Kobe Bryant

Basketball Player

Kobe Bean Bryant, nicknamed the "Black Mamba", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He entered the NBA directly from high school, and has played for the Lakers his entire career, winning five NBA championships.

Full Name

Kobe Bean Bryant

Birthday

Aug 23, 1978

deathday

Jan 26, 2020

AGE

BORN

United States

BIrth SIGN

Virgo

RElationship

Height

6′ 6″

Net Worth

$600M

About

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. Kobe’s parents divorced when he was three years old and his father moved to Italy to continue his playing career. While living in Italy, Kobe learned to speak fluent Italian as well as Spanish. When he was 13, Kobe moved back to the United States with his family and attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

At Lower Merion High School, Kobe quickly became a standout basketball star. He led his team to a state championship title during his senior year and was named Gatorade Player of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the Year for 1996. After high school, he decided to skip college and enter the 1996 NBA Draft where he was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets but then immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 2000, Kobe won his first championship with the Lakers and went on to win four more championships throughout his career (2001-2002 & 2009-2010). Other accomplishments include being an 18-time All-Star selection (1998-2016), two-time scoring champion (2006 & 2007), two-time FMVP (2009 & 2010), 11 time All-NBA First Team member (2002 - 2012) and 12 time All Defensive Team member (2000 - 2004 & 2006 - 2011). In 2016 at 38 years old, Kobe retired from professional basketball after 20 seasons with the Lakers.

Kobe also earned many accolades off the court including being an Academy Award winner for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for “Dear Basketball” which was based on a poem he wrote announcing his retirement from basketball in 2015. He has also been involved with various philanthropic initiatives such as The Kobe Bryant China Fund which seeks to promote Sino-U.S exchanges through sports programs.

Life Timeline

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1978</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Kobe Bryant is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On August 23, 1978, Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1996</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe is drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1996</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe is traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2000</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">1st NBA Championship</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe wins his first of five championships with the Lakers.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2003</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Records 81 Point Game</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe records the second highest single game point total in NBA history with an 81 point game against the Toronto Raptors.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2008</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Olympic Gold Medalist</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe wins a gold medal as part of Team USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2016</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Retires From Basketball</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Kobe retires after a 20 year career with the Lakers and is honored with a jersey retirement ceremony.</p></div>

Why We Love Them

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He's an Icon</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Kobe Bryant is a basketball icon. He is widely respected by players and fans alike, and his influence on the sport will be felt for generations. He also has an impressive list of accomplishments, including four NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, and 18 All-Star appearances.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> He's a Great Competitor</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Kobe Bryant was an intense competitor who never backed down from a challenge. He was known for his relentless work ethic and determination to win, and this made him one of the greatest players in NBA history.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> His Legacy Lives On</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Kobe’s legacy lives on through his Mamba mentality; a mindset he developed which is all about dedication, hard work, focus, and striving for excellence. This attitude is something that Kobe passed onto many young athletes, inspiring them to reach their goals and never give up.</p></div>

Interesting Facts

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> First Guard to Win an MVP and NBA Finals MVP</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Kobe Bryant was the first guard to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards and the first to win both the regular season MVP and NBA Finals MVP in the same season (2008).</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Scored 81 Points in a Single Game</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006, making it the second highest scoring performance in NBA history.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Youngest Player to Score 20,000 Points</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">At age 29, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to score 20,000 points; this record was previously held by Wilt Chamberlain who set it at age 32.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Won 5 NBA Championships</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Kobe Bryant won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, including three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002.</p></div>