Los Angeles, CA (Best E Casino) - Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is expected to win the 2007-08 NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Sources told the newspaper that Commissioner David Stern is expected to be in Los Angeles next week to officially present the award to the enigmatic superstar.

Bryant, the fourth Laker to win the award, finished second in the NBA in scoring (28.3 ppg) in addition to recording 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, leading the Lakers to the best record (57-25) in the immensely competitive Western Conference.

Bryant will have beaten out a number of deserving candidates for the prestigious award, namely, New Orleans point guard Chris Paul, who dished out a league-best 11.6 assists per game to go with 21.1 points and 4.0 rebounds an outing.

The 29-year old Bryant spent the offseason in a multitude of trade rumors often times brought on by his own comments, but emerged as a team player following a mid-season trade for the Memphis Grizzlies' Pau Gasol that ultimately sparked the Lakers' and Bryant's turnaround.

Bryant's highest finish in the MVP race, voted on by NBA writers and broadcasters, occurred last season when he finished third behind winner Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.

The 12-year veteran carried the Lakers past the Denver Nuggets with a sweep in the first round of the playoffs, averaging a dominant 35.5 points per game.

Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the other Lakers to have been bestowed with MVP honors.