There are two myths about Kobe that need to stop now.
 
 1) Kobe's a "shot Jacker":
  This is simply untrue.  FACT. Kobe averages 19.6 shots per game for  his career, less than Lebron, Jordan, wilkins, iverson. Kobe has led the  league in fga averages only 3 TIMES in his 18 year career. 2005-2006,  2006-2007, 2011-2012. While Jordan, in only 12 years with the bulls, led  the league in fga averages a whopping seven times. IMO Jordan is the  greatest of all time. Yet he led the league in fga averages 7 times,  more than double compared to Kobe (in his long 18 year career). Does  that take away from Jordan's greatness? No. Should it take away from  Kobe's greatness? No. 
 
 2) "Kobe rode Shaq for three rings."  This is so unfair to Kobe it's ridiculous. Let's put things into  perspective here. Starting from the lakers 1999-2000 season (first 
championship  of the 3 peat) to last final appearance with Shaq, 2003-2004,  Kobe  averaged 26 ppg 6 rpg and 5.4 apg during the regular season. Now really,  are those sidekick averages? 
lol. Just imagine if Shaq wasn't there,  what do you think his numbers would look like than? Some might say Shaq  carried the team during the playoffs. Kobes playoffs averages from those  years, 26 ppg 5.4 rpg and 5.1 apg. Shaqs averages during the playoffs  from 2000-2004? 27.5 ppg, 14.2 rpg 3 apg.  
 
 The 1999-2000  
championship run is where Shaq completely dominated across all  statistical categories and was clearly number #1. Still Kobe put up 21 5  and 5. And in the first round against the kings, Kobe averaged similar  numbers to Shaq in terms of scoring, averaging 27.8 ppg 4.5 rebounds 3.6  apg on 50% shooting. And in the finals, let's not forget Kobe injuring  his ankle, leaving him out one game (which they lost) , playing only 9  minutes in the game he injured his ankle, and playing 3 final games on a  sprained ankle. And still people completely under estimate Kobe's  importance during this final series. Everyone SEEMS to forget his GAME 4  Takeover with shaq on the bench who fouled out. They won by a meager 2  points  in overtime. If the lakers lost this game and Indiana won game 5  like they did, the Lakers would be DOWN 3-2 in the finals. Think about  that for a second and realize how important that game was. 
 
 In  2000-2001 nba playoff run it becomes MORE apparent that Kobe Bryant was a  top dog. BEFORE the finals, Kobe averaged 31.6 ppg on 49%from the field  along with 7rpg and 6.2 apg. The best teams that they faced that year  in the playoffs was not the sixers, It was the KINGS AND SPURS, the best  two teams besides the lakers in there conference (kings 55 wins number  3, spurs 58 wins number 1). Kobe played even better against them  averaging a crazy 34.1 ppg on 50% shooting, 8 rpg and 5.6 apg. Shaq was  no scrub either. Shaq averaged 29.3 ppg 15.3 rpg and 2.5 apg before the  finals in 2000-2001 playoff run. Against the spurs and kings, Shaq  averaged 30.1 ppg, 15.1 rpg and 2.4 apg. All incredible statistics. But  during the playoff run KOBE was the best player on the team. Only when  it came to the finals Shaq took over, averaging 33 ppg 16 rpg 5 apg and a  crazy 3.4 blocks along with that. On the other hand Kobe averaged 25ppg  8rpg and 6 apg along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in the finals.  Compare this to Lebrons final statistics this year against the spurs  where he won finals mvp. They are BASICALLY the same exact stats except  for a difference in 2 rebounds. But Shaq was so dominate in the finals  that Kobe was overshadowed and underappreciated. And seriously, besides  iverson, who did philly have? And who could stop shaq? A old and skinny  dikembe motombo? Shaq got the finals MVP but in reality, against BETTER  teams, Kobe showed up more in the playoffs. But let me guess, since kobe  didn't get that "finals MVP", hater's are still going to think Kobe as a  sidekick? Huh?
 
 In 2001-2002, last 
championship in the  Kobe-Shaq era, Shaq averaged 26.4 ppg with 12.7 rpg , 2.6 apg, 2.5 bpg  and .5 steals. Kobe, before the Nba Finals, averaged 26.6 ppg, 6 rpg,  and 4.4 assists along with 1.4 steals and 1 bpg. Was Kobe a sidekick  during this run too? It looks like kobe equaled Shaq in output besides  in rebounds.. again. And then the Lakers faced the nets, where Jason  Kidd was their leading rebounder.... lmao. And there big man was Todd  MacCoulloch and Kenyon Martin....ohh and lets not forget Jason Collins!  Shaq averaged a ridiculous 36.3 ppg 12.3 rpg and 4 assists along with  2.8 blocks in the finals. Kobe again averaged some exceptional stats in  the finals, 27 ppg on only 17.5 fga per game along with 6 rpg and 5.3  assists going 52% from the field, 54% from the 3, and 80 from the line.  What's funny about that is, kobe shot 17.5 fieldgoals  a game during the  finals, Shaq shot a ridiculous 17 FREE THROW ATTEMPTS a game during the  finals, almost attempting more free throws than kobe attempted shots.  And again, in a ridiculously easy finals matchup for Shaq and the lakers  as a whole, the Big Diesel got another finals mvp.  
 
 In all  honestly, if you're unbiased, you would see how valuable Kobe was during  that 3 peat run and know he definitely wasn't a sidekick, and even in  some cases, outperformed Shaq on the biggest stages. This myth that Kobe  "rode shaq for 3 rings" comes from Shaq receiving 3 finals mvps against  ridiculously easy matchups in the finals. But on the way there, Kobe  usually played as big or if not bigger than Shaq. And lets not forget  Kobe's Defense when he was younger. Shaq, a subpar defender, could  easily just hold his own because of his size. Kobe on the other hand Was  on the first team all defensive in 1999-2000, and 2001-2002, making a  second team all defensive in 2000-2001...