During his rookie season, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.At the time he became the youngest player ever to play and start in an NBA game (both records since being broken by teammate Andrew Bynum). Initially, Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see some more playing time. By the end of the season, he averaged 15.5 minutes a game. He earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan-favorite by winning the ...