself to be — an authentic successor to Michael Jordan — that time has come.

These are exactly some of the words of Kriegel as written in his column at Foxsport.com/NBA and reading this would appear to signify that he acquire the right understanding about Kobe and the Lakers franchise like the palm of his hand. I wonder if this journalist as he call himself distinguish Kobe or maybe pretend to be one or maybe possess the extreme dislike inside him just for the man Kobe and nothing more.

He avowed that Kobe was the man to fault for the trade of the Big Diesel to Miami but fail to remember that it is the owner of the franchise, had previously owned the move, but unfortunately Kriegel still offer this unworthy argument. Even Shaq had accepted that it is not Kobe but he himself requested the trade to be carried out for the reason that Lakers franchise cannot shell out huge amount of what he is asking. I cannot imagine Kriegel words that connote malice in all actions pertaining to Kobe and even putting clouds of uncertainty regarding the return of the young center Andrew Bynum. How can Kriegel ever pronounce that Kobe was not making his team mates better when the statistics belied him? Look at how the Lamar Odom is playing, always averaging a double-double in his outings even on first rate teams; peep at Vujacic productions, even Farmar is enjoying his new found rhythm inside the playing court. Now if those facts will not give you the light Kriegel then you’re a hopeless case and nothing but an established Kobe hater.