Kobe Bryant has won five NBA championships as the star shooting guard of the Los Angeles Lakers. O’Neal. Bryant joined the Lakers in 1996 and became part of a celebrated one-two punch with center Shaquille O’Neal. The pair led the Lakers to NBA championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002; and after O’Neal moved on to Miami, Bryant led LA to two more NBA championships in 2009 and 2010.