Kobe Bryant

Five-time NBA champion and Lakers legend whose Mamba Mentality and 81-point game defined a generation.

Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia in 1978, the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, and entered the draft directly from Lower Merion High School in 1996 — selected 13th by Charlotte and immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent his entire 20-year career at the Lakers (1996–2016), making him one of the great one-club players in professional sport. He scored 33,643 career points at 25.0 per game, with 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists — all across 1,346 regular season games. He won 5 championships: 3 consecutive with Shaquille O'Neal (2000–2002) and 2 as undisputed leader with Pau Gasol (2009–10). He was league MVP in 2008 and Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010. He won 2 scoring titles (35.4 ppg in 2005–06, 31.6 ppg in 2006–07). His 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006 — the second-highest individual game total in NBA history — remains the clearest demonstration of his offensive ceiling. His top speed of 43.5 km/h was among the fastest ever recorded in the NBA. He played 48,643 regular season minutes across 20 seasons. He won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012. He scored 60 points in his final NBA game aged 37. He died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 at 41.

Elite scorer with exceptional footwork, fadeaway jumper, and clutch performance

One of the greatest players in NBA history, defined Lakers basketball for two decades

• NBA Champion 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 (Los Angeles Lakers)
• NBA MVP 2008
• Finals MVP 2009, 2010
• Scoring Champion 2006 (35.4 ppg), 2007 (31.6 ppg)
• All-Star 18x
• All-NBA First Team 11x
• Olympic Gold 2008, 2012