Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been one of the top players in the NBA for more than a decade, but he had never really been fully embraced by his teammates, the media and the public at large, especially after being charged with rape in Colorado in 2003 in a case that was eventually dropped. Bryant was also seen as the bad guy by most non-Laker fans in the nasty breakup that sent Shaquille O'Neal to Miami.

But 2008 was a good year for Bryant's image. Thanks to his undeniable skills on the court and his seemingly being a better teammate than ever, he was voted the NBA's MVP by the media. It was an honor he probably had deserved several times before, but had never received.

Then he came across as a genuinely good guy who was enjoying every minute of his Olympic experience in China. He showed up at other events to cheer fellow Americans on, was treated like a rock star by the Chinese and played selfless basketball in helping the U.S. earn the gold.

It appears that Bryant has grown up or he's learned to be better at public relations on and off the court. Or both.

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E-mail: lojo@desnews.com