Bryant is a shooting guard who is capable of playing the small forward position. He is considered one of the most complete players in the NBA,[188][189] has been selected to every All-NBA Team since 1999, and has been featured in the last twelve NBA All-Star games.[3] Sports writers and sports casters have frequently compared Bryant to Michael Jordan, a comparison Bryant dislikes.[190] In 2007, an ESPN poll of sportswriters voted him as the second best shooting guard in NBA history behind Jordan.[189]
He is a prolific scorer, averaging 25.3 points per game for his career, along with 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals (as of the end of the 20102011 regular season).[191] He is known for his ability to create shots for himself and is a standout three-point shooter, sharing the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve.[192] Bryant is often cited as one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA,[193] though his 45.4% career field goal average is considered moderate. He utilizes his wide array of moves and shots to elude defenders and score from virtually anywhere on the floor. Some of Bryant's best moves are his turnaround jump shot, and his ability to post up his defenders and score with a fadeaway jumpshot. Chris Ballard, a Sports Illustrated NBA writer, describes a "jab step-and-pause" as a move Bryant uses where he jabs his non-pivot foot forward to let the defender relax and instead of bringing the jab foot back, he pushes off it and drive around his opponent to get to the basket.[194]
Aside from his scoring ability, he has established himself as a standout defender, having made the All-Defensive first or second team eleven of the last twelve seasons.[3] Bryant has also been noted being one of the premier clutch performers in the NBA.[195] For nine consecutive seasons, Bryant has been selected by an NBA GM survey as the player they most want taking the shot with the game on the line.[196] Both Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the NBA player of the 2000s decade