Player Profile: Kobe Bryant

Fun Facts About Kobe Bryant

• Is nicknamed Black Mamba
• Won 5 NBA championships
• Scored 81 points in a single game
• Grew up in Italy and can speak Italian fluently
• His dad played in the NBA for 8 seasons

Kobe Bryant was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and is the third-leading scorer in the history of the NBA.

Kobe was born in Philadelphia, but spent much of his childhood in Italy, where his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, played professional basketball following the end of his NBA career.

Kobe lived in Italy with his family from age 6 to age 13. He learned to speak Italian, developed a love for soccer and kept his connection to the NBA by watching game tapes sent to him from his grandparents, who still lived in the U.S. Once his father’s playing days were done, the family moved back to Philadelphia in time for Kobe to attend high school.

After a spectacular high school career, Kobe decided to bypass college and enter the NBA Draft. He was selected with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets and was traded to the Lakers. He has worn the purple and gold ever since and helped lead the Lakers to five NBA championships, including a three-peat in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

Kobe was selected as an NBA All-Star 18 times, second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 19. Kobe has been named Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game a record four times. He also won league MVP honors in 2008 and Finals MVP honors in 2009 and 2010.

In the history of the NBA only two players have scored more points that Kobe Bryant – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. Kobe passed the great Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list last season to become the highest scoring guard in the history of the league. Kobe also scored 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006, the second highest scoring game in NBA history.

NBA All-Time Scoring Leaders

Jordan is the player Bryant is most often compared to. They played the same position, were both great scorers and defenders, have a relentless drive and passion for the game, and both led their teams to championships – five for Kobe and six for Michael.