Kobe Bryant was an iconic American basketball player who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He won five NBA championships and was an 18-time All-Star, renowned for his scoring ability and defensive prowess, making the All-Defensive First Team nine times.
Bryant scored 33,643 points, with a career-high of 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Parents
Kobe was the youngest of three children, born to Joseph “Joe” Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. Joe, a former NBA player, had a significant influence on Kobe’s basketball career.
Pamela, his mother, is also related to former NBA player Chubby Cox.
Their relationship with Kobe became strained over time, particularly due to his marriage to Vanessa Bryant and subsequent attempts by his parents to auction his memorabilia without his consent.
Despite tensions, they were seen together at Kobe’s memorial after his tragic death in 2020.
Career
Kobe attended Lower Merion High School, where he gained national attention for his exceptional skills.
In 1996, he became the first guard to be drafted directly from high school when he was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Draft.
Shortly after, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe made his debut for the Lakers on November 3, 1996, at just 17 years old.
His rookie season was marked by moments of brilliance, including becoming the youngest player to score in an NBA game.
He averaged 7.6 points per game and quickly became known for his work ethic and competitive nature.
Kobe’s breakthrough came in the early 2000s when he formed a formidable partnership with superstar Shaquille O’Neal.
Together, they led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.
During this period, Kobe was named an All-Star for the first time in 1998 and continued to earn selections throughout his career.
His individual accolades are numerous; he won the NBA MVP award in 2008, earned Finals MVP honors twice (in 2009 and 2010), and was selected to the All-NBA First Team 15 times.
Additionally, he led the league in scoring during the 2005-2006 season.
Kobe adopted the nickname “Black Mamba,” which symbolized his fierce competitiveness and relentless pursuit of excellence.
This mentality became a hallmark of his career and inspired countless athletes across various sports.
Some of his most iconic moments include scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, which stands as the second-highest single-game scoring performance in NBA history.
In his final NBA game on April 13, 2016, Kobe scored an astonishing 60 points against the Utah Jazz, leading the Lakers to a comeback victory.
After retiring in 2016, Kobe continued to influence basketball and beyond.
He won an Academy Award for his animated short film Dear Basketball, which reflected on his love for the game.
Helicopter crash
Kobe tragically died on January 26, 2020, at the age of 41, when a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California.
The crash claimed the lives of all nine individuals on board, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
The helicopter was en route to a basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy when it encountered poor visibility due to fog, leading the pilot to make a series of poor decisions that resulted in the fatal accident.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the pilot became disoriented in the low cloud cover, causing the helicopter to descend rapidly before striking the hillside.
