Kobe Bryant biography

Kobe Bryant is a well known celebrity basketball player. He is a shooting guard and he plays for the NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers, and he is one of the most well known players in the NBA, a true legend of the game. He began his professional career back in 1996, making his career one of the longest lasting in the sport. Over the years, he has received numerous awards that proved his talent and hard work. Over the years, he has won: the Naismith Prep Player of the Year (back in 1996, the year he debuted in the NBA), NBA Al-rookie Second Team (in 1997), the NBA Slam Dunk Contest (in 1997), the NBA All-Star (and he has won this a staggering twelve times: first, in 1998, and then for ten years running, from 2000 to 2010), the Gold Medal at the Olympiad (in 2008, when the United States won), he was declared NBA All-Star Game MVP (three times, in 2002, 2007 and 2009), he was All-Defensive Second Team (twice, in 2001 and 2002), and All-Defensive First Team (a whopping eight times: in 2000, 2003, 2004, and from 2006 through 2010), he was All-NBA Third Team (in 1999 and 2005), All-NBA Second Team (in 2000 and 2001), and, most of all, All-NBA First Team (from 2002 to 2004 and from 2006 to 2010, eight times in total), he was NBA scoring champion (twice, in 2006 and 2007), he was NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008, and he is five times the NBA Champion with his team (in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010). This incredible list of achievements is a mark of a great player, a true star.

Bryant’s birthplace is Pennsylvania, and his birth date is August 23rd, 1978. He has two older sisters, and his father was a former player for the Philadelphia 76ers, and a former head coach for the Los Angeles Sparks – Joe “Jellybean” Bryant. His childhood was divided between Italy and United States (where he spent summers in a basketball summer league). His love for basketball (which he has inherited from his father) kicked in when he was very young, as he has been playing basketball ever since he was only 3 years old. Bryant grew up with the Lakers as his favorite team. He also loves other sports, such as soccer, of which he is a big fan. Bryant even said that if he were to remain in Italy he would have become a professional soccer player. When he was only thirteen years old, Kobe’s family moved back to the United States.

In the United States, he attended the Lower Merion High School (named after the suburb it was located in), from Philadelphia. He played in the  basketball team throughout high school. In his final high school year he even received several awards and recognitions, such as the Niasmith High School player of the year, the Gatorade Men’s National Basketball Player of the Year, or the McDonald’s All American. After high school, he did not enlist in any college, choosing to go directly into the NBA instead. Bryant was only the sixth player in NBA history to do so.

The 1996 draft marked a series of firsts for both Bryant and the whole National Basketball Association. He was the first guard to be drafted straight from high school, and he was the 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets agreed, though, to trade their draft to the Lakers right before the pick was made. He was only 17 years old when he started playing in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Initially, in his first season, Kobe Bryant didn’t spend as much time playing as he did sitting on the bench. But as the season progressed, he began to see more and more minutes of play. His performance was noticed, and it earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie second team. Despite this, the season ended disastrously for him, as in the final match he missed three crucial shots. But this, as we have seen, has not deterred Bryant in the least bit, and he had managed to overcome this setback. In his next seasons he was more and more active and he was increasingly appreciated throughout the seasons, despite the fact that the playoff results had yet to improve, and the Lakers being eliminated in early stages.

The next ten years marked his huge rise, and over the years he was continuously compared to the best, most famous basketball players in history, often even surpassing them. In his prolific career, he has managed to average 25.3 points per game, and also 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 5.3 rebounds. He is most well known for his great three point shots. Apart from his great ability to score from surprising situations, he is also a great defender, making the All-Defensive teams (either first or second team) for eleven consecutive years. He was even named the player of the 2000s decade, a huge realization for him.

Kobe Bryant is well known for keeping his private life to himself, and not being involved in numerous scandals, like other athletes. He married Vanessa Laine in 2001, after they had met in late 1999, and they have been together ever since. Together, they have two children: Natalia Diamante Bryant, born in January of 2003, and Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, who was born in May 2006. Bryant was charged with sexual assault back in 2003, but both he and his wife managed to overcome this.

Like many other celebrity star athletes from many different sports, Kobe Bryant has many active endorsements and many contracts with top companies from the sports fields and not only that. His endorsements include deals with companies such as Coca Cola, Upper Deck, Ferrero, Spalding, McDonald’s, the Russell Corporation, or Nintendo. Nike is also one of the top companies with which he has a long standing agreement.

This is just a glimpse into the life of one of the stars of basketball, one player who has shaped the world of sports as we know it today. This is Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant Fun Facts

• Kobe’s birthday is August 23, 1978.
• Kobe’s middle name is Bean.
• Kobe is named after the famous beef of Japan “Kobe”.
• Kobe is 6’6, 205lbs.
• Kobe wears # 24.
• Bryant was born in Philadelphia.
• Kobe attended Lower Merion High School.
• Kobe did not attend college.
• Kobe is a 12 time All Star.
• Bryant has won three titles.
• Kobe won the NBA MVP in 2008.
• Bryant was the 13th pick in the 1996 draft.
• Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets.
• Kobe came off the bench as a rookie behind Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.
• Coming into 2008-2009 Bryant was averaging 25 points per game.
• Kobe has played in 152 career playoff games.