Name

DOMINIQUE WILKINS

KOBE BRYANT

Nickname

The Human Highlight Film

His first name is distinctive enough

Height

6-8

6-6

Weight

224

220

Career
(Seasons)

1982-97, 98-99
(15 NBA seasons)

1996-present
(7th NBA season)

A-S Selections

9

5 (includes 2003)

First
All-Star Game

1986
(in Dallas)

1998
(in New York)

Age (first A-S Game)

26

19

A-S scoring average

13.3 ppg

20.8 ppg

Best A-S
performance

1988:
29 pts., 5 reb., 1 blk.

2002:
31 pts., 5 reb., 5 asst.

A-S Game MVP

None

2002

Career avg.

24.8

20.6

Best season

30.7 ppg (1987-88)

28.5 ppg (2000-01)

Most memorable performance

Averaged 29.9 ppg for the 1992-93 season, one year after tearing his Achilles' tendon

After Shaq fouls out in OT of Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals, Bryant tallies the game winner with 5.9 seconds left.

The Human Highlight Film: 56k | 300k

High-flying, gravity-defying, mesmerizing.

Dominique Wilkins and Kobe Bryant can both be described as such.

When Wilkins entered the NBA in 1982, he brought a powerful athleticism that hadn't been seen in the league in some time. Julius Erving was smooth and David Thompson could jump out of the building, but Wilkins was strong. With his speed, the quickness with which he jumped combined with the force of his dunks, Wilkins had moments where he looked like a super hero in short pants. He was one of the best finishers of a break the game has seen. And no one followed a missed shot, one of his own or his teammates', like Wilkins. His acrobatics earned him the nickname "The Human Highlight Film." He was also one of the first to perform windmill dunks in games.

Wilkins led the Hawks in scoring for 11 consecutive seasons and the NBA once, in the 1985-86 season with 30.3 points per game.

Despite being two inches shorter than Wilkins, Bryant uses his incredible athleticism to play above the rim as Dominque once did. Whereas Wilkins seemed to blast off, Bryant seems to glide. Still, Bryant is one of the game's best finishers around the hoop and often throws it down with the authority of a power forward or his teammate, Shaquille O'Neal.

Bryant's game, however, is more well-rounded, even at the tender age of 24, than Wilkins' ever was. Wilkins never averaged more than 3.8 assists per game in season. Bryant, since he was named a starter in the 1998-99 season, has never averaged fewer than 3.8 assists per game in a season. This year, Bryant is putting up his best all-round campaign yet -- 28.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 6.9 apg -- and is a threat to have a triple-double (he leads the league with five) every night.

Bryant also leads in another statistical category -- championship rings. He has three, Wilkins never made it to the Finals. Then again, 'Nique never had a Shaq on his side.