20 iconic Kobe photos for 20 years

Following 20 illustrious seasons in the National Basketball Association, Kobe Bryant will lace 'em up on Wednesday night for the final time in his career.

Love him or hate him, no one can question Bryant's tremendous impact on basketball, thanks to a career that will certainly go down as one of the greatest of all time.

Here is Bryant's incredible career in photos:

The beginning

Thanks to a spell of apprehension from Vlade Divac, Bryant's arrival in Los Angeles was initially stunted. Following a quick change of heart from Divac, though, Bryant was shipped to the Lakers in July 1996.

1997 Slam Dunk contest

Bryant struggled to adjust to the spotlight during his first year in the pros, averaging just seven points per game during the first half of his rookie season. That all changed at All-Star weekend, as Bryant wowed fans by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk contest.

Facing Jordan in '98

The most famous encounter between Bryant and NBA legend Michael Jordan came during the 1998 All-Star Game, with a 19-year-old Bryant holding his own with 18 points.

Sixth Man runner-up

Before he was winning scoring titles, Bryant was one of the league's best bench performers. A 15.4 points-per-game average in his sophomore campaign was good enough to earn him runner-up honors for the 1997-98 Sixth Man of the Year Award.

The first of many

In just his fourth season in the NBA, Bryant was crowned an NBA champion. It wasn't his greatest Finals performance, but Los Angeles would have had a much more difficult time winning if not for his infamous Game 4 takeover.

Back to back

While Shaq earned MVP honors, Bryant was instrumental to the Lakers' second consecutive championship, averaging 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.

Three-peat

The tandem of Shaq and Kobe continued their dominance into the 2001-02 season, helping Los Angeles earn its third straight title with a sweep of the New Jersey Nets.

40 points in nine straight

Bryant was simply unstoppable for a stretch in 2002-03, collecting 40 or more points in nine straight contests. The stretch of dominance tied Jordan for the longest streak since Wilt Chamberlain went 10 straight in 1962-63.

Feuding with Shaq

After eight years together, Kobe and Shaq's relationship began to sour entering Shaq's final season in Los Angeles. The beef got so intense, that the Lakers were ultimately forced to choose between the two, as Shaq was shipped to South Beach that summer.

First Finals loss

Despite having four future Hall of Famers on its roster, Los Angeles fell short of expectations in the 2003-04 season, losing to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals.

81 points

Arguably the greatest single-game performance of his generation, Bryant scored an incredible 81 points in a 2006 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Back-to-back scoring titles

With Shaq in Miami, the Lakers were finally Bryant's team. "The Black Mamba" quickly established himself as the game's most feared offensive player, earning back-to-back scoring titles during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.

50 points in four straight

Nobody stood a chance of stopping Bryant during mid-March of 2007, as the Lakers shooting guard dropped four straight 50-plus-point performances.

Second Finals loss

While Kobe dropped a series-high 25.7 points per game, the Boston Celtics' swarming defense became too much for the Lakers to handle, as Los Angeles lost the 2008 Finals in six games.

2008 Olympics

Nicknamed the "Redeem Team," Bryant teamed up with many of the game's biggest stars to collect a gold medal for the U.S. during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Winning one without Shaq

After earning his first three titles with Shaq, Bryant was finally the hero behind the Lakers' greatness, earning Finals MVP during Los Angeles' 2009 championship run.

Seeking revenge against Beantown

After losing to Los Angeles' biggest rival two years prior, Bryant made sure to avoid a repeat performance in the 2010 Finals.

2012 Olympics

Bryant earned his second Olympic gold medal during the 2012 Games in London, England, as the U.S. defeated its opponents by an average of 32 points per game.

The beginning of the end

After years of wear and tear, Bryant's legs finally gave, tearing his Achilles tendon in April 2013.

Hanging 'em up

In his 20th season in the league, Bryant announced he would be retiring from the NBA following the conclusion of the 2015-16 season.