On November 2, 2012, Bryant scored 40 points with two steals, and he passed Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers career leader in steals. [535] The game was the second-most-watched in ESPN history, averaging 4.41 million viewers. The story of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan sharing the court the last time on March 28, 2003, when the kid scored 55 points and the G.O.A.T. "Growing up, we used to watch a lot of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. [151] Throughout the 200607 season, his jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China. - https://www.twitch.tv/staxmontanaJOIN THE MONTANA FAM DISCORD! ESPN Says It Was Someone on Inside With the Initials Kobe Bryant", "Phil Jackson's new book focuses a lot on (who else?) At 9:40a.m., the helicopter climbed rapidly from 1,200 to 2,000 feet (370 to 610m), flying at 161 knots (298km/h; 185mph). [264], Bryant resumed practicing in November 2013, after the 201314 season had already begun. [41], At Adidas ABCD Camp, Bryant earned the 1995 senior MVP award[43] while playing alongside future NBA teammate Lamar Odom. He was also the maternal nephew of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. In the 200102 season, Bryant played 80 games for the first time in his career. [213] It was the Lakers' first victory of the season against one of the league's top four teams, as they entered the game 05 in previous matchups and had been outscored by an average of 11 points. By the end of the season, he averaged 15.5 minutes a game. [58][74][75] The playoff results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals. [211] On February 1, 2011, Bryant became one of seven players with at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists. James, 35, scored 29 points to move to 33,655. LeBron James surpassed Kobe Bryant to become the NBA's third-highest scorer of all time in the LA Lakers' 108-91 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers. [45] In his senior year of high school, Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years. PHOENIX Walk down the halls at ASU Preparatory Academy Phoenix Downtown Campus, and you will see multiple, life-sized faces including Barack Obama, Maya Angelou and Kobe Bryant.. Bryant averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in the tournament. [144], On March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which helped end the Lakers 7-game losing streak. [16][404][405], In November 1999, 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up". . [95] At age 23, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. [302][303] In his press conference after the announcement, he acknowledged his declining skills. [500] Bryant also started the Kobe Bryant China Fund which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government. ), Lakers need comeback to top woeful Bobcats", "Dwight Howard powers surging Lakers past Blazers", "Kobe Bryant recognizes he's better defending on the ball", "Mike D'Antoni minces words when describing Kobe Bryant's defense", "Lakers found formula, can they repeat it? [16][17] His middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean". Vanessa Bryant's father is of Mexican and Italian descent and her mother is of Mexican and Filipino descent. [262] He ended the season with his customary numbers scoring an average of 27.3 points, 46.3 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds, and 6 assists. [95][96] This cemented Bryant's reputation as a "clutch player". [209] Bryant also recorded his first triple-double since January 21, 2009. They would go on to win the next four games and bring their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. In 2003, Bryant was charged with sexual assault;[9] with the alleged victim being a 19-year-old hotel employee. Playing without Bryant, the Lakers were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. [539][540][541], Bryant also appeared at the start of the In Memoriam segment of the 92nd Academy Awards following his Oscar in 2018 for Dear Basketball, and Spike Lee wore a suit in tribute to him at the ceremony. That was the time he teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal to form one of the best center and shooting guard duos of all time. [514], At 9:06a.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, with nine people aboard: Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, six family friends, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. [205] Bryant said that this was the most satisfying of all of his five championships. [164], Despite an injury to his shooting hand's small finger, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" that occurred in a game on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award. Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, received the Eucharist together just hours before they died. As such, Bryant always had a really unique perspective on . [25] In 1999, Bryant appeared on a remix of "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child on the Maxi single version of the song. [400] Following a Game 2 win in the 2020 NBA Finals, LeBron James was asked about the jerseys and had this to say: "It's always special to represent someone that meant so much, not only to the game but also to the Lakers organization for 20-plus years. [526][527][528] [491], In 2018, Bryant became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the first former professional athlete to be nominated and to win an Academy Award in any category for his film Dear Basketball. [15] His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu. [88] Once again, Bryant led the team in assists, with five per game. [368][369][370] According to sportswriter Mark Heisler of Forbes, "circa 20042007, Kobe was the most alienated superstar the NBA had ever seen. Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant is accused of punching a 17-year-old boy more than a dozen times and flashing a gun at him. [547], The 2020 Pro Bowl was also played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on the day of the crash, and before kickoff, NFC players who learned of Bryant's death conducted a prayer led by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, while various on-field and PA tributes were made during the game. [307][308] Still, he was honored around the league with video tributes and fan ovations,[306] including arenas that historically jeered him such as TD Garden in Boston, Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Moda Center in Portland, Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, and Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. [501] On November 4, 2010, Bryant appeared alongside Zach Braff at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event at the Santa Monica Airport, where they presented a $1million check to the Call of Duty Endowment, an Activision-founded nonprofit organization that helps veterans transition to civilian careers after their military service has ended. [284][285] Three times Bryant had exceeded 40 minutes in a game,[286] and the coach blamed himself for overloading him after he started the season in such great shape. [107] Jackson's contract as coach was not renewed, and Rudy Tomjanovich took over. That could be the case for Oregon Ducks guard Chris Duarte, whose draft stock has soared and is now widely projected to be a first-round pick. [402] Later in February, the NBA redesigned the All-Star Game MVP trophy as part of the major redesign of the All-Star Weekend trophies in celebration of the leagues 75th anniversary season. [29][30] Bryant's grandfather would mail him videos of NBA games for Bryant to study. [198] Bryant finished the regular season missing four of the final five games, due to injuries to his knee and finger. A security guard opens a steel door leading into a vault containing hundreds of collectibles at Collectors Vault, a new company that is making it easier for collectors to store and trade memorabilia, on Oct. 21, 2022, in Delaware. [227] The team's quest for another three-peat was ended when they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. Trivia He was associated with the rap group 'CHEIZAW' and has even released a song titled 'K.O.B.E.' He spoke fluent Italian. [502][504], Bryant established Kobe Inc. to own and grow brands in the sports industry. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (also referred to as "Gigi"), was born in May 2006. [304][305], Bryant requested that opposing teams on the road not hold any on-court ceremonies in his honor or present him any gifts in public. [19][20][21], Bryant started playing basketball when he was three,[22] and the Lakers were his favorite team when he was growing up. [190] Five days after his finger injury, he made another game-winning shot, after missing on an opportunity in regulation, this time against the Milwaukee Bucks in an overtime game. [462] On February 9, 2009, Bryant was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. Bryant's mother received $450,000 from the auction house for the items, and contended Bryant had given her the rights to the items he had remaining in her home. Bryant made two buzzer-beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. [222][223][224] He later apologized for the use of the word. In the first game of the 200203 season, Bryant recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in an 8782 loss to the visiting Spurs. Kobe became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak fluent Italian. [457] He has since resumed endorsement deals with The Coca-Cola Company, through their subsidiary Energy Brands, to promote their Vitamin Water brand of drinks. [450], Before starting the 199697 season, Bryant signed a six-year contract with Adidas that was worth approximately $48million. Roundup - Los Angeles; Lakers' Bryant Signs for $71 million", "1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats", "Bryant, McGrady Highlight All-NBA Selections", "Garnett, Bryant top NBA All-Defensive selections", "Lakers lose bryant at least six weeks to broken hand", "Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, June 4, 2000", "Kobe Bryant sprains left ankle in Lakers loss, out indefinitely", "Jalen Rose on That Time He Intentionally Tried to Injure Kobe Bryant", "Article: No doubt: It's Bryant's team. [195] After being sidelined for five games by an ankle injury, Bryant made his return and made another clutch three-pointer to give the Lakers a one-point lead with four seconds remaining against the Memphis Grizzlies. "[490], Bryant was the subject of Spike Lee's 2009 documentary film Kobe Doin' Work, which chronicled Bryant during the 200708 NBA season. 8 jersey, sources say", "Phoenix Suns (2) vs. Los Angeles lakers (7)", "Unfounded stigma still following Bryant", "Bryant assessed flagrant foul for elbow in Philly", "Kobe serves one-game suspension against Bucks", "Bryant Scores NBA Season-Best 65 in Lakers Win", "Kobe Scores 50 to Lead Lakers Past Wolves", "Bryant Scores 60 as Lakers Defeat Grizzlies", "Kobe's 50-point run more important because of wins", Kobe Bryant has Top-Selling Jersey in China, "A star is reborn: Bryant's stats, dunks have made him marketable again", "Suns Top Lakers, Move On to Second Round", "Kobe says he's just suggesting West return", "Bryant asks for trade, then backtracks slightly", "Playing the video game: Underground Kobe film ain't all it's cracked up to be", "Suns Can Still Bring Out Snarl in Bryant and Lakers", "Kobe Bryant youngest to hit 20,000 points", "Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks Box Score, December 23, 2007", "Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, March 28, 2008", Kobe Bryant Wins Most Valuable Player Award, Jerry West attends Bryant's MVP press conference, Bryant, Garnett, Paul, Howard, James voted to first team, Kobe, Garnett Headline All-Defensive Team, "NBA.com: Gasol Powers Lakers Past Nuggets", "Nuggets Put Up a Fight, but Lakers Get Sweep", "Bryant Scores 38 as Lakers Beat Jazz in Game 1", "NBA.com: Bryant Lifts Lakers Into Conference Finals", "San Antonio Spurs vs Los Angeles Lakers May 29, 2008 Game Summary", "Celtics Capture 17th NBA Title With Record Win Over Lakers", "Los Angeles Lakers Schedule NBA Yahoo! [46] Bryant ended up making the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. [327] However, he was once again sidelined after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. With starting guards Van Exel and Jones traded, Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50-game season. [123], On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a 122104 victory against the Toronto Raptors. [393] He was just the third player in NBA history to average 40 points in a calendar month, which he accomplished four times. [258][259], With the Lakers fighting to secure the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference, coupled with injuries on the team, Bryant began playing almost all 48 minutes each game. [485][486][487] It was featured on his debut studio album, Finally Rich, as a part of the deluxe edition. Bryant debuted in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California, scoring 25 points in front of a standing-room-only crowd. The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he was born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy. [131] For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game,[132] the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had spoken to Bryant about his extensive playing time 10 days earlier, but Bryant insisted the minutes needed to continue given the Lakers' playoff push. [12] A number of tributes and memorials were subsequently issued, including renaming the All-Star MVP Award in his honor. [339][340][341] Like Jordan, he became most known for shooting a fall-away jump shot. In the 2002 Finals, against the New Jersey Nets, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the team's points. At the time, the team was 2242 and tied for the worst record in the Western Conference. [11] Despite winning the Oscar, he was denied membership into the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences due to his past sexual abuse case and their new set of standards of conduct within the recent MeToo movement. Bryant admitted to an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser but denied her sexual assault allegation. He gave himself the nickname "Black Mamba" in the mid-2000s, and the epithet became widely adopted by the general public. He grew up with two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, and had a close relationship with them until his death. [512], Bryant also co-wrote/produced several young adult novels through Granity Studios: The Wizenard Series: Training Camp, Legacy and the Queen, and Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof. In the airline's latest commercial, the duo competes to win the attention of a young boy. On March 28, Bryant scored a season-high 53 points to go with 10 rebounds in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. [441] He was also a fan of soccer teams Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City. He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions. [537] On February 15, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the All-Star Game MVP Award would be renamed to the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player in Bryant's honor. A security guard at the Montgomery Mall is facing charges after she allegedly stole a $5,000 autographed Kobe Bryant jersey from S&B Sports Collectibles then sold it to another collectible store in Chalfont. In all, $200 million in collectibles are stored in two vaults . [56] Bryant was the first guard drafted directly out of high school. Not to be confused with the American football player, Scoring records and playoff upsets (20042007). [172] In the first game of the next round, against the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1. The #BlackMamba @KobeBryant is in the building!. [144] On March 7, the NBA handed Bryant his second one-game suspension. Follow Kobe Bryant On: Quotes By Kobe Bryant | Quote Of The Day | Top 100 Quotes [382] He was the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, and his five titles are tied for the most in franchise history. [520], Due to light rain and fog that morning, the Los Angeles Police Department helicopters[518] and most other air traffic were grounded. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 200304 season and has several criticisms of Bryant. [261] Bryant had surgery on April 13 to repair the tear, and it was estimated he would miss six to nine months. Sports", "Lakers equal best 19-game start in franchise history", Kobe's steady pace lands him top spot in rankings, "Lakers' Bryant, Magic's Howard named Players of the Week", "Shaq, Kobe lead freestyling West All-Stars past East", James outdistances Bryant in winning Kia MVP award, Daily Dime: Kobe named MVP as Lakers win NBA title, "Man on a mission: Bryant revels in victory, Finals MVP", "Kobe Bryant, making the best of bad situations", Lakers win 11th straight, Bryant injures finger, Kobe's jumper at OT buzzer lifts Lakers over Bucks, Bryant joins 14 others with 25,000 points, "Kobe's 3-pointer at buzzer gives Lakers win NBA Yahoo! The label wanted to capitalize on Bryant's youth and NBA fame. [333] After winning another gold medal, Bryant decided to retire from the team. [386] His formal induction was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [536], Also, beginning with the Spurs and the Raptors in their game in San Antonio on the day of the crash, teams paid tribute to Bryant at the start of their games with intentional on-court violations referring to his uniform numbers on their first possessioneither a 24-second shot clock or an 8-second backcourt violation. [478], In high school, Bryant was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW, named after the Chi Sah gang in the martial arts film Kid with the Golden Arm. [51] Ultimately, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to do so. [296] However, he played in the season opener to begin his 20th season with the Lakers, surpassing John Stockton's league record of 19 for the most seasons with the same team. A particularly damaging salvo came when Jackson wrote The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. With career averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game,[336] Bryant was considered one of the most complete players in NBA history. He claimed his first All-Star MVP trophy after a 31-point performance in Philadelphia when he was loudly booed by fans as they had throughout the game, stemming from his earlier comment to a 76ers heckler during the Finals that the Lakers were "going to cut your hearts out". This marked the fifth time in Bryant's career, and the first time without O'Neal, that he made the NBA Finals. Bryant scored just four points in 25 minutes on 1-for-14 shooting, matching the worst-shooting game of his career in which he attempted at least five shots. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. But, this is an injury that myself [sic] and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis. [31] Another source of inspiration was animated European films about sports, from which he learned more about basketball. [114] Bryant was the league's second-leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, but he was surrounded by a subpar supporting cast, and the Lakers went 3448 and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. [325] In the following summer, he had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his sexual assault case. Over a year after the crash, on February 9, 2021, the NTSB declared that pilot Ara Zobayan probably became disoriented after flying into thick clouds. The academy established locations in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach, California. Speakers at the service included Vanessa, Jordan, and O'Neal, along with Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and Geno Auriemma, Taurasi's coach at Connecticut, where Gianna had been aspiring to play. Email. [89] They swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Finals to advance to the Finals, before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. In the 2000 Finals, against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the second quarter of Game 2 after landing on the Pacers' Jalen Rose's foot. [451][452] His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8. [290][393][396] On four occasions (2003, 2011, 2013, 2016) he was the leading vote-getter. Bryant even appeared on Lakers teammate O'Neal's Respect, starting the track "3 X's Dope", though Bryant's name was not listed on the credits. Despite a feud with teammate Shaquille O'Neal, the pair led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. [542] He was not included in the montages at the 2020 VMAs and Emmys, held later in the year. He won gold medals on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. The two began dating and became engaged six months later in May 2000,[406] while Laine was still a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backward. [279] He played in the first 27 games of the season,[280] averaging team-highs with 26.4 points and 35.4 minutes per game while leading the league with 22.4 shots per game. Lakers guard Russell Westbrook channels inner Kobe Bryant after finger dislocation in loss vs. Nuggets. [494], On August 22, 2016, Bryant and his business partner Jeff Stibel launched Bryant-Stibel, a venture capital firm focused on different businesses including media, data, gaming, and technology, with $100 million in funding. Chamberlain did it 15 times, and Baylor once. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in five games, sending themselves to the NBA Finals, against the Boston Celtics. [272] Despite being sidelined, he was voted by fans to start in his 16th All-Star game. Back in my day where we're from, I've got a couple of friends, and we used to make teams of Bryant and James and go against . While the Lakers swept the Blazers and defeated the Spurs 41 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Lakers did not have home-court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. This followed with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the youngest player to receive All-Defensive honors). [383][393] He was the first guard to play 20 seasons in the NBA. [113] Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen. [124] In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was the second-highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. James also delivered a speech to the crowd before the game, and every player in the Lakers starting lineup was announced with Bryant's name. In the semifinals round, the Lakers swept the Sacramento Kings. [125] Whereas Chamberlain was fed repeatedly by teammates for inside shots in a blowout win, Bryant created his own shotmostly from the outsidein a game which the Lakers trailed at halftime by 14 and did not pull away until the fourth quarter. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP trophy upon winning his fourth championship,[185] achieving series averages of 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. [332], Bryant rejoined the national team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The cause of the crash was hard to investigate, as the helicopter was not equipped with a black box. [232] He went on to score 40, 42, and 42 in his next three games. The accusation briefly tarnished Bryant's reputation, resulting in the loss of several of his endorsement contracts.[10]. [62] At the time, he was the second-youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (18 years, 72 days) and also became the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 158 days). [47], Bryant received several awards for his outstanding performance during his senior year at Lower Merion. Apply to and more! [335], Bryant primarily played as a shooting guard. However, it was not for anything basketball related; rather, it was about Bryant being a big fan of FC Barcelona. It also makes sense to design a build inspired by a younger Kobe. [157] However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed that Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and publicly stated, "I want to be traded. [149] In the following day, in a game against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Bryant scored 50 points, making him the second player in NBA history to have four straight 50-point games behind Chamberlain, who achieved it twice with streaks of five and seven. During the run, he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Aces to a 313 record. had 23. . [214] Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37points, 14rebounds, and three steals in the 2011 All-Star Game and won his fourth All-Star MVP, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. [394] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". [110][111], Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 200405 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. However, on June 30, Divac relented on his threat and the trade was made final on July 9, 1996, when the league's off-season moratorium ended. [506], In 2013, Bryant launched a production company called Granity Studios, which developed different media, ranging from films to television shows and novels. [34][35] During summers, Bryant would come back to the United States to play in a basketball summer league. [416] In early December 2016, Vanessa gave birth to their third daughter,[417][418][419] and in January 2019 the Bryants announced they were expecting a fourth daughter. [41] Duke, Michigan, North Carolina and Villanova were at the top of his list. 5", "Ranking The Top 10 Pure Scorers In NBA History", "Kobe Bryant and the Sexual Assault Case That Was Dropped but Not Forgotten", "Where does a rape allegation fit in the legacy of Kobe Bryant? [19][20][21][423] Bryant and his family were regular attendees at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach. [273] However, he missed playing in the game, still hampered by his knee. In 1997, he appeared on an episode of Hang Time, this was followed by a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That (1998). The Lakers swept the Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, and Bryant was officially announced as the league MVP. It featured his insights into the game of basketball and in-depth analyses of games and individual players. [169] He would then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points overall including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection. [38] Bryant's news was met with a lot of publicity at a time when prep-to-pro NBA players were not very common (Garnett being the only exception in 20 years). In 2010 Nike launched another shoe, Nike Zoom Kobe V.[461] In 2009, Bryant signed a deal with Nubeo to market the "Black Mamba collection", a line of sports/luxury watches that range from $25,000 to $285,000. [330] This was his first time going to the Olympics. On December 17, Bryant matched his season high of 21 points in a 9692 win over Memphis, but he suffered a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee that was expected to sideline him for six weeks. [383] He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997 and was its youngest winner. [97] On November 1, Bryant recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 10893 win over the LA Clippers. Games. The headquarters are in Newport Beach, California. Bryant appeared as the cover athlete for the following video games: Bryant was also one of the global ambassadors of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. Regarding his injury, he stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. [101] Bryant was arrested for sexual assault before the season began. Monsky asked Kobe who the best point guard is he ever played with and Kobe jokingly said Monsky was the best with Nash in a close second. [203] In a rematch against the 2008 Champion Boston Celtics, Bryant, despite shooting 6 for 24 from the field, led the Lakers back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit in Game 7 to win the championship; he scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 15 rebounds. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). [280][282] In his second game back after resting, he had 23 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 111103 win over Denver, and became just the third player in league history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season at age 36 or older.
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