(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-07 09:08

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday, the first time the high-scoring backcourt ace has received the honour after 12 seasons in the league.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant holds the NBA's Most Valuable Player trophy with his daughters Gianna, right, and Natalia, left,Tuesday, May 6, 2008, in Los Angeles. Bryant received 82-first-place votes and 1,105 points in the media vote. [Agencies]

Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 5.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds a game this season for the Lakers, whose 57-25 record was best in the Western Conference.

The 6ft-6ins (1.98 metre) Bryant, named four times to the All-NBA First Team, helped the Lakers win three successive NBA titles starting from the 1999-2000 season.

"This is a beautiful day, a special day for me," a beaming Bryant, 29, told a news conference after being presented with the trophy. "I'm just deeply, deeply honored to be here.

"This is a team award. This is not an individual award," he added with a nod toward his team mates, who attended the news conference.

"This gets done because we all do it as a unit and I can't thank these guys enough."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who steered Bryant through his NBA title partnership with former Laker Shaquille O'Neal and who directed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships, praised Bryant for his dedication.

"I don't know anybody who deserves it more," Jackson said. "I've never known anybody who has worked as hard to accomplish what he's accomplished in this game."