Kobe Bryant

Name : Kobe Bean Bryant
Born : August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, PA
Team : Los Angeles Lakers
Position : Shooting Guard
Height : 6'6"
Weight : 220 lbs.
Nicknames : Kobe, KB81, KB24, Black Mamba
High School : Lower Merion in Lower Merion, PA
College : None
Drafted : 1996; 1st round, 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets (traded to the Lakers for Vlade Divac)

Teams Played For In Career:

• Los Angeles Lakers (1996-Present)
• 
  

MAJOR AWARDS AND HONORS:

NBA All-Star

• 1997-98 All-Star
• 1999-2000 All-Star
• 2000-01 All-Star
• 2001-02 All-Star (MVP)
• 2002-03 All-Star
• 2004-05 All-Star
• 2005-06 All-Star
• 2006-07 All-Star

All-NBA Teams

• 1998-99 All-NBA Third Team
• 1999-2000 All-NBA Second Team
• 2000-01 All-NBA Second Team
• 2001-02 All-NBA First Team
• 2002-03 All-NBA First Team
• 2003-04 All-NBA First Team
• 2004-05 All-NBA Third Team
• 2005-06 All-NBA First Team
• 2006-07 All-NBA First Team

NBA All-Defensive Teams

• 1999-2000 All-Defensive First Team
• 2000-01 All-Defensive Second Team
• 2001-02 All-Defensive Second Team
• 2002-03 All-Defensive First Team
• 2003-04 All-Defensive First Team
• 2005-06 All-Defensive First Team
• 2006-07 All-Defensive First Team

NBA All-Rookie Team

• 1996-97 All-Rookie Second Team

Background:

Bryant is the son of former Philadelphia 76ers player, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, who moved his family to Italy to play professionally in the Italian League. Kobe is named after the internationally known beef from Kobe, Japan. During his high school career at Lower Merion, his national prominence rose and culminated in Bryant entering the NBA Draft after his senior season. He was the first guard to make the jump from the preps to pros. He was drafted by the Hornets, but then traded to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac 15 days later after saying he wanted to play for the Lakers. Then Lakers GM Jerry West obliged.

His Career Thus Far:

Bryant has become one of the better players in the league, both on the offensive side and defensive side of the ball, and one of the best dunkers ever. He is known as a devestating scorer, but doesn't get enough credit for his ability to find open teammates. Bryant is often compared favorably to the legendary Michael Jordan. On January 22, 2006 Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, setting a Lakers franchise record and the second most points ever scored in an NBA game behind Wilt Chamberlain's historic 100-point barrage in 1962. Most importantly, along with Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson at the helm, Bryant won back-to-back-to-back NBA titles from the 1999-2000 to the 2001-02 seasons.

Bryant was an instant bankable advertising machine with endorsements from top companies thanks to how spectacular he was on the court and possessing a smile that was comparable to the aforementioned Jordan, a marketing department's dream. However, that all came crashing down in 2003 when Bryant was accused of sexual assault by a Colorado hotel worker. Since then, he's been well-behaved and has flourished, both on the floor and off of it.

Bryant won his first NBA scoring title in the 2005-06 season, averaging 35.4 points per game and led the league again in scoring in 2006-07 with a 31.6 average. And all of the endorsements that he had lost, have now come back and Kobe is a marketing darling once again. He changed his jersey number from number 8 to 24, his high school jersey number, for this past 2006-07 season.