As a data-driven analyst who lives by numbers, not narratives, I’ve stared at these stats long enough to know they’re real. In 2002, Kobe Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on a 51.4% FG and 54.5% from three — all while outlasting a championship series under pressure. This wasn’t luck. It was precision engineering disguised as art. The model didn’t account for his will.