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Kobe Bryant
Winning five NBA championships during a twenty-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
81-point game · League MVP
- Born
- 23 August 1978
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Died
- 26 January 2020
More people
Kobe Bryant
An American basketball player recognised for his scoring, footwork and competitive intensity. He spent his entire NBA playing career with one franchise.
Early life
Basketball family
His father Joe played professional basketball; Kobe spent part of his childhood in Italy.
School years
Played at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania before entering the NBA draft.
Career
- 1996
NBA entry
Drafted by Charlotte and traded to the Lakers.
- 2000–2002
Three consecutive titles
Won championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal.
- 2008–2010
Individual and team honours
Won the 2008 MVP and two further championships.
- 2016
Retirement
Scored 60 points in his final NBA game.
Achievements
81-point game
Scored 81 against the Toronto Raptors.
League MVP
Named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Finals MVP
Won the award in both Lakers championship runs.
Beyond basketball
Storytelling
His animated short Dear Basketball won an Academy Award in 2018.
Sexual-assault case
A 2003 criminal case was dismissed when the complainant declined to testify; a civil case was settled. He maintained the encounter was consensual, while acknowledging that she did not view it that way.
Death
Died in a helicopter crash in 2020 with his daughter Gianna and seven other people.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Keith Allison. CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
