Kobe Bryant named NBA athlete of the decade by Sporting News

September 24, 11:13 AMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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Kobe at Nike clinic in Shanghai, July 2009. (AP)

Kobe Bryant just got another accolade to add to the many others he's received in his NBA career.

Sporting News announced its Athletes of the Decade awards and Bryant was named to the All-Decade NBA team as well as crowned the league's player of the decade.

Among the other sports, Sporting News named Peyton Manning the NFL Player of the Decade, Matt Leinart (remember him?) as College Football Athlete of the Decade and Albert Pujols was named MLB Player of the Decade.

According to a press release issued by the Lakers, the awards are decided with input from players, coaches and legends of the respective sports.

Kobe won the magazine's 2008 Player of the Year but to dominate the voting for the entire decade is quite an achievement considering who else was on the court during that time.

I guess that answers the question about Kobe vs. LeBron, right? Not so fast. There is a new decade starting soon and if The King continues on the current path, the 2010-19 decade will be his. Kobe just turned 31 and LeBron is a mere youngster of 24.

Shaquille O'Neal is quoted in the Lakers' press release as saying in part:

“The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct..."

You can find the full results from all sports covered by the awards at the Sporting News site, here.

Colin Ward-Henninger covers the Lakers for Examiner.com, here