Bio

 

Name: Kobe Bean Bryant

Born: 08/23/1978

Heigth: 6-6 / 1.98 m

Weigth: 205 lbs / 93,0 kg

Highschool: Lower Merion HS

Years Pro: 20

How Acquired : 

Acquired by the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996 (was selected by the Hornets with the 13th overall choice in the 1996 NBA Draft).

Career : 

NBA Finals MVP 2009 and 2010

2- time Olympic Gold Medalist in Beijing 2008 and in London 2012 with team USA

Earned NBA Regular Season MVP Honors in 2007-2008

5- time NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

4- time Allstar Game MVP (T-most in NBA History)

2- time Scoring Champ (2005/06 and 2006/07)

Has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last eleven seasons (First Team in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, Second Team in 2000-01 and 1999-2000 and Third Team in 1998-99 and 2004-05)

Has been named to the NBA’s All Defensive thirteen times (First Team in 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, 2009-2010, 2008-2009, 2007-2008, 2006-2007, 2005-06, 2003-04, 2002-03 and 1999-2000 and Second Team in 2001-02 and 2000-01)

Named a starter for the Western Conference All-Star Team in each of the last eighteen games (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1998 - no game in 1999)

Led all NBA players in voting for the 2003 and 2011 All-Star Game

Earned MVP honors at the 2002 All-Star Game in his hometown of  Philadelphia, 2007 in Las Vegas, 2009 in Phoenix and 2011 in Los Angeles

Became the youngest player ever to score 29,000 - 31,000 career points

Won the 1997 Gatorade Slam Dunk Championship during All-Star Weekend

Is the second youngest player in Los Angeles franchise history (behind Andrew Bynum) to appear in a regular season game in his NBA debut 11/3/96 vs. Minnesota (18 years, two months and 11 days) and is the third youngest player to ever appear in an NBA game (only Andrew Bynum and Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal were younger)

Increased his scoring average in each of his first five seasons (7.6, 15.4, 19.9, 22.5, 28.5)

Captured the 2005-06 scoring title with 35.4 points per game, the eighth highest scoring average of all-time,     and passed Bob McAdoo for the seventh greatest scoring season of all-time with 2,832 total points

Scored a career-high 81 points (55 in the second half) 1/22/06 vs. TOR, the second highest game (81) and half (55) point totals in NBA history.

recorded the most consecutive 50+ point games of all time (65, 50, 60, 50) since Wilt Chamberlain, with four straight from March 16th to March 23rd

recorded the most 50+ point games in a season of all time (10) since Wilt Chamberlain

2010-11 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 60th NBA All-Star Game

Won his fourth All-Star game MVP at the 2011 NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles, recording 37 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists and three steals, leading the West to a 148-143 victory

Became the sixth all time leading scorer in NBA history

Averaged 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 82 games

2009-10 : 

NBA Champion and Finals MVP

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 59th NBA All-Star Game

became the Lakers all-time leading scorer (Playoffs and Regular Season)

became 4th leading scorer in playoff history; passing Karl Malone

became Lakers franchise leader in playoff games; passing Magic Johnson

tied Kareem for most playoff games with 30 or more points (75) Jordan is number 1 (109)

Averaged 27.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 73 games

2008-09 : 

NBA Champion and Finals MVP 2009

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 58th NBA All-Star Game

Won his third All-Star game MVP at the 2009 NBA All-Star game in Phoenix, recording 27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and four steals, leading the West to a 146-119 victory (co MVP Shaquille O'Neal)

Averaged 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 82 games

Scored a new Madison Square Garden Record in Points (61 points)

2007-08 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 57th NBA All-Star Game

Regular Season MVP 07/08

Averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 82 games

2006-07 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 56th NBA All-Star Game

Won his second All-Star game MVP at the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas, recording 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and six steals, leading the West to a 153-132 victory

Averaged 31.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 77 games

Averaged a career high in free throw percentage (86.9%)

Ranked among league leaders in scoring (1st/31.6), assists (22nd/5.4), FT % (12th/.869), steals (20th/1.4) and minutes (4th/40.8)

Captured the 2006-07 scoring title with 31.6 points per game, the 28th highest single-season scoring average in NBA history

Scored 2430 points, the 37th-highest total in NBA history

Passed Bob Lanier and moved into 36th place in all-time career points, finishing the season with 19296 career points

Named Western Conference Player of the Week twice (weeks of 3/12/07 and 3/19/07) and Western Conference Player of the Month twice (December, March)

recorded the most consecutive 50+ point games of all time (65, 50, 60, 50) since Wilt Chamberlain, with four straight from March 16th to March 23rd

recorded the most 50+ point games in a season of all time (10) since Wilt Chamberlain

2005-06 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Named a starter in the 55th NBA All-Star Game

Averaged a career-high 35.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.84 steals in 80 games

Posted a franchise record 27 40-plus point games and six 50-plus point games

Scored a 62 points in 33 minutes on 18-of-31 shooting including 22-of-25 shooting from the charity stripe while establishing a franchise record 30 points in the third quarter 12/20 vs. Dallas

Recorded his 4th straight game of 45-plus points with 45 points and a season-high tying 10 rebounds 1/9 vs. Indiana (first player since Chamberlain in November of 1964 and third player ever (Baylor) to do so)

Over a span of seven games from 1/11 -1/22, connected on a franchise record 62 consecutive free-throws

Scored a career-high 81 points (55 in the second half) on 28-of-46 shooting from the field 1/22 vs. Toronto, the second highest game (81) and half (55) point totals in NBA history

Posted a career-high seven steals including a team record-tying six steals in the first half 2/13 vs. Utah

2004-05 : 

All-NBA Third Team

Named a starter in the 54th NBA All-Star game

Appeared in 66 games, averaging 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists

2003-04 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Appeared in 65 games, averaging 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 37.6 minutes

2002-03 : 

All-NBA First Team

All Defensive First Team

Appeared in a career-high 82 games, averaging 30.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 41.5 minutes

Set an NBA record with 12 three-pointers 1/7 vs. Seattle

Tied an NBA record with eight three-point field goals in a half 3/28 vs. Washington

By averaging 40.6 points in the month of February, became only the third player in NBA history to average 40 or more points in a month

2001-02 :  

Appeared in 80 games, averaging 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 38.3 minutes

Was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2002 NBA All-Star Game after tallying 31 points, five rebounds and five assists

Scored 56 points in only three quarters of play 1/14 vs. Memphis

2000-01 : 

Appeared in 68 games, averaging 28.5 points to go along with 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 40.9 minutes

1999-2000 : 

Appeared in 66 games, averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 38.2 minutes

1998-99 : 

Appeared in each of the team’s 50 games, averaging 19.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 37.9 minutes

Was the only Laker to start every contest

In the postseason, was second on the team in scoring with 19.8 points per game

1997-98 : 

Appeared in 79 games, averaging 15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.0 minutes per game

Was the highest scoring non-starter in the NBA and the highest scoring reserve in Los Angeles franchise history (fewer than 10 starts)

1996-97 : 

Appeared in 71 games during his rookie campaign, averaging 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 15.5 minutes

High school : 

Elected to enter the NBA directly from high school (Lower Merion HS, Ardmore, PA), becoming the first-ever player in Los Angeles franchise history to make this transition

Became the 27th player to make the jump from high school to the NBA and one of two players to do so in the 1996 NBA Draft (Jermaine O’Neal)

Concluded his high school career as the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania history (2,883 points), surpassing the marks established by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (2,359) and Carlin Warley (2,441)

Earned USA Today’s National High School Player of the Year honors as a senior (1995-96), averaging 30.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.8 blocked shots

Led Lower Merion to the Class AAAA state title as a senior, propelling the Aces to a 31-3 record, including a 27-game winning streak to end the season

Named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year and to the McDonald’s All-American Team

Named Most Outstanding Player at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina his senior year

Led Lower Merion to a 77-13 record his final three seasons

Named the Most Valuable Player of the 1995 adidas ABCD Summer Camp.

Personal : 

Father Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA (Philadelphia, San Diego and Houston) before retiring in 1983 … Spent eight years of his childhood in Italy … Parents named him after a type of steak (Kobe) seen on a restaurant menu prior to his birth … Has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya … Involved in several community programs in the past, including the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Center for Abused Children … Is currently involved with several organizations including Make-a-Wish Foundation, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and Plaza de la Raza (a cultural center in East L.A.) as well as his own foundation Vivo del Mondo, which seeks to bridge the gap between African American and Hispanic students through education. His greatest personal achievement was being drafted by an NBA team ... Kobe and his wife Vanessa have two daughters, Natalia Diamante and Gianna Maria.