A transcendent star who went straight from high school to the game's biggest stage, Bryant won five NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers and was the face of the franchise during his 20-year career. Bryant, a small forward and shooting guard, averaged 25 points during his career and twice led the NBA in scoring. He was an 18-times NBA All-Star who wore the jersey numbers 24 and 8 - both of which were retired by the Lakers - and continued the 'Showtime' tradition of the storied franchise that has been home to the likes of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal.