Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was a professional basketball player from the United States. He was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association for his entire 20-year career (NBA). Bryant, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time All-Defensive Team member, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant has also twice led the NBA in scoring and ranks fourth all-time in the regular season and postseason scoring. In 2020, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Kobe Bryant, who was born in Philadelphia and raised in Italy, was named the top American high school basketball player while at Lower Merion. He declared for the 1996 NBA draft as the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick; he was then traded to the Lakers. Bryant established himself as a high-flyer as a rookie by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and was named an All-Star in his second season.

Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star selections rank second all-time, and he has made the most consecutive starts. Bryant's four NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards tie him for the most in NBA history with Bob Pettit. In the mid-2000s, he coined the moniker "Black Mamba," which became popular among the general public. He won gold medals with the United States Olympic teams in 2008 and 2012.

Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others. Following his death, a number of tributes and memorials were issued, including the renaming of the All-Star MVP Award in his honor.

Born: August 23, 1978
Died: January 26, 2020

Nationality: American