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Kobe Bryant | Biography, Stats, & Facts
Kobe Bryant
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- Born:
- August 23, 1978 Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Died:
- January 26, 2020 (aged 41) Calabasas California
- Awards And Honors:
- Olympic Games Basketball Hall of Fame (2020) Most Valuable Player (2008) 18x NBA All-Star selections 2x NBA scoring champion 5x NBA champion 15x All-NBA selections 12x All-Defensive selections 4x NBA All-Star Game MVP 2x NBA Finals MVP NBA Most Valuable Player (2007–08) selected for NBA All-Rookie team, 1996–97
- Notable Family Members:
- son of Joe Bryant son of Pamela Bryant married to Vanessa Laine Bryant (m.
2001) father of Natalia Diamante Bryant (b. 2003) father of Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant (b. 2006) father of Bianka Bella Bryant (b. 2016) father of Capri Kobe Bryant (b. 2019) brother of Sharia Bryant brother of Shaya Bryant
See all related content →
Top Questions
Where was Kobe Bryant born?
Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on August 23, 1978.
When was Kobe Bryant first named MVP in the NBA?
In 2008 Kobe Bryant was named the National Basketball Association (NBA) league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the first time in his career.
How many Olympic gold medals did Kobe Bryant win?
Kobe Bryant won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. men’s basketball teams at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Olympic Games.
When was Kobe Bryant inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Kobe Bryant was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
When did Kobe Bryant die?
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter were among a group traveling to a girls basketball game in a helicopter when it crashed, killing all nine people aboard.
Summary
Read a brief summary of this topic
Kobe Bryant, in full Kobe Bean Bryant, (born August 23, 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died January 26, 2020, Calabasas, California), American professional basketball player, who helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to five championships (2000–02 and 2009–10).
Bryant’s father, Joe (“Jelly Bean”) Bryant, was a professional basketball player who spent eight seasons in the NBA and eight more playing in Italy, where Bryant went to school. When his family returned to the United States, Bryant played basketball at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he received several national Player of the Year awards and broke the southeastern Pennsylvania scoring record set by Wilt Chamberlain with 2,883 points.
Bryant opted to forgo college and declared himself eligible for the NBA draft when he graduated from high school. The Charlotte Hornets chose him with the 13th pick of the 1996 draft. He was traded to the Lakers shortly thereafter and became the second youngest NBA player in history when the 1996–97 season opened. He quickly proved his merit with the Lakers and was selected for the NBA All-Star Game in just his second season, becoming the youngest All-Star.
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Bryant was forced to share the role of the Lakers’ star player with his popular and talented teammate Shaquille O’Neal. The two had an uneasy relationship, but they found success under the leadership of Phil Jackson, who became coach of the Lakers in 1999. Bryant, a shooting guard, and O’Neal, a centre, meshed into a remarkably effective combination, and, by the time Bryant was 23, the Lakers had won three consecutive NBA championships.
After winning their third title in 2002, Bryant and the Lakers encountered difficulties. In the 2003 playoffs the Lakers were defeated in the second round. Several months later Bryant was accused of raping a young woman in Colorado. He maintained his innocence, and all charges were eventually dropped when the woman refused to testify after a monthslong campaign of harassment by fans of Bryant and some members of the media. (Bryant later apologized, admitting that he realized his accuser did not believe their sexual encounter was consensual, and a civil suit was settled in 2005.) The incident greatly tarnished his image. Led by Bryant, the Lakers returned to the finals in 2004, but they were upset by the Detroit Pistons. O’Neal subsequently was traded, and Bryant emerged as the team’s sole leader.
Bryant led the league in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, and in 2008 he was named the league’s MVP for the first time in his career. Bryant won his fourth NBA title in 2009, and he was named the finals MVP after averaging a stellar 32.
4 points per game in the series. He led the Lakers to their third straight Western Conference championship in 2009–10, and he was once more named NBA finals MVP after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series. The Lakers won division titles in each of the following seasons but were eliminated in the second round of each postseason. Entering the 2012–13 season, the Lakers added superstars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to their lineup and were considered one of the preseason title favourites, but the disappointing team was barely on pace to qualify for the final Western Conference playoff spot when Bryant ruptured his Achilles tendon in April 2013, causing him to miss the rest of the season. (The Lakers were ultimately the eighth and final playoff seed that season and were swept in their first series.) He returned to the court in December 2013 but played in just six games before fracturing his kneecap and missing the remainder of that season as well. Bryant returned for the beginning of the 2014–15 season before he was again injured, tearing his rotator cuff in January 2015.
He played almost all of the following season but again struggled, with a career-low .358 shooting percentage while averaging 17.6 points per game, and he retired following the last regular-season game of the 2015–16 season.
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In addition to his professional accomplishments, he was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s basketball teams at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 2015 Bryant wrote the poem “Dear Basketball,” and two years later it served as the basis for a short film of the same name, which he also narrated. The work won an Academy Award for best animated short film. In 2018 Bryant published the book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, in which he described his approach to basketball; the title reflected a nickname he bestowed upon himself during his playing days, “The Black Mamba.” On January 26, 2020, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter were among a group traveling to a girls basketball game in a helicopter when it crashed, killing all nine people aboard.
He was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later that year.
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.
"Kobe Bryant was the face, symbol, ambassador of basketball"
January 26, 2020,
updated January 27, 2020, 05:21
Kobe Bryant's death ) American Kobe Bryant died on Sunday at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash 30 miles from Los Angeles. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna was also a victim of the tragedy.
US President Donald Trump expressed his regret over the tragedy. "It is reported that the great basketball player Kobe Bryant and three others died in a helicopter crash in California. This is terrible news," the head of state wrote on Twitter.
Bryant won gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics with Team USA. The International Olympic Committee did not stand aside from the death of a basketball player.
"Two-time Olympic champion Kobe Bryant has died in a plane crash. Rest in peace Kobe Bryant, you will always be in our hearts," the IOC said in a statement.
The Russian national football team expressed its condolences on the official Twitter. "We mourn with the whole world. Rest in peace Kobe," the message said.
"He was in demand even after the end of his career"
President of the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) Andrei Kirilenko, who played in the NBA at the same time as Bryant, called the terrible news about the death of an athlete. “We talked not so long ago, he had so many plans,” Kirilenko told TASS. “Kobe is my generation of players, the best basketball player when I played prime. .
President of the Moscow basketball club CSKA Andrey Vatutin noted that the tragic death of Bryant is a real tragedy that makes one think about life and its transience. “For the whole world of basketball, and just for our entire planet, this is grief and shock, probably incomparable,” Vatutin told TASS.
the face, the symbol, the meaning, the ambassador of basketball. It united nations and continents."
LeBron burst into tears
Just on Saturday, three-time NBA champion LeBron James, now with the Lakers, overtook Bryant as the top scorer in history. It is to this achievement that James is dedicated to Kobe's latest Twitter post. The news of Bryant's death caught James at the airport. He couldn't hold back his tears.
Legend on the planet scale
Russian forward of the National Hockey League club "Washington" Alexander Ovechkin called Kobe Bryant a legend on the planet scale. "It's difficult because I knew him," Ovechkin told the Washington Post. "He always treated me with sympathy when we saw each other. He was a legend both in basketball and in the whole world. I still can't believe it." .All athletes want to be the best and he was the best."
"I met Bryant three or four times. He always shook my hand, recognized me. I remember being in the stands, eating a hot dog, he pointed at me, it became awkward," the Washington forward recalled.
Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal expressed condolences to the families of the victims. "There are no words to express the pain I feel over this tragedy, over the loss of my beautiful Gigi and my brother Kobe Bryant. I love you, I will miss you. My condolences to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board ", O'Neill wrote on Twitter.
"An example of the combination of talent and dedication"
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the association was devastated by the death of Bryant and his daughter. “Throughout 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what happens when great talent is combined with absolute dedication, he was one of the most outstanding basketball players in the history of our game. But he will be most remembered for inspiring people around the world to play basketball and show his best. He was generous and made it his mission to share the wisdom he had gained with future generations of players, and was especially happy to pass on his love for the game to his daughter Gianna," Silver said on the NBA website.
"Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Vanessa and the entire family, the Lakers and the sports world," the statement added.
Former US President Barack Obama regrets that Bryant's life was cut short when he was just starting a new chapter. "Kobe was a legend on the court and was just beginning to discover a second, equally significant part of his life. The loss of Gianna is an even more heartbreaking event for us as parents. Michelle and I send our love and prayers to Vanessa (wife of Bryant - approx. TASS) and all Bryant family on this incredible day," Obama tweeted.
Michael Jordan's greatest opponent
Two-time Olympian, six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan called Bryant one of the toughest opponents of his career. "I loved Kobe, he was like a little brother to me. I will miss our conversations with him. He was one of the greatest rivals, and also an amazing father who loved his family very much and was proud of how his daughter loved basketball.
My The family sends their condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers and all basketball fans around the world," Jordan's manager, Esty Portnoy, quoted Jordan as saying.
Five-time NBA champion Magic Johnson says he refuses to believe Bryant's death. “My friend, legend, father, husband, son, brother, Oscar winner and the greatest Lakers player of all time has left us. Words cannot describe the impact he had on basketball and I know fans around the world will miss him, especially in LA," Johnson tweeted.
Six-time Formula One champion British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton credited Bryant as one of his inspirations. "Sad to hear of the loss of one of the greatest. Bryant was one of the best athletes, an inspiration to so many, including myself. My deepest condolences to his family and to the people around the world who will miss him. Rest in peace," wrote Hamilton on Twitter.
Fans created a memorial near the arena
Thousands of fans of the Lakers and Brynt's talent after the news of the tragedy gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and created an impromptu memorial in honor of the athlete.
Sunday NBA games begin with a moment of silence in memory of Bryant. And the players of the teams at the beginning of the meetings violate the rules of 24 seconds, which are given for an attack, and 8 seconds, set for the removal of the ball from their own half of the court. Bryant wore numbers 8 and 24 throughout his career.
Inspiration and support for many
Juventus and Portugal football player Cristiano Ronaldo noted that it is not easy for him to accept the loss of the legendary athlete. "Sad to hear the heartbreaking news of the death of Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Kobe was a true legend and an inspiration to so many. My condolences go out to his family and friends, and to the families of all who died in the plane crash. Rest in peace, legend," he wrote. he's on Twitter.
Barcelona and Argentina football player Lionel Messi noted that he enjoyed meeting with Bryant. "I have no words. I grieve with Kobe's family and his friends. Meeting with him and spending time together was a pleasure for me.
A true genius has left us," Messi wrote on Instagram.
The International Football Federation named the basketball player a legend.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova thanked Bryant for his support during difficult moments of her life. "Kobe and Gigi... This is incredibly hard to accept," Sharapova tweeted. with you and your beautiful family."
Favorite basketball player, legend
TV presenter Ivan Urgant, the permanent host of the All-Star Games of the VTB United League, noted that Bryant was his childhood idol. “The first person I saw on the floor was him. The first jersey I bought in LA in 2002 was with his name and number. I saw him become an Olympic champion twice. And how he played against LeBron at the Staples Center. I just lucky. We are all lucky that we saw him. R.I.P Gianna and Kobe Bryant," Urgant wrote on Instagram.
Football player of "Zenith" and the Russian national team Artem Dzyuba also reacted to the tragedy. "Kobe Bryant.
.. My favorite basketball player... Legend... I just can't believe it... Forever in my memory," he wrote on Instagram.
Bryant retired from playing in 2016. He was a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, was named the NBA MVP in 2008, and the NBA Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010. He is the fourth highest-scoring player in NBA history ( 33,643 points), was an 18-time NBA All-Star.
Tags:
Cristiano RonaldoKirilenko, Andrei GennadievichMessi, Lionel Ovechkin, Alexander Mikhailovich Sharapova, Maria Yurievna Hamilton, Lewis Dziuba, Artem SergeevichThe death of Kobe Bryant
"Glad I could do more than just hit the ball." In memory of Kobe Bryant
"Mamba forever"
It may seem like a strange coincidence or even some kind of fatal omen, but the entire basketball world once again remembered Kobe Bryant the day before his tragic death. The fact is that the current star of the Lakers and the entire NBA, LeBron James, surpassed Bryant in the number of career points and came in third in history for this indicator.
LeBron spent the entire match in sneakers with the inscription "Mamba forever" - in honor of Kobe.
.@KingJames wrote "Mamba 4 Life" on his shoes as he has a chance to pass @kobebryant for third on the all-time scoring list 🐍 pic.twitter.com/9n6afaaXBR
— ESPN (@espn) January 26 , 2020
The nickname Black Mamba Kobe came up with himself. It may seem odd to name yourself after a snake, but Bryant had his own take on it. He also trained his famous throw with a deviation, watching the plasticity of a cheetah.
Mamba can inflict a series of consecutive bites with an accuracy of 99%. And that's the kind of performance I want to achieve as a basketball player
Kobe Bryant
Back to James: Bryant, who has always been considered the biggest egotist in basketball history, was sincerely happy for his teammate and congratulated him on his accomplishment. The photo with LeBron is the last one on Kobe's Instagram.
And this is the latest tweet: "LeBron James keeps pushing the game forward. Kudos to my brother" .
Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother 💪🏾 #33644
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 26, 2020
It just so happens that the latter is always the most memorable. And Kobe, as always, did everything right. A person who has striven for perfection all his life pays tribute to the one who continues his work. Only the great are capable of this.
Kobe Bryant is an era. You may not have seen a single Formula 1 race, but the name Schumacher is a household name for you. You may not have watched a single Champions League final, but you know exactly who Ronaldinho is. You may not even know all the rules of basketball, but you know exactly whose last name is on the Lakers jersey number 24.
Photo © Zuma / TASS
Kobe Bryant is a symbol. A symbol of true love for basketball for all the boys and girls of the 80s, 90s and zero.
We watched this guy turn the game upside down every day in the best league in the world, and then tried to repeat his tricks in our yard or on the floor of our youth sports school. Michael Jordan is now more of a myth, a legend. LeBron James is more machine than man. And Kobe, who reigned in the world between these two eras, is a simple kid who has become a legend. A legend that won't die.
"Milan always in my heart"
Kobe was born in Philadelphia, but when Bryant was six his family moved to Italy where his father played. The basketball player spent his childhood in Milan and began to root for the local football club. Bryant admitted that if he had not worked out with basketball, he would have tried to leave for football. Does anyone doubt that he would have become great in this sport?
Kobe has always called Ronaldinho his favorite player. It is very symbolic, because with their magic, both made them sincerely love sports.
Descanse em paz, meu amigo 🙏🏿 😭 pic.
twitter.com/vRqNRyoIhp
— Ronaldinho Gaúcho (@10Ronaldinho) January 26, 2020
Bryant went to school already in the USA, but he did not study at the university. Normally only college league players were selected in the NBA draft, but Kobe was so good in high school that he became the first person in history to enter the league without going through college. Bryant was in transit through the Charlotte Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was 1996. Thus the legend was born.
"People just don't understand how obsessed I am with winning"
Kobe came into the league as a self-confident youngster with a fancy afro on his head and full confidence that he could unseat Michael Jordan from the throne. In his first matches against the legend, Bryant gave 300%, but then few believed that he would become the new king of basketball. But Kobe himself believed, as a rule, he did not care about the opinion of the others.
Photo © Youtube / Go Basketball
Together with Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant formed one of the greatest tandems in NBA history in the early 2000s, easily taking three titles in a row.
But tandems are not for Kobe. His goal has always been perfection, this is the very "Mamba mentality" that many still seek to unravel. Bryant was always obsessed, he didn’t divide games into important and not so, he didn’t try to gather a stronger team around him to win more titles, he didn’t strive to knock out more money in order to get a good life. His basketball obsession is a real animal passion, primal instinct and pure passion. No extra gloss.
I don't play basketball for the sake of fame, attention and love of the fans. I play to win. The rest is tinsel
Kobe Bryant
He was ready to play at least 182 games in a season. When he injured his right hand, he learned to throw with his left. Showed the maximum, even when the whole world accused him of imaginary "rape". And when he squeezed out of the team not only Shaquille, but also coach Phil Jackson, he gave the best performance in history. 81 points per match! Yes, they say that Wilt Chamberlain once scored as many as 100, but who even saw it?
Jordan + 1
Most will remember Kobe as the legendary number 24. But he came into the league with an eight on his back. Bryant explained that he immediately wanted to take 24 or 33, under which he played in school. But 33 was retired in honor of NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And 24 was occupied by another player. As a result, he played ten years under the eighth number, and then the same number - under the 24th. As a result, he became the first player in history, in whose honor two numbers were withdrawn from circulation at once.
Photo © Bleacherreport.com
No. 8 Kobe and No. 24 Kobe are truly two full-fledged NBA legends. The kid with the afro, beard and mustache who dominated the league with Shaquille is one man. The bald sage, who single-handedly pulled even the worst squad in history to the finals, is different.
Bryant himself treated his numbers with irony.
If a monument is erected to me, then it is not necessary to make a number on it. If there is hair on the head of the sculpture, then this will be an obvious clue. Number 8 had something that number 24 will never have - the ability to grow hair
Kobe Bryant
Kobe wore number 33 in honor of his father. Eight - in honor of the favorite player of his youth, Michael D'Antoni. But why 24? Kobe has never said this publicly, but the picture comes together: it's one more than the legendary Michael Jordan number 23, which Kobe has always been obsessed with.
"What people see on the set is the other side of me, it's not the real me"
What Kobe did on the set cannot leave anyone indifferent. He made the pursuit of perfection an absolute and sometimes played basketball like it wasn't a team sport at all. He was an athlete in its purest form, who even sometimes reduced sleep time for the sake of training.
He really changed the game. It is generally accepted that Jordan always had his faithful squire Scottie Pippen by his side, and Kobe did not need anyone.
Photo © AP / TASS / Mark J. Terrill
He won five titles, became an Olympic champion twice, but never stopped. Four times the best player in the All-Star Game is an absolute NBA record. Usually these stellar weekends are more entertainment for the fans, but not for Bryant. He even played in exhibition matches like it was a final, and what, if not this, is the highest devotion to basketball?
There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pigHywq3c1
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 26, 2020
When he stepped onto the floor, he was alone against the world.
But it was not always so. When Bryant retired, he reconciled with Shaquille and became his "little brother" again. Jordan has always believed that if anyone is capable of breaking his records, it is Kobe. James, a man who calls himself king, sincerely bowed to Bryant until the last day.
Because he was more than just a great basketball player. He was a genius who existed in a reality unattainable for us. He always aspired to become a super being, able to do what no one else can. But at the same time, he always remained human. He got angry, freaked out, sent everyone to hell and always went his own way, no matter what. In his youth, Kobe quarreled with his parents because of the decision to marry a Hispanic woman. But this was not the story of an impulsive youngster: he lived with Vanessa all his life, not as long as he deserved, but, I want to believe, happy.
They had four children and were Bryant's main inspiration in recent years. The man who violently destroyed NBA legends on the floor has become a children's writer.
