This article will answer every question you have about Kobe Bryant. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about him.
- What does Kobe do for a living?
- Who are Kobe’s parents and siblings?
- What are Kobe’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Kobe married or does he have a girlfriend/ boyfriend?
- Does Kobe have any children?
- Where is Kobe now?
- How tall is Kobe?
- How much money does Kobe earn?
- What is Kobe’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Kobe Bryant?
Kobe Bean Bryant was an American famous professional basketball player. He spent his 20-year career as a shooting guard with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA (National Basketball Association). He was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
Moreover, he led the NBA in scoring twice and ranks fourth in the league in the all-time regular season and postseason scoring. In 2020, he was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 75TH Anniversary Team in 2021. Being born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy, he was recognized as the top American high school basketball player while in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. He then declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick, and was then traded to the Lakers.
As a rookie, he earned recognition as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and was named an All-Star in his second season. Despite having a feud with teammate Shaquille O’Neal, the pair led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. In 2003, he was charged with sexual assault with the alleged victim being a 19-year-old hotel employee. However, criminal charges were later dropped after the accuser failed to testify and a lawsuit was settled out of court.
Introduction
O’Neal was traded after the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals and thus Bryant was left to become the cornerstone of the franchise. Thus he went on to lead the NBA in scoring in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons and was named league MVP in 2008. He scored a career-high 81 points on January 22, 2006; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. In 2009 and 2010, he led the team to consecutive championships both times being named NBA Finals MVP. He then continued to be among the top players in the league through the 2012-13 season but suffered a torn Achilles tendon at age 34. The Lakers retired both his #8 and #24 jerseys in 2017, thus making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by the same franchise.
Being the all-time leading scorer in Laker’s history, he was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star designations are the second most all time and he has the most consecutive appearances as a starter. In the mid-2000s, he gave himself the nickname “Black Mamba” and the epithet became widely adopted by the general public. Because of his exemplary performances, he won gold medals on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball (2017). In 2020, he died along with his daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Thus a number of tributes and memorials were subsequently issued including renaming the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award in his honor.
How Old Is Kobe Bryant?
He was 41 years old at the time of his death on January 26, 2020. Having been born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Kobe shared his birthdate with celebrities such as; Indiana Massara, Lil Yachty, Braylon Hall, River Phoenix (1970-1993), and many more.
Kobe Bryant Family
Who are Kobe Bryant’s Parents?
He was born to Joe Bryant (Father, born on October 19, 1954) an American former basketball player and coach. And Pamela Cox Bryant (Mother, born in 1954) is an American socialite.
Does Kobe Bryant have Siblings?
He has two elder sisters by the name Sharia Bryant and Shaya Bryant.
Kobe Bryant Education
He received his education at Bala Cynwyd Middle School and Lower Merion High School.
Kobe Bryant’s Marital Status
He was married to the love of his life, Vanessa Bryant (born on May 5, 1982) an American philanthropist. They married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.
Kobe Bryant Kids
He and his wife have four kids. Four daughters by the name of Natalia Diamante Bryant (born on January 19, 2003, a model). Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant (born on May 1, 2006, but died on January 26, 2020). Bianka Bella Bryant (born on December 5, 2016). And Capri Kobe Bryant (born on June 20, 2019).
Kobe Bryant Career
A High School Career
As a freshman at Lower Merion High School, he played on the varsity basketball team. He thus became the first freshman in decades to start for Lower Merion’s varsity team but the team finished with a 4-20 record. During his junior year, he averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 2.3 steals. This resulted in him being named Pennsylvania Player of the Year while also earning a fourth-team Parade All-American nomination.
While in high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Bryant to work out and scrimmage with the team where he played one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse. In his senior year, he led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 yards. During his senior year, he received several; awards for his outstanding performance. This included being named Naismith High Player of the Year, and Gatorade Men’s National Basketball Player of the Year. A McDonald’s All-American, a first-team Parade All-American, and a USA Today All-USA First Team player.
A Professional Career
A Career in the 1996 NBA draft
Before the 1996 NBA draft, he had worked out in Los Angeles where he scrimmaged against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper. He was the first guard to be drafted directly out of high school. Since Kobe was still 17 at the time, his parents had to cosign his contract with the Lakers until he was able to sign his own when he turned 18 before the season began. Bryant went on to sign a three-year rookie contract totaling $3.5 million.
A Career with the Los Angeles Lakers (1996 to 2016)
As a rookie in 1996-97, he mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. At the time, he was the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 72 days) and also became the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 158 days). At the age of 18, he became the youngest dunk champion by participating in the Rookie Challenge and winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. Thus his performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with fellow bench teammate Travis Knight. In his second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. His 15.4 points per game were the highest of any non-starter in the season. The 1998-99 season marked Bryant’s emergence as a premiere guard in the league.
He then signed a six-year contract extension worth $70 million. This meant he would stay with the Lakers until the end of the 2003-04 season. His fortunes would further improve when Phil Jackson took over as coach of the Lakers in 1999. After a steady improvement, he became one of the premier shooting guards in the league thus earning appearances in the league’s All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams. The Lakers went on to become championship contenders behind the center-guard combination of Bryant and O’Neal. In 2000, 2001, and 2002, three championships were won consecutively further cementing this view. However, due to a hand injury prior to the start of the 1999-2000 season, he was sidelined for six weeks.
Career Continuation
The injury he had incurred during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards. For the first time in his career, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team (the youngest player to receive All-Defensive honors). The 2000-01 season, saw him perform similarly to the previous year but averaged six more points per game (28.5). Overall, he ended up making the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. In addition, he was voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the third year in a row (no game in 1999). Also, for the first time in his career, he played 80 games in the 2001-02 season. On January 14, 2002, he recorded a then career-high 56 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in a 120-81 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.
He recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in an 87-82 loss to the visiting Spurs in the first game of the 2002-03 season. In a 108-93 win over LA Clippers, on November 1, he recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. In the following season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary [ayton to make another push at the NBA championship. This resulted in Bryant, missing some games due to court appearances or attending court. With a starting lineup of O’neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals. He scored a career-high 81 points on January 22, 2006, in a 122-104 victory against the Toronto Raptors.
Career Continuation
That same month, he became the first player since 1964, to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players to do so. By averaging 35. 4 points, he won the league’s scoring title for the first time. It was reported later in the season that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006-07 season. During the season, he was selected for his 9th All-Star Game appearance. And on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, thus earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. On March 16, he scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers which helped end the Lakers’ 7-game losing streak.
ESPN reported on May 27, 2007, that Bryant stated that he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority. On December 23, 2007, he became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points. This was in a game against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden after scoring 39 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 8 assists. However, this record has since been broken by LeBron James. In November 2013, he resumed practicing after the 2013-14 season had already begun.
Career Continuation
On November 25, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Lakers at an estimated value of $48.5 million. After missing the season’s first 19 games, Bryant resumed playing on December 8. That same month on the 17th, he matched his season high of 21 points in a 96-92 win over Memphis. However, he suffered a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee that was expected to sideline him for six weeks. He returned for the 2014-15 season his 19th season with the Lakers. He had been rested in 8 of 16 games and he underwent season-ending surgery.
To the injury finishing the season averaging 22.3 points but shooting a career-low 37.3 percent. Thus he was expected to be sidelined for nine months with a return targeted toward the start of the 2015-16 season. After recovery to play in the 2015-16 preseason. He suffered a calf injury and missed the final two weeks of exhibition games. On November 29, 2015, he announced via The Players’ Tribune that he would be retiring at the end of the season. At the time of his announcement, he was second on the team in minutes (30.8). Behind Jordan Clarkson and leading the team with 16.7 field goal attempts per game. While averaging just 15.7 points and shooting a career-low 31.5%.
A National team Career
In addition to playing basketball at the club level, he has played at the international level. Along with LeBron James was one of the first two players to be publicly named to the 2006-2008 U.S. preliminary roster 2006 by Jerry Colangelo. However, he was sidelined once again after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. His United States national team career finally began in 2007. Therefore, he was a member of the 2007 USA Men’s Senior National Team. And USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10-0 won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. He was then named to the USA Men’s Senior National Team on June 23, 2008, for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He finished his national team career with a record of 26-0 across three tournaments winning a gold medal each time.
A Music Career
In high school, he was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW. Named after the Chi Sah gang in the martial art film Kid with the Golden Arm. The group was thus signed by Sony Entertainment but the company’s ultimate goal was to eliminate the group and have Bryant record on his own. The first single “K.O.B.E. featured supermodel Tyra Banks singing the hoo. The single debuted in January 2000 and was performed at NBA All-Star Weekend that month. American rapper Lil Wayne released a song called “Kobe Bryant” in 2009. Similarly, in 2010, American rapper Sho Baraka released a song called “Kobe Bryant On’em” which was featured on his album Lions and Liars. Moreover, American rapper Cheef Keef also released a song paying tribute to Kobe Bryant called “Kobe”.
A Film and Television Career
In addition to his basketball career, in 1996, he made his acting debut appearing in an episode of Moesha. Earlier in the year, he met the show’s star Brandy at a Nike All-Star basketball game. That same year, he guest appeared as himself on an episode of Arli$$ episode: “What About the Fans? and Sister, Sister (episode: “Kid-Napped”).
In 2018, he 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. However, despite winning the Oscar, he was denied membership into the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. This was because of his past sexual abuse case and their new set of standards to conduct within the recent MeToo movement. Moreover, the film won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject and a Sports Emmy Award.
Philanthropy
He was the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars (ASAS) an American non-profit organization. Moreover, he started the Kobe Bryant China Fund. This partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government. Together with his wife, he founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF). Also, he and his wife Vanessa were founding donors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
A Career in Business Ventures
He established Kobe Inc. to own and grow brands in the sports industry. In March 2014, the initial investment was a 10% stake in the Bodyarmor SuperDrink company for $6 million. In August 2018, with The Coca-Cola Company purchased a minority stake in the company. The valuation of Bryant’s stake rose to approximately $200 million. He and his business partner Jeff Stibel launched Bryant-Stibel on August 22, 2016. A venture capital firm focused on different businesses including media, data, gaming, and technology with $100 million in funding.
A Books Career
His book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play was published on October 23, 2018, by MCD/ Farrar Straus and Giroux. At the time of his death, he was working with Brazillian author Paulo Coelho on a children’s book aimed at inspiring underprivileged children. Moreover, he co-wrote/produced several young adult novels through Granity Studios.
Kobe Bryant Height and Measurements
Adding up to his well-built body, he stood at a height of 6ft 6inches (1.98m) and a weight of 96kg (211lbs).
Kobe Bryant’s Salary and Net Worth
He had an annual salary of $25 million and a net worth of $600 million.
