Kobe Bryant was one of the best basketball player and he played for only Los Angeles Lakers for his whole life. People love to call him “Black Mamba” as a nickname. He died on January 26, 2020, at the age of 41 years in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna who was just 13 years old. His whole journey was of hard work and full dedication. He played basketball for around 20 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA). So, here we are going to explore the ups and downs of Kobe’s whole journey.
Personal Basic Information
| Full Name | Kobe Bean Bryant |
| Nick Name | Black Mamba |
| Father’s Name | Joe Bryant also known by Jellybean |
| Mother’s Name | Pamela Bryant |
| Date of Birth (Born) | August 23, 1978 |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Current Age | Age: 47 years, 6 months, and 24 days as of today. Time left for next birthday: 5 months and 7 days. |
| Height | 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) |
| Weight | 212 pounds (96 kg) |
| Net worth | $600 million at the time of his death in January 26, 2020 |
| Marriage Status | Married |
| Wife Name | Vanessa Bryant |
| Kids Name | Natalia Diamante Bryant, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, Bianka Bella Bryant, Capri Kobe Bryant |
| High school | Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Current Team Name | N/A |
| Stats | nba.com |
Kobe Bryant’s Net Worth
As per the Forbes report, at the time of his death (January 2020) his total net worth was $600 Million USD Dollar and his salary was $25 Million USD Dollar.
Kobe Bryant’s Early Life and Childhood
Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA. His father Joe Bryant was also a professional basketball player and played in the NBA team in the USA. But later, he moved to Italy with his family and started playing in an Italian basketball league. This also affects Kobe’s life. As he lived in two different cultures, that’s why he became fluent in both languages English as well as Italian and he also got international exposure to basketball. His father becomes his first coach to introduce him to sports and soon basketball becomes his primary sport. When Kobe was about 13 years old then his family came back to the USA and settled in Pennsylvania. And now this has become a big move in Kobe’s life.
Education and the Beginning of Sports Career
He completed his high school in his hometown (Ardmore, Pennsylvania) in the USA, and his school name is Lower Merion High School. He starts playing in the school team and quickly becomes a champion player in basketball.
He became the leader of the school basketball team to represent in the state-level championship in 1996. He never thinks to go for college and he was thinking of playing directly with the big giants of basketball. This decision changed his life completely and he started playing for the NBA.
Rape Case
In June 2003, a 19-year-old hotel employee in Eagle, Colorado alleged that Kobe raped her in his hotel room on June 30, 2003. That time Bryant was staying at The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera where only women work.
Bryant also admitted that he had sexual relations with the woman but he said that it was consensual. But on July 18, 2003, Bryant became an accused of one count of sexual assault.
This case came into the eye of the media and the case was highlighted by the media for justice.
But in September 2004, the accuser decided not to testify in court and this criminal case was dismissed. The Prosecutors said that the case can’t be continued without the accused cooperation.
Later, the accused filed a case in a civil lawsuit against Bryant but In 2005, the case was settled out of the court for an undisclosed amount.
As per the civil law, Kobe issued a public apology.
NBA Career
Kobe Bryant planned to directly enter the NBA just after high school in 1996 when he was just 17 years old. He was selected for the 1996 NBA Draft and became the youngest player to enter the NBA Draft.
Now, Kobe was in front of the top NBA players and he needs to prove his excellence in them. He scored well in his first NBA season and became the youngest player in the history of NBA games.
He also played in the All-Star Games and scored well. At that time he was just 18 years old and he there also became the youngest player to play in the All-Star Game. This becomes a great achievement and takes his career in the sky.
Achievements / Awards / Medals
Kobe started playing basketball in his early days and won several medals in his just 20 years of journey with the NBA. Here is the list:
International Achievements
Olympic Medals: He helped the team in the Olympic games and won two gold medals-one in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the second one in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
NBA Achievements
2000-2002 and 2009-2010: He led the Los Angeles Lakers team and won the NBA Champion title five times in these years.
2009-2010: These years were lucky for him because he also won the title of NBA Finals MVP during Laker’s championships.
2008: After seeing his outstanding performance he won the NBA League’s MVP (Most Valuable Person) award.
1998, 2000–2016: He was selected 18 times for All-Star Game in his NBA career.2002, 2007, 2009, 2011: During his basketball career, he got the award of NBA All-Star Game MVP four times.
Married Life and Family
Kobe married Vanessa Laine in 2001 when she was just 18 years old and also she was his high school friend. They were a happily married couple and had four daughters
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- Natalia Diamante Bryant – born in January 19, 2003
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- Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant – born on May 1, 2006 – passed January 26, 2020
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- Bianka Bella Bryant – born on December 5, 2016
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- Capri Kobe Bryant – born in June 20, 2019
He was very happy with his family and he started calling himself “Girl Dad”. He always plays with them and also keeps them motivated.
The Death
On January 26, 2020, the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76B, was on the route to Mamba Sports Academy for a basketball tournament, and because of poor weather conditions and thick fog, their helicopter crashed.
In this incident, a total of 9 people died including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant. Kobe Bryant’s death shocked the world and lost one of the best NBA Champion.