Los Angeles ? Kobe Bryant’s journey through free agency ended Thursday where it began — with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It feels great to be in the city of Los Angeles playing for the Lakers the next seven years,” Bryant said after Thursday’s news conference where he signed his new contract. “It feels unbelievable.”

Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA titles.

The decision came a day after the Lakers traded fellow superstar Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat. His contract will be worth $136.4 million over seven years.

He has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault and faces an Aug. 27 trial in Eagle, Colo.

Bryant on Thursday insisted he had nothing to do with the departures of O’Neal and former head coach Phil Jackson.

“That upsets me. That angers me. That hurts me,” Bryant said of speculation that he was involved in the team’s decision-making.

“They did what they had to do. That had nothing to do with me. In a perfect world, we would have all come back and won another (championship).”