Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Pam Bryant ( Cox), is the sister of basketball player Chubby Cox, and his father, Joe Bryant, played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has two older sisters: Sharia and Shaya. His father named him after the Kobe beef from Japan, which he saw on a restaurant menu, whereas his middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean". and the Lakers were his favorite team when he was growing up. When Bryant was six, his father retired from the NBA and moved his family to Rieti in Italy to continue playing professional basketball. Kobe began to play basketball seriously while living in Reggio Emilia. His grandfather mailed him videos of NBA games for him to study. Another source of inspiration was animated European films about sports, from which Kobe learned more about basketball. From 1987 to 1989, his father played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia where he paired with former Detroit Pistons player Leon Douglas. Kobe worked at the games as a ball and mop boy and practiced shooting at halftime. Douglas said, "At every one of our games at halftime, it was the Kobe show. He'd get out there and get his shot up. We'd come out of the locker room at halftime and have to chase him off the court". Bryant also learned to play soccer, and his favorite soccer team was A.C. Milan. During summers, Bryant returned to the United States to play in a basketball summer league. When he was 13, Bryant and his family moved back to Philadelphia, where he enrolled in the eighth grade at Bala Cynwyd Middle School. == High school career ==

gym in Ardmore, Pennsylvania Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high-school career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. He played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. Bryant became the first freshman in decades to start for Lower Merion's varsity team, but the team finished with a 4–20 record. The following three years, the Aces compiled a 77–13 record, with Bryant playing all five positions. and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year while also earning a fourth-team Parade All-American nomination, attracting attention from college recruiters in the process. while playing alongside future NBA teammate Lamar Odom. While in high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Bryant to work out and scrimmage with the team, where he played one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse. As a senior, Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years. During the run, he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Aces to a 31–3 record. Bryant finished his high-school career as Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, surpassing both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons. Bryant received several awards for his outstanding performance during his senior year at Lower Merion. These included being named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Men's National Basketball Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American, a first-team Parade All-American and a USA Today All-USA First Team player. Bryant's varsity coach, Greg Downer, commented that he was "a complete player who dominates" and praised his work ethic, even as the team's top player. In 1996, Bryant took R&B singer Brandy to her Hollywood High senior prom. Ultimately, the 17-year-old Bryant decided to go directly into the NBA, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to do so. but he did not officially visit any campuses. == Professional career ==

1996 NBA draft {{quote box Before the 1996 NBA draft, Bryant had worked out in Los Angeles, where he scrimmaged against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper and, according to then-Laker general manager Jerry West, "marched over these people." 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 the Hornets agreed to trade their 13 pick to the Lakers the day before the draft. Before agreement, the Hornets never considered drafting Bryant. During the draft, the Lakers told the Hornets whom to select minutes before the pick was made. Bryant was the first guard drafted directly out of high school. After the draft, the trade was put in jeopardy when Divac threatened to retire rather than be traded from LA. However, on June 30, Divac relented and the trade was finalised on July 9, when the league's off-season moratorium ended. Since Bryant was 17, his parents had to co-sign his contract until Bryant was able to sign his own when he turned 18 before the season began. Bryant signed a three-year rookie contract totaling $3.5 million. Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2016) Early years (1996–1999) Bryant debuted in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California, scoring 25 points in front of a standing-room-only crowd. Defenders struggled to get in front of him, and his performance excited West and Lakers coach Del Harris. Bryant scored 36 points in the finale and finished with averages of 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. As a rookie in 1996–97, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. At the time, he was the second-youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (18 years, 72 days) and became the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 158 days). Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he saw more playing time. By the end of the season, Bryant averaged 15.5 minutes. During the All-Star weekend, he participated in the Rookie Challenge and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest dunk champion aged 18. Bryant's performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz, when Bryant was pressed into a lead role at the end of Game 5. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining. Bryant shot four air balls; the Jazz won 98–93 in overtime to eliminate the Lakers 4–1. He first missed a game-winning two-point jump shot in the fourth quarter, then misfired three three-point field goals in overtime, including two tying shots in the final minute. O'Neal commented that "[Bryant] was the only guy who had the guts at the time to take shots like that." In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and showed more of his abilities as a guard. As a result, Bryant's point averages more than doubled, from 7.6 to 15.4. He saw an increase in minutes when the Lakers "played small", which would feature Bryant playing small forward alongside the guards he would usually back up. Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, and through fan voting, became the youngest NBA All-Star starter in history. Bryant was joined by teammates O'Neal, Van Exel, and Jones, making it the first time since 1983 that four players on the same team were selected to play in the same All-Star Game. Bryant's 15.4 points per game was the highest of any non-starter in the season. The 1998–99 season marked Bryant's emergence as a premier guard in the league. Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50-game season. He signed a six-year $70 million contract extension, The Lakers made the playoffs, where they were swept by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals. Three-peat (1999–2002) Bryant's fortunes improved when Phil Jackson was appointed Lakers coach in 1999. After years of steady improvement, Bryant became one of the premier shooting guards in the league, earning appearances in the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams. The Lakers became championship contenders behind the center-guard combination of Bryant and O'Neal. Jackson utilized the triangle offense that he implemented to win championships with the Chicago Bulls; this offense would help Bryant and O'Neal rise to the elite. Three championships were won consecutively in 2000, 2001, and 2002, further cementing this. Bryant was sidelined for six weeks prior to the start of the 1999–2000 season due to a hand injury from a preseason game. When Bryant was back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he had an increase in all statistical categories during the 1999–2000 season. This included leading the team in assists and steals per game. The duo of O'Neal and Bryant backed with a strong bench led to the Lakers winning 67 games, tied for fifth-most in NBA history. This followed with Bryant being named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the youngest player to receive All-Defensive honors). While playing second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs, Bryant had some clutch performances, including a 25-point, 11-rebound, seven-assist, four-block game in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. He threw an alley-oop pass to O'Neal to clinch the game and series. In the 2000 Finals, against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the second quarter of Game 2 after landing on the Pacers' Jalen Rose's foot. Rose admitted he placed his foot under Bryant intentionally. Bryant did not return to the game, and missed Game 3. In Game 4, Bryant scored 22 points in the second half and led the team to victory as O'Neal fouled out. Bryant scored the winner to put the Lakers ahead 120–118. With a 116–111 victory in Game 6, the Lakers won their first championship since 1988. Statistically, the 2000–01 season saw Bryant perform similarly to the previous year, but he averaged six more points per game (28.5). It was the year when tensions between Bryant and O'Neal surfaced. Bryant led the team in assists, with five per game. However, the Lakers only won 56 games, an 11-game drop from the previous year. The team responded by going 15–1 in the playoffs. They swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, and the Sacramento Kings in the semifinals. In Game 4 against the Kings, Bryant recorded 48 points, 16 rebounds, and three assists in a 119–113 series-clinching victory. They swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Finals to advance to the Finals, before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers won the next four games and their second championship in as many seasons. During the playoffs, Bryant played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. In the playoffs, O'Neal declared Bryant the best player in the league. He continued his all-round play by averaging 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Bryant had a career-high 46.9% shooting and once again led his team in assists. Bryant claimed his first All-Star MVP trophy after a 31-point performance in Philadelphia, when he was booed by fans throughout the game, stemming from his comment to a 76ers heckler during the Finals that the Lakers were "going to cut your hearts out." While making the All-NBA Defensive Team again, Bryant was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time. The Lakers won 58 games that year and finished second in the Pacific Division behind in-state rival Sacramento Kings. Bryant was suspended for one game after he punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers after the Lakers' March 1, 2002, victory over the Pacers. The road to the Finals would prove much tougher than the record run the Lakers enjoyed the previous year. While they swept the Blazers and defeated the Spurs 4–1 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Lakers did not have home-court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The series would stretch to seven games, the first time this had happened to the Lakers since the 2000 Western Conference Finals. However, the Lakers beat their division rivals and made their third consecutive NBA Finals. In the 2002 Finals against the New Jersey Nets, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the team's points. Aged 23, he became the youngest player to win three championships. This cemented Bryant's reputation as a "clutch player". Title defense and fourth Finals (2002–2004) In the first game of the 2002–03 season, Bryant recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in an 87–82 loss to the visiting Spurs. On November 1, he recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 108–93 victory over the Clippers. Bryant also set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game on January 7, 2003, when he made 12 against the Seattle SuperSonics. He averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. Bryant also averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career-highs to that point. In 2003, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault ahead of the 2003–04 season. This caused him to miss some games due to court appearances or attend court earlier in the day and travel to play games later on the same day. In the final game of the regular season, the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer-beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to send it into overtime. The game eventually went to a second overtime, in which Bryant made another three-pointer as time expired to narrowly lift the Lakers past the Blazers, 105–104. where they lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games. Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists while shooting 35.1% from the field. Jackson's contract as coach was not renewed, and Rudy Tomjanovich took over. O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant. Playoff miss (2004–2005) In July 2004, Bryant resigned with the Lakers on a seven-year, $136.4 million contract. Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 2004–05 season with his reputation damaged from all that had happened the previous year. A particularly damaging salvo came when Jackson wrote The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the Lakers' tumultuous 2003–04 season and has criticisms of Bryant. Jackson called Bryant "un-coachable". Midway through the season, Tomjanovich resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. Stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to assistant coach Frank Hamblen. Bryant was the league's second-leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, but he was surrounded by a subpar cast, and the Lakers went 34–48 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The year signified a drop in his status in the NBA, as Bryant did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was demoted to the All-NBA Third Team. Bryant engaged in public feuds with Malone and Ray Allen. Scoring records (2005–2007) during a preseason game in Honolulu, Hawaii, in October 2005 The 2005–06 season marked a crossroads in Bryant's career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Jackson returned to coach the Lakers. Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, they worked well together the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. Bryant's scoring accomplishments resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, he had outscored the Mavericks team 62–61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since introduction of the shot clock. When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in the feud that had festered between them. A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two were seen laughing together. On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a 122–104 victory over the Toronto Raptors. In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was, at the time, the second-highest point total in NBA history, only behind Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. As of 2026, Bryant's 81-point performace is the third highest-scoring single-game scoring total by a player in NBA history behind Chamberlain's 100 points and Bam Adebayo's 83 points in March 2026. That same month, he became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players to do so. For January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. By the end of 2005–06, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832). He won the league's scoring title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game, becoming just the fifth player in league history to average at least 35 in a season. Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award but received 22 first place votes—second only to winner Steve Nash. Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006–07 season. Bryant's first high-school number was 24 before he switched to 33. After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable as it was worn by George McCloud, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp and chose 8 by adding those numbers. Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game, the Lakers fell to the Suns in seven games. During the 2006–07 season, Bryant was selected to his ninth All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he recorded 31 points, six assists, and six steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in several on-court incidents. On January 28, while attempting to draw contact on a potential game-winning jump shot, he flailed his arm, striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili in the face with his elbow. Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The reason given was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backward. On March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jarić. In his first game back on March 9, Bryant elbowed Kyle Korver in the face, which was retroactively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul. The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Timberwolves, after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies—becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Jordan did it in 1987. The only other Laker to do so was Baylor, who scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December 1962. Bryant finished the year with a total of 10 50-plus point games, surpassed only by Chamberlain. Bryant won his second straight scoring title that season. Throughout 2006–07, Bryant's became the top selling NBA jersey in the US and China. Journalists attributed improved sales to Bryant's new number, as well as his All-Star performance. In the 2007 NBA playoffs, the Lakers were again eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, 4–1. MVP season and back-to-back championships (2007–2010) In May 2007 Bryant stated his desire for Jerry West's return, but denied stating he wanted to be traded if that did not happen. However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and stated, "I want to be traded." Three hours afterwards, Bryant stated in another interview that after talking with coach Jackson, he had backed off his trade request. Bryant was shown in an amateur video saying that center Andrew Bynum should have been traded for All-Star Jason Kidd. On December 23, 2007, Bryant became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points, in a game against the New York Knicks, after scoring 39 points to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists. This record was broken by LeBron James. On March 28, Bryant scored a season-high 53 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. in six games during the 2008 NBA Finals Despite an injury to his shooting hand's small finger, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" that occurred in a game on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Regarding his injury, Bryant stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis." Aided by the trade for All-Star Pau Gasol, Bryant led his team to a West-leading 57–25 record. The Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, Bryant was announced as the league MVP. He said, "It's been a long ride. I'm very proud to represent this organization, to represent this city." West, who was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers, was at the press conference to observe Bryant receive his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. Stern stated, "Kobe deserved it. He's had just another great season. Doesn't surprise me one bit." Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team on May 8, for the third straight season and sixth time in his career. Bryant headlined the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points, including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection. In the first game of the next round, against the Utah Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1. The Lakers won the next game, but dropped Games 3 and 4, even with Bryant putting up 33.5 points per game. The Lakers then won the next two to win the semifinals. The Lakers lost to the Celtics in six games. and Bryant with President Barack Obama during the White House visit honoring the Lakers' 2009 championship In early September 2008, Bryant decided not to have surgery to repair his right pinkie. In the 2008–09 season, the Lakers opened the campaign by winning their first seven games. Bryant led the team to tie the franchise record for most wins to start the season going 17–2, and by the middle of December they compiled a 21–3 record. He was selected to his 11th consecutive All-Star Game as a starter, and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the week three times. In a game against the Knicks on February 2, 2009, Bryant scored 61 points, setting a record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden. During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant tallied 27 points, four assists, four rebounds, and four steals and was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate O'Neal. The Lakers finished the regular season with the best record in the West (65–17). Bryant was runner-up in the MVP voting behind James, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team for the seventh time in his career. In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in five games and the Houston Rockets in seven games in the opening two rounds. By finishing off the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals in six games, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals. The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in five games. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP upon winning his fourth championship, achieving series averages of 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. Bryant became the first player since West in the 1969 NBA Finals to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists for a Finals series and the first since Jordan to average 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists for a title-winning team in the Finals. Bryant was the league's leading scorer throughout the 2000s decade, accumulating 21,065 points in regular season play between the 1999-00 and 2008–09 seasons. of the Orlando Magic in 2010 During the 2009–10 season, Bryant made six game-winning shots including a buzzer-beating, one-legged three-pointer over Dwyane Wade on December 4, 2009, leading to the Lakers' 108–107 victory over the Miami Heat. Bryant considered the shot "one of the luckiest he has made." A week later, Bryant suffered an avulsion fracture in his right index finger in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite this, Bryant continued playing, rather than take any time off. Bryant became the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 points in his career during the season, surpassing Chamberlain. Bryant continued his dominant clutch plays making another game-winning three-pointer against the Sacramento Kings, and what would be the game-winning field goal against the Boston Celtics. The following day, Bryant surpassed West to become the all-time leading scorer in Lakers history. After being sidelined for five games by an ankle injury, which also forced him to miss the 2010 NBA All-Star Game despite being the Western Conference's leading vote-getter, Bryant made his return and made another clutch three-pointer to give the Lakers a one-point lead with four seconds remaining against the Memphis Grizzlies. Two weeks later, he made his sixth game-winning shot of the season, against the Toronto Raptors. On April 2, 2010, Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87 million. He finished the regular season missing four of the final five games, due to injuries to his knee and finger. Bryant suffered injuries throughout the season and missed nine games as a result. The Lakers began the playoffs as the No. 1-seed in the Western Conference against the Oklahoma City Thunder, eventually defeating them in six games. The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second round and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the Phoenix Suns. In Game 2, Bryant finished the game with 13 assists, setting a new playoff career-high; it was the most assists by a Laker in the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996. The Lakers went on to win the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for a third straight season. In the Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to their second consecutive championship by defeating the Boston Celtics in seven games. He scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 15 rebounds, tying an NBA Finals record shared by Sam Jones and Tom Gola for rebounds by a shooting guard. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award. This marked the first time the Lakers won a Game 7 against the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bryant said this was the most satisfying of all his five championships. Post-championship struggles (2010–2013) in honor of the 2010 championship The Lakers started the 2010–11 season by winning their first eight games. On January 30, 2011, against the Celtics, Bryant became the youngest player to score 27,000 points. Two days later, Bryant became one of seven players with at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists. In Boston on February 10, Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half as the Lakers rallied from a 15-point deficit for a 92–86 victory. It was the Lakers' first victory of the season against one of the league's top four teams. Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals in the 2011 All-Star Game and won his fourth All-Star MVP, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. During the season, Bryant moved from 12th to sixth place on the NBA all-time career scoring list. Bryant finished the season averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since 2003–04. On April 13, 2011, the NBA fined Bryant $100,000 for directing a gay slur at referee Bennie Adams in frustration at the previous day's game. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation praised the decision to fine Bryant, and the Human Rights Campaign said Bryant's language was a "disgrace". Bryant stated he was open to discussing the matter with gay rights groups and wanted to appeal his fine. Bryant apologized, and he and other Lakers appeared in a public service announcement denouncing his behavior. The Lakers were swept by the eventual champions Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, ending their quest for another three-peat. Ahead of the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season, Bryant received experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy called Orthokine in Germany to treat the pain on his left knee and ankle. Bryant began the season playing with an injured wrist. On January 10, 2012, he scored 48 points against the Suns. "Not bad for the seventh-best player in the league," said Bryant, referring to a preseason ESPN ranking of the top players. He scored 40, 42, and 42 in his next three games. It was the sixth time Bryant scored 40 or more in four straight games, a feat exceeded only by Chamberlain (19 times). At the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant scored 27 to pass Jordan as the career scoring leader in the All-Star Game. He suffered a broken nose and concussion in the All-Star Game after a hard foul from Dwyane Wade. In April, Bryant missed seven games with a bruised shin. He returned three games before the end of the regular season. Bryant sat out the season finale against Sacramento, foregoing the chase for a third scoring title, having needed 38 points to surpass Kevin Durant. The Lakers were knocked out of the playoffs by Durant and Oklahoma City in the second round of the playoffs, losing in five games in what would be Bryant's final postseason appearance. In 2012–13, the Lakers acquired center Dwight Howard and point guard Steve Nash. On November 2, 2012, Bryant scored 40 points with two steals, and he passed Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers career leader in steals. However, the Lakers lost to the Clippers and started the season 0–3 for the first time in 34 years. After starting the season 1–4, coach Brown was fired. He was replaced by Mike D'Antoni, whom Bryant knew as a child when Bryant's father played in Italy and D'Antoni was a star player there. Bryant had grown close with D'Antoni during their time with Team USA. On December 5 against New Orleans, Bryant became the youngest player (34 years and 104 days) in league history to score 30,000 points, joining Hall of Famers Chamberlain, Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Karl Malone to reach that milestone. On December 18, in a 101–100 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, Bryant scored 30+ points in his seventh consecutive game, the longest streak by an NBA player after turning 34. Bryant's streak was snapped at 10 on December 28 in a 104–87 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, when he scored 27 points, sitting out the fourth quarter. In a move to improve the defense, D'Antoni began having Bryant guard the opponent's best perimeter player; he was the primary defender on the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving, who was held to 15 points. Bryant acknowledged he was a more focused defender with a challenging defensive assignment, as opposed to when he played off the ball against weaker players. His defense disrupted opponents and freed Nash from unfavorable matchups. on February 24, 2013. Bryant tallied 38 points in a performance that would be later dubbed "the amnesty game" Bryant was leading the league in scoring through much of the first 42 games. With a disappointing 17–25 start to the season, D'Antoni had Bryant become the primary facilitator on offense and Nash was moved off the ball and became a spot-up shooter. In the next three games, Bryant had at least 10 assists in three wins with a three-game total of 39 assists, the most in his career. Bryant missed a triple-double in each game with nine rebounds twice and eight in the other. In two crucial wins in March, he scored at least 40 points and had at least 10 assists in back-to-back games, becoming the first Laker to accomplish this since West in 1970. On February 22, 2013, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested in an interview on ESPN Dallas 103.3 that the Lakers should waive Bryant via the amnesty clause of the then-current collective bargaining agreement to save on luxury taxes. The Lakers called the comment 'inappropriate', and Bryant himself responded two days later by scoring 38 points in the Lakers' 103-99 road victory at Dallas on February 24, famously tweeting "Amnesty THAT" after the game. Bryant surpassed Chamberlain to become the fourth-leading scorer in league history in a March 30, 2013, victory over Sacramento. With the Lakers fighting to secure the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference, coupled with injuries on the team, Bryant began playing almost all 48 minutes each game. On April 10, 2013, he became the first player in NBA history to get 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in a game. Two days later, Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon against the Golden State Warriors, ending his season. Bryant's injury came while he was playing seven consecutive quarters and at least 40 minutes for seven consecutive games. The 34-year-old Bryant was averaging his most minutes (38.6) in six years, and only Portland rookie Damian Lillard was averaging more. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had spoken to Bryant about his playing time, but Bryant insisted it needed to continue given the Lakers' playoff push. He had surgery on April 13 to repair the tear, and it was estimated he would miss 6-9 months. Bryant ended the season with customary averages of 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 46.3% shooting. However, The New York Times called his leading of the Lakers back into playoff contention "perhaps some of the finest work of his career." He reached 40 points eight times during the season, and had 10 or more assists in his role as distributor 11 times. Bryant was dubbed "Magic Mamba" after the passing skills of Magic Johnson. Bryant's assists were the second-highest of his career and his field goal percentage was its highest since 2008–09. Injury-plagued years (2013–2015) of the Washington Wizards in 2014 Bryant resumed practicing in November 2013, after the 2013–14 season had already begun. On November 25, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Lakers at an estimated value of $48.5 million. Bryant remained the league's highest-paid player, although he accepted a discounted deal; Bryant had been eligible to receive an extension starting at $32 million per year. His contract became a polarizing topic, with detractors arguing that stars should take less money to allow their team more financial freedom, while supporters countered that the NBA's biggest stars were being paid less than their true value. Bryant resumed playing on December 8 after missing the season's first 19 games, being limited to nine points, although tying a team-high in assists and rebounds, with eight and four respectively, in 106–94 home loss to the Toronto Raptors. Nine days later, he matched his season high of 21 points in a 96–92 win over Memphis, but suffered a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee that was expected to sideline him for six weeks. Bryant had played six games since returning from his Achilles injury, which included time at point guard after injuries to Nash, Steve Blake, and Jordan Farmar. Bryant was averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds. Despite being sidelined, he was voted by fans to start in his 16th All-Star game. Bryant did not feel he was deserving of the selection, and some likened it to a career achievement award for his past performance. However, Bryant missed playing in the game, still hampered by his knee. On March 12, 2014, the Lakers ruled Bryant out for the rest of the season, citing his need for more rehab and the limited time remaining in the season. At the time, the team was 22–42 and tied for the worst record in the Western Conference. The Lakers finished 27–55 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005. who had replaced D'Antoni with Bryant's former Lakers teammate, Byron Scott. On November 30, 2014, in a 129–122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors, Bryant recorded his 20th career triple-double with 31 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds. At age 36, Bryant became the oldest NBA player to achieve 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game (a triple-double). On December 14, he became the NBA's third all-time leading scorer, passing Jordan (32,292) in a 100–94 victory over Minnesota. Bryant played in the first 27 games of the season, averaging team-highs with 26.4 points and 35.4 minutes per game while leading the league with 22.4 shots per game. He was suffering from soreness in his knees, feet, back, and Achilles tendons, and Scott planned to reduce Bryant's workload going forward as a result. Bryant had exceeded 40 minutes in a game thrice, and the coach blamed himself for overloading Bryant after he started the season in such great shape. For the season, Bryant had been shooting just 37 percent from the field, and the team's record was only 8–19. In his second game back after resting, Bryant had 23 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 111–103 victory over Denver, and became just the third player in league history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season at age 36 or older. On January 21, 2015, Bryant suffered a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder while driving baseline for a two-handed dunk against the New Orleans Pelicans. Though he was right-handed, Bryant returned to play in the game and ran the offense while shooting, dribbling, and passing almost exclusively with his left hand. Prior to the injury, Bryant had been rested in eight of 16 games. Bryant was expected to be sidelined for nine months with a return targeted toward the start of the 2015–16 season. The Lakers finished the season with a record of 21–61, surpassing the franchise record for most losses in a season that they had set the previous year. Final season and retirement (2015–2016) of the Washington Wizards after announcing his forthcoming retirement, 2015 After recovering to play in the 2015–16 preseason, Bryant suffered a calf injury and missed the final two weeks of exhibition games. However, he played in the season opener to begin his 20th season with the Lakers, surpassing John Stockton's league record of 19 for the most seasons with the same team. On November 24, 2015, the Lakers fell to 2–12 after losing 111–77 to the Warriors. Bryant scored just four points in 25 minutes on 1-for-14 shooting, matching the worst-shooting game of his career in which he attempted at least five shots. On November 29, 2015, Bryant announced via ''The Players' Tribune'' that he would be retiring at the end of the season. In his poem titled "Dear Basketball", Bryant wrote that he fell in love with the game at age six. In a letter distributed to Lakers' fans before that evening's game against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant wrote: "What you've done for me is far greater than anything I've done for you. ... My love for this city, this team and for each of you will never fade. Thank you for this incredible journey." Bryant's free throw attempts had dropped from his career average, and his game had become over-reliant on pump fakes and long-range shots, making a league-worst 19.5 percent from three-point range while attempting seven a game, almost double his career average. In his press conference after the announcement, Bryant acknowledged his declining skills. He stated: "Even though I play like shit, I've worked really, really hard not to play like crap and I do everything I possibly can. And I feel good about that." Bryant requested that opposing teams on the road not hold any on-court ceremonies in his honor or present him any gifts in public. Prior to announcing his retirement, Bryant had been steadfast about not wanting the fuss of a staged farewell tour, preferring to hear boos instead of cheers. However, Bryant was still honored around the league with video tributes and fan ovations, Previously, Bryant was respected but not beloved, and he was astonished at the cheers he was now receiving. Playing in his first All-Star game since 2013, Bryant had 10 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. West teammates offered to feed him the ball in an attempt to get him another All-Star MVP, but Bryant declined. In his final game on April 13, in a 101–96 win against the against the Utah Jazz, Bryant scored an NBA season-high 60 points on 50 shots—the most in an NBA game in the past 30 seasons—while also outscoring the Jazz by himself 23–21 in the fourth quarter. He also set an NBA record for the most points by a player in his final regular season game. Bryant became the oldest player to score 60 or more points in a game at 37 years and 234 days old. The Lakers finished the season with a 17–65 record, their worst record in franchise history. After the game, he gave a prolonged speech in front of the Staples Center crowd. == National team career ==

at the 2008 Summer Olympics Bryant declined to play in the 2000 Olympics because he was getting married in the off-season. Bryant also decided not to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. He was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003, but withdrew after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries. The following summer, Bryant had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his sexual assault case. Along with LeBron James, Bryant was one of the first two players to be publicly named to the 2006–2008 U.S. preliminary roster in 2006 by Jerry Colangelo. However, he was once again sidelined after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Bryant's United States national team career finally began in 2007. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men's Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10–0, won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. Bryant started in all 10 of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games. He averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in the tournament. in the 2008 Beijing Olympics On June 23, 2008, Bryant was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. This was his first time going to the Olympics. Bryant scored 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, along with six assists, as Team USA defeated Spain 118–107 in the gold medal game on August 24, 2008, for its first gold medal in a worldwide competition since the 2000 Olympics. He averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting .462 from the field in eight Olympic contests. Bryant rejoined the national team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. After winning another gold medal, he decided to retire from the team. Bryant finished his national team career with a record of 26–0 across three tournaments, winning a gold medal each time. == Player profile ==

over Shane Battier in 2009 Bryant primarily played as a shooting guard. He was listed at and , Bryant was often cited as one of the most dangerous scorers in the NBA. He has drawn frequent comparisons to Michael Jordan, after whom Bryant modeled his playing style. Like Jordan, Bryant became most known for shooting a fall-away jump shot. Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated described another of Bryant's most famous moves as the "jab step-and-pause" in which Bryant jabbed his non-pivot foot forward to let the defender relax but instead of bringing the jab foot back, Bryant pushed off of it and drove around his opponent to get to the basket. Bryant also learned and practiced post moves through individual coaching sessions from Hakeem Olajuwon. Bryant established a reputation for taking shots in the closing moments of tight games, even when he was double or triple-teamed, and was noted as one of the premier closers in the NBA. In a 2012 annual survey of NBA general managers, Bryant was selected for the 10th consecutive season as the player general managers would want to take a clutch shot with a game on the line. Bryant's ability to make difficult shots has also drawn criticism of his shot selection. Throughout his career, Bryant was disparaged for being a selfish, high-volume shooter; he missed more field goal attempts in his career than any other player in NBA history, until LeBron James broke that record in 2024. Phil Jackson, who coached Bryant for many years, stated that Bryant "tends to force the action, especially when the game isn't going his way. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns." According to Bryant, "I would go 0 for 30 before I would go 0 for 9; 0 for 9 means you beat yourself, you psyched yourself out of the game." In addition to his abilities on offense, Bryant also established himself as a standout defensive player. Bryant rarely drew charges when he played defense, which he believed spared his body and contributed to his longevity. However, some critics have suggested that Bryant's defensive accolades in his later years were based more on his reputation than his actual play. Bryant was also lauded for his relentless work ethic, dubbed the "Mamba mentality". Throughout his first 17 seasons, Bryant's body was resilient, A fierce competitor, Bryant made opponents and teammates alike the objects of his scorn. Many players have considered him difficult to play with because of his high level of commitment and performance. According to sportswriter Mark Heisler of Forbes, "circa 2004–2007, Kobe was the most alienated superstar the NBA had ever seen." After the departure of Shaquille O'Neal, he led the Lakers to two NBA championships; during this period, Bryant became more of a mentor to his teammates than he had been earlier in his career. == NBA career statistics ==

Regular season Playoffs == Off the court ==

Personal life '' in 2007 Bryant was the youngest of three children. He grew up with two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, and had close relationships with them his entire life. Through Sharia, he was the uncle of football player Jett Washington. In November 1999, 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up." Bryant was in the building and working on his debut album. They began dating and became engaged six months later in May 2000, They got married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. The wedding was not attended by Bryant's parents, his two sisters, his longtime advisor and agent Arn Tellem, or his Laker teammates. Bryant's parents were opposed to the marriage for a number of reasons—including, reportedly, his marrying so young, especially to a woman who was not African-American. The Bryants' first daughter, Natalia, was born in January 2003. 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 announced via social media that they had called off their divorce. In early December 2016, Vanessa gave birth to their third daughter, and in January 2019, the Bryants announced they were expecting a fourth daughter, who was born in June 2019. Bryant was a practicing Catholic. He said his faith and a priest helped him through difficult times, such as the period following his accusation of rape. A Catholic cantor said that she was inspired by Bryant's faith, and the respect that he showed her. Bryant and his family were regular attendees at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach. He and his daughter, Gianna, received the Eucharist together just hours before they died. Bryant was multilingual. He was fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish. Inspired by the codename for Uma Thurman's character in the Kill Bill films, Bryant assigned himself the nickname of "Black Mamba", citing a desire for his basketball skills to mimic the eponymous snake's ability to "strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession." During the 2012–13 season, Bryant began referring to himself as "vino" to describe how his play had been aging like a fine wine. In January 2002, Bryant bought a Mediterranean-style house for $4 million, located on a cul-de-sac in Newport Coast, Newport Beach. He sold the house in May 2015. In 2013, Bryant had a legal disagreement with an auction house over memorabilia from his early years that his parents had put up for auction. Bryant's parents received $450,000 from the auction house for the items, and contended Bryant had given them the rights to the items he had remaining in their home. However, Bryant's lawyers asked the auction house to return the items. Before the scheduled trial, a settlement was reached allowing the auction house the sale of less than 10% of the items. Bryant's parents apologized to him for the misunderstanding in a written statement, and appreciated the financial support he had given them over the years. Bryant grew up a baseball fan and had been a long-time supporter of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels during his tenure with the Lakers. However, during the 2009 National League Championship Series when the Dodgers played his hometown Philadelphia Phillies, Bryant revealed to Craig Sager that he actually grew up a fan of their National League East archrivals, the New York Mets, wanting to be like Darryl Strawberry and boasted that he still had a Ron Darling baseball card. Bryant was also a lifelong fan of his hometown NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Bryant was also a fan of soccer teams Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City. According to Forbes, at the time of his retirement, Bryant's $680 million in career earnings was the most ever by a team athlete during their playing career. Sexual assault case In the summer of 2003, the sheriff's office of Eagle, Colorado, arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee. Bryant had checked into The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Eagle County in advance of undergoing knee surgery nearby. The accuser stated that Bryant raped her in his hotel room the night before he was to have the procedure. Bryant admitted to an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser but denied her sexual assault allegation. Bryant was charged on July 18, 2003. The accusation had a negative impact on Bryant's reputation, and the public's perception of him plummeted; his endorsement contracts with McDonald's and Nutella were terminated. Sales for Bryant's replica jersey fell significantly. In September 2004, the assault case was dropped by prosecutors after the accuser decided not to testify at the trial. Afterward, Bryant agreed to apologize to her for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter." The accuser filed a separate lawsuit against Bryant, which the two sides settled privately. in 2009 Endorsements Before starting the 1996–97 season, Bryant signed a six-year contract with Adidas worth approximately $48 million. His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8. Bryant's other, earlier endorsements included deals with The Coca-Cola Company to endorse their Sprite soft drink, appearing in advertisements for McDonald's, promoting Spalding's new NBA Infusion Ball, Upper Deck, Italian chocolate company Ferrero SpA's brand Nutella, Russell Corporation, and appearing on his own series of video games by Nintendo. Many companies like McDonald's and Ferrero SpA terminated Bryant's contracts when rape allegations against him became public. A notable exception was Nike, Inc., who had signed Bryant to a five-year, $40–45 million contract just before the incident. They refused to use his image or market a new shoe of his for the year, but started promoting Bryant two years later, when his image had recovered. He was also the cover athlete for ''NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2 and appeared in commercials for the video games Guitar Hero World Tour (with Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, and Alex Rodriguez) in 2008 and Call of Duty: Black Ops'' (alongside Jimmy Kimmel) in 2010. In a 2008 video promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant appears to jump over a speeding Aston Martin. The stunt was considered fake, and the Los Angeles Times said a real stunt would probably be a violation of Bryant's Lakers contract. After promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant came out with the fourth edition of his signature line by Nike, the Zoom Kobe IV. In 2010, Nike launched another shoe, Nike Zoom Kobe V. In 2009, Bryant signed a deal with Nubeo to market the Black Mamba Collection, a line of sports/luxury watches ranging from $25,000 to $285,000. On February 9, 2009, he was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine—not for anything basketball related, but about his being a big fan of FC Barcelona. CNN estimated Bryant's endorsement deals in 2007 to be worth $16 million a year. In 2010, he was ranked third, behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes, with $48 million. , Jason Kidd, and Deron Williams at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China On December 13, 2010, Bryant signed a two-year endorsement deal with Turkey's national airline, Turkish Airlines; he appeared in a promotional film aired in over 80 countries, and appeared in digital, print and billboard advertising. In September 2012, Bryant shot a commercial for Turkish Airlines with FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi. In the airline's latest commercial, the duo competes to win the attention of a young boy. In 2013, Forbes listed Bryant the fifth-highest paid sports star in the world behind Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Lionel Messi. Bryant appeared as the cover athlete for the following video games: • Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside • NBA Courtside 2: Featuring Kobe Bryant • NBA Courtside 2002 • NBA 3 on 3 Featuring Kobe Bryant • ''NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2'' • NBA 09: The Inside • NBA 2K10 • NBA 2K17 (Legend Edition; Legend Edition Gold) Music In high school, Bryant was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW, named after the Chi Sah gang in the martial arts film Kid with the Golden Arm. The group was signed by Sony Entertainment, but the company's ultimate goal was to eliminate the group and have Bryant record on his own. The label wanted to capitalize on Bryant's youth and NBA fame. He performed at a 1997 concert by Sway & King Tech and recorded a verse for a remix of Brian McKnight's "Hold Me". Bryant even appeared on Lakers teammate O'Neal's Respect, starting the track "3 X's Dope", though Bryant's name was not listed on the credits. Bryant's only credited appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 was as a featured rapper on Brian McKnight and Tone's single "Hold Me", which was released in 1998 and peaked at number 35 in January 1999. Sony pushed Bryant from his roots of underground hip hop into a more radio-friendly sound. His debut album, Visions, was scheduled to release in the spring of 2000. The first single, "K.O.B.E'", featured supermodel Tyra Banks singing the hook. The single debuted in January 2000, and was performed at NBA All-Star Weekend that month, but it was not well received. In 2011, Bryant was featured in Taiwanese singer Jay Chou's single "The Heaven and Earth Challenge" (天地一鬥, pronounced "Tian Di Yi Dou"). The proceeds for downloads of both the single and ringtones were donated to impoverished schools for basketball facilities and equipment. The music video of the single also features Bryant. The song was also used by Sprite in its 2011 marketing campaign in China. In 2009, American rapper Lil Wayne released a song called "Kobe Bryant". Similarly, in 2010, American rapper Sho Baraka released a song called "Kobe Bryant On'em", which was featured on his album Lions and Liars. In 2012, American rapper Chief Keef released "Kobe", a song paying tribute to Bryant. It was featured on his debut studio album, Finally Rich, as a part of the deluxe edition. For the NBA 2K21 soundtrack, Damian Lillard, under his stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A., released a tribute track also titled "Kobe", featuring Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano. Film and television Bryant made his acting debut in 1996, appearing in an episode of Moesha. Bryant met the show's star, Brandy, earlier in the year at a Nike All-Star basketball game; a couple of months later, in May 1996, he was Brandy's date to her Hollywood High School senior prom. That year, Bryant guest starred as himself on an episode of Arli$$ (episode: "What About the Fans?") and Sister, Sister (episode: "Kid-Napped"). In 1997, Bryant appeared on an episode of Hang Time, followed by a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That (1998). He was also the first choice for the role of Jesus Shuttlesworth in Spike Lee's 1998 film He Got Game, but turned down the role, saying "this summer is too big for me." Bryant was the subject of Spike Lee's 2009 documentary film ''Kobe Doin' Work'', which chronicled Bryant during the 2007–08 NBA season. In 2018, Bryant became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, and the first former professional athlete to be nominated for and win an Academy Award in any category, for his film Dear Basketball. Despite winning the Oscar, he was denied membership into the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences due to his lack of a larger body of work in the film industry. The film also won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject and a Sports Emmy Award. The film was produced by Bryant's production company, Granity Studios. Beginning in 2018, Bryant wrote, produced and hosted the television series Detail, which aired for multiple seasons on ESPN and ESPN+. It featured his insights into the game of basketball and in-depth analyses of games and individual players. Bryant also appeared on MTV's Ridiculousness in 2019. Filmography Philanthropy Bryant was the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organization that provides comprehensive after-school programs to children in 13 US cities. Bryant also started the Kobe Bryant China Fund which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government. The Kobe Bryant China Fund raises money within China earmarked for education and health programs. During his lifetime, Bryant granted over 200 requests for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Business ventures Bryant established Kobe Inc. to own and grow brands in the sports industry. The initial investment was a 10% stake in the Bodyarmor SuperDrink company for $6 million in March 2014. The headquarters are in Newport Beach, California. With The Coca-Cola Company purchasing a minority stake in the company in August 2018, the valuation of Bryant's stake rose to approximately $200 million. In 2013, Bryant launched a production company called Granity Studios, which developed different media, ranging from films to television shows and novels. On August 22, 2016, Bryant and his business partner Jeff Stibel launched Bryant-Stibel, a venture capital firm focused on different businesses including media, data, gaming, and technology, with $100 million in funding. In 2018, Bryant and Sports Academy launched Mamba Sports Academy, a joint athletic-training business venture. The academy established locations in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach, California. Books On October 23, 2018, Bryant's book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, with photographs and afterword by Andrew D. Bernstein, an introduction by Phil Jackson, and a foreword by Pau Gasol, was published by MCD / Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The book looks back on his career with photos and his reflections. At the time of his death, Bryant was working with Brazilian author Paulo Coelho on a children's book aimed at inspiring underprivileged children. After Bryant's death, Coelho deleted the draft, saying in an interview that "it didn't make any sense to publish without him." He did not say how many pages had been written or whether the book had a title. Bryant also co-wrote/produced several young adult novels through Granity Studios: The Wizenard Series: Training Camp, Legacy and the Queen, and Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof. A fourth novel, The Wizenard Series: Season One, was released posthumously in March 2020. The Wizarenard Series: Season One topped the New York Times middle-grade hardcover list. == Death ==

) on the day of Bryant's death|alt= Accident At 9:06a.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, with nine people aboard: Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, six family friends including John Altobelli, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. The helicopter was registered to the Fillmore-based Island Express Holding Corp., according to the California Secretary of State business database. Due to light rain and fog that morning, Los Angeles Police Department helicopters and most other air traffic were grounded. The flight tracker showed that the helicopter circled above Glendale, California, due to heavy air traffic in the area. At 9:30 a.m., Zobayan contacted the control tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport, and was told he was flying too low to be tracked by radar. Amidst very heavy fog, the helicopter turned south towards the mountains. At 9:40 a.m., the helicopter climbed rapidly from , flying at . Witnesses reported hearing a helicopter struggling before crashing. The following day, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner stated that the official cause of death for him and the eight others on the helicopter was blunt force trauma. The Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and the FBI The cause of the crash was hard to investigate, as the helicopter was not equipped with a black box. Over a year after the crash, on February 9, 2021, the NTSB declared that pilot Ara Zobayan probably became disoriented after flying into thick clouds. The five board members said Zobayan, who also died in the crash, ignored his training and violated federal regulations during the 40-minute flight. On February 28, 2023, Vanessa Bryant was awarded a $28.85 million settlement from Los Angeles County to conclude legal proceedings over graphic photos of the aftermath of the helicopter crash that were shared without the permission of the family. The figure includes the $15 million she was awarded from L.A. County in a 2022 civil trial, with "additional funds to settle potential claims from her daughters"—Natalia, 20, Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3. Chris Chester, a co-plaintiff who lost his 45-year-old wife and 13-year-old daughter in the crash, settled for $19.95 million. Tributes and funeral services On February 7, Bryant and his daughter were buried in a private funeral in Pacific View Memorial Park in the Corona del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach, California. A public memorial service was held on February 24 (2/24, marking both Kobe's and Gianna's jersey numbers) at Staples Center (later Crypto.com Arena) with Jimmy Kimmel hosting. Speakers at the service included Vanessa, Jordan, and O'Neal, along with Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and Geno Auriemma, Taurasi's coach at Connecticut, where Gianna had been aspiring to play. The NBA had postponed the Lakers' game against the Clippers just two days after the accident on January 28—the first time an NBA game was postponed for any reason since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing led to the postponement of a Celtics game. On January 30, the first game at Staples Center after the crash was played between the Clippers and the Sacramento Kings; the Clippers honored Bryant before the game, with Southern California native Paul George narrating a video tribute to Bryant. The next day, the Lakers played their first game after the crash against the Trail Blazers. Ahead of the game, the Lakers paid tribute to Bryant and all who lost their lives in the crash with a ceremony held just before tip-off, with Usher singing "Amazing Grace" and Boyz II Men singing the national anthem, while Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth reunited to perform "See You Again"—originally their tribute to Paul Walker after his death while filming Furious 7—at halftime. James also delivered a speech to the crowd before the game, and every player in the Lakers starting lineup was announced with Bryant's name. The game was the second-most-watched in ESPN history, averaging 4.41 million viewers. The first ever head-to-head meeting between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming in 2003 was the only one with more viewers. Also, beginning with the Spurs and the Raptors in their game in San Antonio on the day of the crash, teams paid tribute to Bryant at the start of their games with intentional on-court violations referring to his uniform numbers on their first possession—either a 24-second shot clock or an 8-second backcourt violation. On February 15, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the All-Star Game MVP Award would be renamed to the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award in Bryant's honor. In May 2020, the Mamba Sports Academy was renamed to Sports Academy out of respect for Bryant. Bryant also appeared at the start of the In Memoriam segment of the 92nd Academy Awards following his Oscar in 2018 for Dear Basketball, and Spike Lee wore a suit in tribute to him at the ceremony. He was not included in the montages at the 2020 VMAs and Emmys, held later in the year. Fans were upset at the omission, especially as actors Naya Rivera and Chadwick Boseman had been featured prominently in both; after Rivera and Boseman's unexpected deaths in July and August 2020 respectively, the three young black celebrities were popularly compared. The 2020 Pro Bowl was also played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on the day of the crash, and before kickoff, NFC players who learned of Bryant's death conducted a prayer led by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, while various on-field and PA tributes were made during the game. In the 2020 WNBA draft, Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli, and Payton Chester were made honorary draft picks. After the Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals to clinch the franchise's 17th NBA championship, rapper, Lakers fan and Long Beach native Snoop Dogg paid homage to Bryant and the Lakers with a full forearm tattoo. Bryant was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, with Vanessa delivering the acceptance speech on Bryant's behalf. == Legacy ==

Mayor Eric Garcetti's hand during a 2016 ceremony in which the city of Los Angeles declared August 24 as "Kobe Bryant Day" Bryant was called "one of the greatest players in the history of our game" by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and The New York Times wrote that Bryant had "one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport." In 2008 and again in 2016, ESPN ranked Bryant the second-greatest shooting guard of all time after Jordan. In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary, The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and they named Bryant as the 10th-greatest player in NBA history and the second-highest shooting guard on the list, behind only Jordan. Many peer players—including Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, The Press-Enterprise described Bryant as "maybe the greatest Laker in the organization's history." He was the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, and his five titles are tied for the most in franchise history. Both numbers Bryant wore during his career, 8 and 24, were retired by the Lakers on December 18, 2017. In his first year of eligibility, Bryant was named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, weeks after his death, before being elected a couple of months later in April 2020. His formal induction was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2021, Bryant was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The team was honored during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, with Bryant receiving one of the loudest cheers of the night. With career averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, He is the fourth-leading scorer in league history with 33,643 points. Bryant was the first player in NBA history to have at least 30,000 career points and 6,000 career assists, and was one of only four players with 25,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 6,000 assists. He led the NBA in scoring during the and seasons. behind only Chamberlain's 100. Bryant scored at least 50 points 24 times in his career, which is third in league history behind Jordan (31) and Chamberlain (118); He was just the third player in NBA history to average 40 points in a calendar month, which Bryant accomplished four times. He was voted the league MVP in 2008 and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Bryant won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". He won another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Bryant led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions. Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, which ranks second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's and LeBron James' 19. Bryant was chosen a then-record 18 straight times, each time as a starter. and his 11 first-team honors are tied for the second-most with Karl Malone. Bryant was also a 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, trailing only Duncan's 15, and Bryant was named to the All-Defensive First Team nine times, tied with Jordan, Garnett, and Gary Payton for the most all time. In his career, Bryant scored 40-plus points in 121 games, and he recorded a triple-double 21 times. Following a Game 2 victory in the 2020 NBA Finals, LeBron James was asked about the jerseys and had this to say: "It's always special to represent someone that meant so much, not only to the game but also to the Lakers organization for 20-plus years. For us to honor him, being on the floor, this is what it's all about." On January 26, 2022, coinciding with the second anniversary of his death, a statue of Bryant and his daughter Gianna was placed at the crash site in Calabasas. Later in February, the NBA redesigned the All-Star Game MVP trophy as part of the major redesign of the All-Star Weekend trophies in celebration of the league's 75th anniversary season. On Kobe Bryant Day, August 24, in 2023, the Lakers stated that Bryant's statue outside of Crypto.com Arena would be unveiled on February 8, 2024, to honor his two numbers with the Lakers, 8 and 24, and 2 for the number of his daughter Gianna. The inspiration for the statue, based on an image of Bryant after his 81-point game, pointing a finger toward the sky, was requested by Bryant himself before his death. On August 2, 2024, the Lakers also unveiled a statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant outside of Crypto.com Arena. == See also ==