Kobe Bryant: 8 Off-Court Moments Of Greatness

8. A Genius Trade Request

During the 2006-07 season, Kobe took it upon himself to apply a piece of his cerebral instincts, appearing on ESPN radio to vent his obvious frustration at the Lakers top brass. The purple and gold had suffered a number of average seasons, falling to a lottery berth and two successive first-round playoff exits, resulting in tensions between he and the franchise being high. On the show, Kobe stated that he "would like to be traded", citing that given the state of their current playing roster he was compelled to reveal that a clear fracture had occurred between his vision and theirs, and that he needed a change of scenery as their goals did not align with his.

Never one to say his piece without first plotting his every move, Kobe then appeared on two more radio shows to further his argument, stating that he hoped the Lakers would do something because he didn't want to be "someplace else". This bombshell left the Lakers scrambling for crisis talks with the superstar, with Magic Johnson and Coach Phil Jackson pleading with Bryant to give them time to take action and re-tool the squad.

In a masterful manipulation of his situation, Kobe had jolted the Lakers into bold reform over the following two months. By the time the Lakers took the floor for opening night the following season, a rejuvenated Bryant found himself accompanied to the hardwood by newly acquired big man Pau Gasol - in a deal plucked directly from what would seem like nothing but an urban legend - point guard veteran Derek Fisher, and versatile swingman Trevor Ariza.

What would follow would be his only regular season MVP award, 57 wins and three straight finals appearances.

Kobe would later add to his legacy of genius by revealing how he had also nixed a potential deal which would have landed him in Detroit that very summer.