Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is a pro-American basketball player who played for the La Lakers from 1996-2016. He is remembered for his tough competitive spirit and making tough game-winning shots and being a great on-ball defender. He is fondly remembered as the “Black Mamba” because of how he played and his strikes like the Mamba, which can kill seven people with a single bite. We lost Kobe to a helicopter crash in early 2020. This loss brought the whole basketball world by storm and people worldwide mourned his death. He was an inspiration to millions of young players. He is regarded as one of the most significant players and scorers the game has witnessed.

Early Life

Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia the youngest of three children and the only son of Pamela Cox Bryant and former NBA player Joe Bryant. He was named after the famous Kobe beef in Japan. He grew up in Italy where his father went to play professional basketball after retiring from the NBA. He learned to speak fluent Italian, his grandfather would send him videos of NBA games so that he could study them and he would often visit the USA to play in the summer leagues. His favorite team growing up was the Lakers and he got the chance to play for them throughout his career. He came back to Philadelphia when he was 13 and joined Lower Merion High School.

NBA Journey

Kobe Bryant was chosen by the La Lakers as the 13th overall choice in the 1996 NBA Draft.

The Lakers were looking to trade their starting center Vlade Divac for a player's draft rights to free up salary cap space to make an offer to free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal. Bill Branch, the Charlotte Hornets' head scout at the time, said that the Hornets agreed to trade their No. 13 pick to the Lakers the day before the draft. The way he played reminded people of Michael Jordan. He took some time to get adjusted to the NBA in his early years but he was hungry. Michael saw this tenacity in Kobe and guided him in the right direction. Kobe had his first taste of sweet victory from 1999-2002 this is when the Lakers won their three-peat under legendary coach Phil Jackson. He did have his disagreement with Shaq and did not end well, but they did let their animosity take a back seat and settle it once and for all on a TV show. Kobe was well-loved and respected by his teammates and fans. He imbibed the hard-working culture of the locals who loved to see him dive for every loose ball, make tough shots and make memories for people who are seeing him for the first time. He was known to be a go-getter and clutch in important moments.

After the first three-peat, the Lakers struggled without the presence of Shaq and a few other key components that were present and made it seem easy to win championships. The Lakers struggled till 2009 but then acquired a few good players like Pau Gasol and a team of youngsters who looked at Kobe for motivation. The Lakers won the 2009 and 2010 championships marking it an overall 5th championship for Kobe. He jokingly said that he was happy that he had one more championship than Shaq.

Kobe Bryant Awards and Achievements

Kobe Bryant Records

Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He had scored a lot of three-pointers and helped their team in winning. Bryant has won five NBA championships with the La Lakers and with his outstanding shooting ability and great one-on-one defense on the perimeter, he has been instrumental in the team's victory. Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry share the record for most threes made in a single edition of the NBA Playoffs. Second most All-NBA First Team Honors won: 11. Second most All-Defensive Team honors won: 12. Second youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Team. Only player in NBA history to score at least 600 points in the postseason for three consecutive years.

• 5× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2009, 2010)

• 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)

• NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)

• 18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016)

• 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)

• 11× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013)

• 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001)

• 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)

• 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011)

• 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)

• 2× NBA scoring champion (2006, 2007)

• NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997)

• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)

• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Kobe Bryant's Net Worth

At the time of his death, his net worth was around $600 million. He has quite a few investments and endorsements. He tackles business the same way he does on the basketball court, assesses the situation, and sees what changes he can bring, one of his notable investments is Body Armour.

Kobe Bryant Family

Kobe Bryant comes from a family of athletes. Like his father who had played in the NBA and his Mother who was a collegiate volleyball player once. Bryant was the youngest of three children. He grew up with two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, and had a close relationship with them until his death. The Bryants' first daughter, Natalia, was born in January 2003. The birth resulted in a reconciliation between Bryant and his parents. Due to an ectopic pregnancy, Vanessa suffered a miscarriage in the spring of 2005. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (also referred to as "Gigi"), was born in May 2006. On December 16, 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and the couple requested joint custody of their daughters. On January 11, 2013, Bryant and his wife both announced via social media that they had called off their divorce.[415] In early December 2016, Vanessa gave birth to their third daughter and in January 2019 the Bryants announced they were expecting a fourth daughter Their daughter was born in June 2019.

Popularly Asked Questions

What is the rarest Kobe Bryant card?

1996-97 E-X2000 Credentials Kobe Bryant RC #30 #/499 this is the rarest card according to Ebay.

What is a Kobe Bryant rookie card worth?

Bryant's rookie cards are worth quite a bit of money because of his stature and the way he played the game.

Was Kobe Bryant a billionaire?

No, Kobe was not a billionaire but he was a millionaire at the time of his death.

How much is Kobe Bryant's net worth?

Kobe at the time of his death was worth around $600 million, most of his amassed wealth came from salaries and endorsements, and great investments.

Were Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant friends?

Yes, they were really good friends on and off the court. They respected each other's games and had a good tussle in the finals where Kobe had the upper hand.