Andrew Pace
Kobe Bryant, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1978, started playing basketball at the age of three. His father, Joe Bryant, was a professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the NBA and eight more in Italy. After his father's retirement from the NBA, the family moved to Italy, where Kobe became fluent in Italian and played soccer. Kobe began to take basketball seriously while living in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age when he started playing basketball | 3 |
| Age when he started playing basketball seriously | 6 |
| Age when he was drafted into the NBA | 17 |
| Age when his first NBA season started | 18 |
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What You'll Learn
Kobe Bryant's early life
Kobe Bryant, born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant. At the age of six, Kobe moved to Italy with his family when his father continued his basketball career overseas. While in Italy, Kobe attended school and became fluent in Italian. He also played basketball and soccer, and it was during this time that he began to take basketball seriously. He worked as a ball and mop boy at his father's games and practised shooting during halftime.
When Kobe was 13, his family moved back to Philadelphia, and he enrolled at Bala Cynwyd Middle School. He later attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he excelled in basketball. Kobe played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman and became the first freshman in decades to start for the team. During his high school career, he received several national Player of the Year awards and broke the southeastern Pennsylvania scoring record.
Kobe decided to forgo college and declared himself eligible for the NBA draft after graduating from high school. In 1996, he was drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets and was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent his entire 20-year career. In his early years with the Lakers, Kobe played limited minutes but gradually earned more playing time. He became the youngest player to start an NBA game and was selected for the NBA All-Star Game in just his second season.
Throughout his career, Kobe established himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers, was an 18-time All-Star, a two-time scoring champion, and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. men's basketball teams at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games.
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High school basketball career
Kobe Bryant began playing basketball at a very young age. He practised shooting at halftime while working as a ball and mop boy at his father's games. At the age of 13, Bryant enrolled at Bala Cynwyd Middle School in Philadelphia, where he played on the varsity basketball team as an eighth grader.
Bryant then attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he continued to play basketball and received national recognition for his talent. He was the first freshman in decades to start for the Lower Merion varsity team, and he went on to break the southeastern Pennsylvania scoring record with 2,883 points. During his junior year, he had standout performances, averaging 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, which earned him the title of Pennsylvania Player of the Year. In his senior year, during the 1995-96 season, he continued to excel, solidifying his reputation as one of the best players in the state.
Bryant's outstanding high school career led to him being recruited by colleges and receiving offers from top basketball programmes. However, he chose to bypass college and declare for the NBA draft after graduating from high school. His decision garnered significant publicity as it was uncommon at the time for players to make the jump directly from high school to the NBA.
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Joining the NBA
Kobe Bryant was only 17 years old when he decided to join the NBA, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to do so. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick in the 1996 draft and was soon traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would spend his entire 20-year career.
Bryant's decision to forgo college and go directly to the NBA was met with significant publicity as prep-to-pro NBA players were uncommon at the time. Despite this, his basketball skills and academic achievements, including an SAT score of 1080, would have granted him admission to any college of his choosing.
In his rookie season, Bryant became the second-youngest NBA player in history and quickly proved his worth, being selected for the NBA All-Star Game in just his second season and becoming the youngest All-Star. Over the course of his illustrious career, Bryant established himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, winning five NBA championships, 18 All-Star selections, four All-Star MVP awards, and numerous other accolades.
Beyond his achievements on the court, Bryant made an impact through his passion for the game. He wrote, produced, and hosted the television series "Detail," offering insights and in-depth analyses of basketball games and players. He also authored the book "The Mamba Mentality: How I Play," reflecting his nickname, "The Black Mamba," earned through his exceptional skills and mentality on the court. Bryant's influence extended beyond basketball as well, as evidenced by his Academy Award win for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for "Dear Basketball," making him the first former professional athlete to receive an Oscar in any category.
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Career achievements
Kobe Bryant was a basketball prodigy who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He is widely regarded as one of the sport's greatest and most influential players, with a host of achievements to his name.
Bryant was the second-youngest NBA player in history when he started with the Lakers in the 1996-97 season. He was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft and was traded to the Lakers a month later. In his second season, he was selected for the NBA All-Star Game, becoming the youngest All-Star. He went on to be selected for the All-Star Game a record 18 times, winning All-Star MVP four times.
Bryant's career scoring achievements are impressive. He scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, the second-highest number of points scored in an NBA game. He also scored 60 points in his final career game in 2016, the most points scored in a final career game. He is the only player in NBA history to score at least 600 points in the postseason for three consecutive years. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons and was the league's top scorer four times. Bryant was also the oldest player to achieve several scoring milestones, including being the oldest player to score 60+ points in a game and the oldest player to record back-to-back games of 40+ points and 10+ assists.
Bryant won five NBA championships, including three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002 with Shaquille O'Neal. He was also a two-time scoring champion and was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 2008. He won two NBA Finals MVP awards and was a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team and a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team.
In addition to his NBA achievements, Bryant was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. men's basketball teams at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games. He also won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for his film 'Dear Basketball', becoming the first former professional athlete to win an Oscar.
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Retirement and legacy
Kobe Bryant was 17 when he started playing in the NBA, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to join the league as a minor.
Kobe Bryant's legacy is a complicated one. On the one hand, he is remembered as one of the greatest and most influential basketball players of all time. On the other hand, his past sexual abuse case complicates his legacy.
Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, during which he won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, 4-time All-Star MVP, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), two-time NBA Finals MVP, and two-time scoring champion. He ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring. In 2012, he was honoured as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans for his high school play and later accomplishments.
In addition to his basketball career, Bryant had a robust second career. He started a production company, Granity Studios, and created a short film, "Dear Basketball", which won an Academy Award in 2017. He also created a series of books for children, The Wizenard Series, designed to inspire kids.
Bryant's jerseys—Nos. 8 and 24—were retired by the Lakers in a ceremony on 18 December 2017. Jeanie Buss, the Lakers' controlling owner and president, said, "We are retiring both your numbers because if we separated [them], each of those players would qualify for the Hall of Fame".
Bryant's legacy extends beyond 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. He was also the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organisation that provides comprehensive after-school programs to children in 13 US cities. Additionally, he started the Kobe Bryant China Fund, which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government, to raise money within China for education and health programs.
Bryant's sudden death in a helicopter crash on 26 January 2020 triggered an outpouring of emotion from NBA players past and present. It was clear that many of today's NBA players idolised him and that he had mentored, trained, or supported many younger players.
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Frequently asked questions
Kobe Bryant started playing basketball at the age of three.
Yes, Kobe played basketball as a child and was a fan of the Lakers. He also played soccer.
Yes, Kobe played basketball at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he received several national Player of the Year awards. He also led his high school team to four state championships in a row.
No, Kobe did not play basketball in college. He joined the NBA straight out of high school, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to do so.
Kobe was 17 years old when he was drafted into the NBA. He turned 18 by the time his first NBA season started.
