MIES (Switzerland) - Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest, most spectacular sportsman of all time. His basketball career was full of unforgettable, heroic moments.

As a USA star, he helped take his country, and international basketball, to new heights, showing panache, power and skill, while making timely contributions. His USA teams went undefeated.

Bryant was a shining light in the USA teams that won the  FIBA AmeriCup in 2007, and the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012.

Here are his top 10 games with the USA.

1 - USA 118 Spain 107 - 2008 Olympic Final

Having fallen to Yugoslavia in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2002 Quarter-Finals, to Argentina in the 2004 Olympic Semi-Finals and to Greece in the 2006 World Cup last four, the USA sought redemption.

Bryant made sure they got it.

The Americans brushed aside every team that came before them, and marched into Gold Medal Game in Beijing.

Yet they faced a significant hurdle in Spain, a team that had underperformed against them in the Preliminary Round.

Bryant took over in the fourth quarter. With eight minutes left and the USA leading by just two points, Bryant went to work.

He poured in 13 points, handed out three assists and came up with a couple of important swats.

His most important play came with the USA up five, just three minutes from the end. Bryant, closely guarded by Rudy Fernandez, connected from behind the arc and was fouled on the play.

With victory all but assured, Bryant looked at Spanish fans and made a shush gesture, before stepping up to the line and making the free-throw. He finished with 20 points and had game highs in both assists with six, and blocks with two.

2 - USA 107 Spain 100 - 2012 Olympic Final

The USA was no longer the Redeem Team. The Americans nevertheless still felt the pressure to defend the Olympic title.

Bryant was instrumental in meeting that aim. In his last outing with the USA, a second consecutive Olympic Gold Medal Game showdown against Spain, Bryant buried three shots from behind the arc and finished with 17 points.

He showed one last time his amazing talent before walking off the court a champion.

3 - 2007 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge

Bryant made his debut for the USA in the intra-squad scrimmage in Las Vegas and it turned out to be an eye-popping launchpad for his national team career.

He erupted for 26 points, including the game-winning shot from the top of the key with six seconds remaining. He finished 10 of 22 from the floor, including four of nine from deep, and also had five assists and five steals.

4 - USA 116 Australia 85, 2008 Olympic Quarter-Final

As the American team hit the business end of the Beijing Games on their Redeem Team tour, Bryant left no doubt that he was going to do all in his power to get his country to the top of the podium.

He exploded for 25 points, his highest points haul of the Olympics, while connecting on four attempts from three-point range, and helped the USA roll to victory. Bryant was 10 of 16 from the floor overall and also had five rebounds, an assist, one steal and one block.

5 - USA 119 Australia 86 - 2012 Olympic Quarter-Final

There was something about facing the Boomers that brought out the best in Bryant.

Appearing in his second Olympics, Bryant was excellent against Australia. He drained six of 10 attempts from behind the arc and added a couple of free-throws.

Bryant finished with 20 points in the triumph that kept the USA on course for gold medal glory.

6 - USA 91 Argentina 76 - 2007 FIBA AmeriCup Quarter-Final Round

The USA were ready from the off against an unbeaten Argentina. Bryant set the tone for an impressive American win by making his first three shots of the game and the USA never turned back.

In the last game of the Quarter-Final Round in Las Vegas, Bryant had 27 points in just 23 minutes.

The win bolster the American confidence as they set out to capture the title, and to build momentum for a run at Olympic gold.

7 - USA 109 Argentina 83 - 2012 Olympic Semi-Final

Argentina's victory over the USA in the 2004 Olympic Semi-Final had left a lasting impression. The Americans needed no reminding of how dangerous Manu Ginobili and Co were on the international stage, even if it was eight years later.

Bryant had 13 points in the last four meeting in London, scoring 11 in the opening quarter. He had three 3-pointers in the first 4:20 of the game to lay the foundation for the USA victory. 

8 - USA 92 Greece 69 - 2008 Olympics

Greece's 101-95 upset of the USA in the Semi-Finals of the 2006 FIBA Basketball World Cup had led to joyous scenes in Athens, where many fans celebrated by pouring into the streets. Bryant helped make sure there wouldn't be a repeat two years later in the Preliminary Round of the Beijing Games.

Bryant made seven of 14 shots from the floor, including two of five from long range, en route to 18 points. The USA claimed an important win against the country that had just a few years before won the FIBA EuroBasket in Belgrade.

9 - USA 113 Brazil 76 - 2007 FIBA AmeriCup

Bryant turned in his highest scoring performance in a competitive international, and against a very good, up-and-coming Brazil team. He had 20 points on six-of-nine shooting from the floor, including three of six from behind the arc, in the Preliminary Round game that determined Group B’s top seed for the Quarter-Final Round.

10 - USA 101 China 70 - 2008 Olympics

Bryant made his Olympic bow against hosts China in Beijing and the eyes of the world were on him. In one of the most watched international games of all time, with USA President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the stands, Bryant helped the Americans clinch victory.

The USA only led Yao Ming and Co 20-16 at the end of the first quarter and 49-37 at half-time. Yet Bryant and Co outscored China 25-11 in the third quarter and cruised to an important opening night victory. Bryant finished with 13 points on six of 13 shooting from the floor, and also had three assists and two steals.

FIBA