KOBE PROVES JAM-TASTIC : BRYANT WINS DUNK CONTEST.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, the kid, is now The Man.

In a performance that undoubtedly left high school seniors all over the country thinking they, too, are ready for the NBA, Bryant was the show Saturday night.

The 18-year-old, who jumped directly from the preps to the pros, joined the ranks of slam dunk champions by winning the final event of All-Star Saturday. He also scored 31 points in the evening's first attraction, the rookie game.

``Winning the dunk contest is something I dreamed about since I was a little kid,'' Bryant said.

Little kid?

Hey, he still is a little kid.

It was just four years ago that Bryant, then 14, dunked for the first time in his life. Less than a year ago, he was going to his senior prom with pop star Brandy, who was at the competition.

Age, however, wasn't the determining factor in the dunk contest. It had more to do with style.

And Bryant added a dominant dose of stylin' following his best dunk of the night.

On Bryant's winning jam, he ran toward the basket, jumped into the air, passed the ball between his legs and finished it off with a right-handed windmill.

But that wasn't the end.

Bryant strutted over to the bench where all the regular All-Stars sat, assumed a bodybuilder flex pose and pursed his lips into a pucker.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) ``Winning the dunk contest is something I dreamed about since I was a little kid,'' slam dunk winner Kobe Bryant said.

(2--color) Kobe Bryant gets some air - and net - on this dunk. He scored 49 out of a possible 50 points in the final.

Associated Press