Who was Kobe Bryant?

Kobe Bryant was a former NBA player. Born on August 23rd, 1978, he entered the NBA straight from high school. Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick, after which he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He won 5 NBA championships with the Lakers while becoming the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons.

On January 26, 2020, 41-year-old Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old Gianna Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter accident. Bryant was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2020.

 Kobe Bryant’s Early Life

Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia to Pamela Cox and former NBA player, Joe Bryant. His middle name, Bean, was inspired by his father's NBA nickname, 'Jellybean.' He was the youngest of three, living with his sisters Sharia and Shaya Bryant. When Kobe was 6, Joe Bryant retired from the NBA and moved his family to Italy to continue his professional basketball career. After moving around, the family settled for a while in Reggio Emilia, where a young Kobe Bryant began his basketball journey. When he was 13, his family moved back to Philadelphia where Kobe enrolled at Bala Cynwyd Middle School.

He went on to have a spectacular high school career and became the first freshman in decades to start for the Lower Merion High Varsity team. By the end of his high school career, Kobe Bryant became Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain with a whopping 2,883 points in 4 years. Then, in 1996, following in the footsteps of Kevin Garnett, Kobe declared for the NBA Draft, becoming the sixth player ever to make the jump straight from high school.

Kobe Bryant’s Wife and Children

During his third season in the NBA, Kobe Bryant, seemingly inspired by his then-teammate Shaquille O'Neal, was working on his first studio album. In the same building, Vanessa Laine was working as a background dancer for a music video. The two met, began dating and were engaged 6 months later in May 2000. On April 18, 2001, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant tied the knot. On January 19th, 2003, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Natalia Bryant. Gianna Maria-Onore, or Gigi, was born on May 1st, 2006.

Starting in 2011, Kobe and Vanessa were in the midst of a highly publicized divorce until the couple reconciled and decided to stay together in January, 2013. 3 years later, they welcomed their 3rd daughter, Bianka Bella Bryant, on December 5th, 2016. Their youngest, Capri Kobe Bryant, was born on June 20th, 2019. Gianna and Kobe Bryant died in a tragic helicopter accident on January 26th, 2020.

 Kobe Bryant’s Net Worth 2024

Before making his debut, Kobe Bryant signed a whopping $48 million contract with Adidas for 6 years. Consequently, in the year 2007, CNN estimated Bryant's endorsement deals to be worth $16 million annually. Following a sleuth of lucrative endorsements, including his Nike line, Forbes named him the 5th highest paid sports star in the world in 2013. Moreover, at the time of his death, Forbes estimated his net worth to be nearly $770 million. More recently, Celebrity Net Worth reported his net worth to stand at around $600 million.

Kobe Bryant’s Career

The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe Bryant with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft before shipping him to Los Angeles in exchange for Vlade Divac. Bryant would become the first guard in NBA history to enter the league straight from high school. The Lakers, and then-general manager Jerry West, were keen on the 17-year-old after he "marched over" Larry Drew and Michael Cooper during a pre-draft scrimmage. Due to his age at the time of being drafted, Kobe's parents had to co-sign his contract with the Lakers until he turned 18. Bryant would go on to become the second youngest athlete to play in the NBA at the time. He participated in the Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest dunk champion.

However, due to limited minutes, Kobe Bryant would only find a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team. During the Western Conference semifinals, the Lakers would get into foul trouble and rely on the teenaged Bryant against the Utah Jazz. Unfortunately, the rookie went on to shoot 4 airballs and miss a game-winning jump shot in the 4th quarter. Nonetheless, his teammate, Shaquille O'Neal, commended Kobe Bryant for being the only player willing to step up.

Bryant doubled his scoring in Year 2, finishing as the runner up for the Sixth Man of the Year award and becoming the youngest All-Star starter in NBA history. Then, in 1999, the Lakers signed legendary head coach Phil Jackson. Kobe Bryant finished the season with All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive selections, also becoming the youngest All-Defensive selection in NBA history. Between 2000 and 2002, the Lakers saw unprecedented success as the duo of Shaq and Kobe led the franchise to its first and only three-peat.

However, with O'Neal taking home three consecutive Finals MVPs, the dynamics between the guard and the big started to sour with time. After years of reported disagreements, the Lakers would trade Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat on July 14th, 2004. Kobe Bryant would sign a 7-year extension with the team on the very next day. After some alleged tensions with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to the Lakers in 2005.

On December 20th, 2005, Kobe Bryant outscored a high-seeded Mavericks team through 3 quarters. He is only the player to achieve this feat in the NBA. A month later, the 'Black Mamba' would etch his name into NBA history with a historic 81-point game performance against the Toronto Raptors on January 22nd, 2006. It's the second-highest single game performance behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points in 1962. Bryant would average 43.4 points per game in the month of January and go on to secure his first scoring title that season.

At the start of the 2006-07 season, Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number from '8' to '24', which was his initial high-school jersey number. He would win his second straight scoring title that season and lead the NBA in jersey sales throughout the year. The 2007-08 season would see the addition of Pau Gasol to the Lakers and Kobe Bryant would go on to win his sole MVP award in 2008.

The 07-08 season was also special because it was Bryant's first time in the NBA Finals without Shaquille O'Neal. Though the Purple and Gold would succumb to the Boston Celtics in six games, Kobe would win on a different platform that year. This season also marked the start of Kobe Bryant's national team career. Untimely injuries had prevented the 'Black Mamba' from suiting up for Team USA until the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship games. He averaged 15 points during Team USA's 10-0 run through the tournament.

Bryant would follow it up with another unbeaten run with Team USA during the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. They overcame Bryant's teammate Pau Gasol and the Spanish national team in the gold medal game, with Kobe Bryant scoring 13 points in the 4th quarter to seal the 118-107 win. It was much of the same in 2012, when Bryant rejoined the Olympic national team. After winning his second gold medal with Team USA, he retired from international competitions with a perfect 26-0 record.

Back in the NBA, Kobe Bryant would bounce back from the Finals loss to the Celtics by winning two straight championships. The first came against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in 2009. Bryant and Co. sent the Magic packing in 5, with the 'Black Mamba' winning the first Finals MVP of his career. He would continue his historic run the next season by tallying six game-winning shots and surpassing Jerry West to become the leading scorer in Lakers' franchise history. His Lakers would return to the NBA Finals, this time against the Boston Celtics, in a rematch of their 2008 defeat.

The tightly contested series would see only one game cross the 100-point barrier. It would come down to game 7 at Staples Center where Kobe Bryant would score 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 13-point deficit and win his 5th NBA championship. The 'Black Mamba' later stated that this was the most satisfying ring of his career. It also marked the first time that the Lakers had beaten the Celtics in a game 7.

The 'Black Mamba' still wanted more. He was chasing 6 to tie his mentor, Michael Jordan. During the next season, Kobe Bryant would jump from 12th on the all-time scoring charts to 6th. However, his Lakers would be thwarted from their second three-peat by the Dallas Mavericks who swept them in round 2 of the playoffs. The rest of his tenure in LA would not see any major silverware. On November 29th, 2015, Bryant penned a letter in The Players' Tribune, announcing his retirement at the end of the season.

In his last NBA game, Bryant would outscore the entire Utah Jazz team 23-21 in the 4th quarter on his way to 60 points and a 5-point victory in overtime, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to drop 60. The 'Black Mamba' spent 20 seasons in LA and is recognized as one of the all-time greats, with both his jerseys being retired by the Purple and Gold. On February 8th 2024, the Lakers unveiled a Kobe Bryant statue to honor their franchise leader.

Playing 1346 regular season games, Kobe Bryant is fourth on the list of all-time points scored in the league with 33,643 points. He is also 4th in all-time field goals attempted and third in all-time free throws made.

During his 20-season NBA career, Kobe Bryant only missed 5 postseasons. His playoff high would come in 2006 when he erupted for 50 points against the Phoenix Suns. Playing in 230 playoff games, the 'Black Mamba' had a record of 135-85 in the postseason. He is 4th on the all-time playoff points list and 2nd in all-time playoff field goals attempted.

Kobe Bryant’s NBA Contracts

The 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, a teenaged Kobe Bryant signed his first NBA contract for 3 years and $3.5 million. In 1999, the Lakers extended the young guard to a 6-year $70 million contract. He jumped to 22.5 points while being paid $9 million that season. By 2004, Bryant was a 3x NBA champion and arguably the best shooting guard in the league. The Lakers extended him again on a 7-year $136 million contract.

During this period, the 'Black Mamba' would win 2 scoring titles and the league MVP. During 2007-08 MVP season, Bryant's salary was almost $19.5 million, good for 7th highest that season. Ahead of him on the list was his former teammate, Shaquille O'Neal, who earned $20 million and Kevin Garnett, who the Celtics paid $23.7 million. In April 2010, a 32-year-old Kobe Bryant signed a 3-year extension worth about $84 million.

The deal saw his yearly salary jump to $24 million, making him the highest paid player in the league after he won his 5th ring with the Lakers. The last year of his 3-year contract was the 'Black Mamba's biggest payday in the NBA as he earned $30 million during the 2013-14 season. In 2013, the franchise gave Bryant a veteran bird extension worth $48 million to retain the Lakers legend through his final 2 seasons. Over his 20-year NBA career, Kobe Bryant earned a whopping $323,312,307.

Kobe Bryant’s Partnerships and Endorsements

In 1998, Coca Cola signed Kobe Bryant as an endorser for Sprite. The deal involved several commercials, including an iconic TV ad with Tim Duncan. Bryant and Coca Cola also partnered on various community initiatives. In 2006, Spalding and Bryant signed an endorsement deal that included a range of signature basketballs and the community promotion, the Spalding Hoophall Classic. The 'Black Mamba' was also involved with the sports memorabilia company, Panini. After signing on in 2009, Kobe Bryant and Panini worked on a range of collectibles like trading cards.

In 2013, premium watchmaker Hublot signed the 5x NBA champion on as a brand ambassador leading to the “King Power Black Mamba” watch. The $46,500 timepiece was limited to 250 units that featured snakeskin imagery and Bryant's signature as an ode to his legacy. Bryant was also a notable ambassador for the aviation giant, Turkish Airlines. He featured in several commercials for the brand alongside soccer icon Lionel Messi. Previously, Kobe Bryant also partnered with Guitar Hero to develop a TV ad starring the Lakers legend, Alex Rodriguez, Michael Phelps and Tony Hawk.

 Kobe Bryant’s Investments

In 2014, Kobe Bryant over 10% of the sports drink company Body Armer for about $6 million. It was one of the biggest investments made by an athlete in modern times. By 2018, his stake was valued at around $200 million thanks to a significant investment from Coca Cola. Not only did the Bryant estate make tremendous returns,  the 5x NBA champion also served on the company's board and directed various commercials for the sports drink. In 2022, Coca Cola took full ownership of Body Armor with a $5.6 billion investment, making Kobe's stake worth an estimated $400 million.

In 2016, the 18x All-Star founded Granity Studios. Through the production company, Kobe Bryant created the 2018 Academy Award winning short film, 'Dear Basketball'. Kobe also partnered with brain scientist and entrepreneur Jeff Stibel to set up Bryant Stibel & Co. in 2013. The duo invested in various companies through their partnership, including Art of Sport, The Honest Company, LegalZoom and Scopely. Today, the venture capital firm has over $2 billion in assets. Companies like Dell, AliBaba, Epic Games and Tile are part of their investment portfolio.

Kobe Bryant’s Records

First guard in NBA history to play for 20 seasons

Second-highest single game points (81) in NBA regular season history

First guard to cross 33,00 points in NBA regular season history

Oldest player to score 60 points in an NBA game

Tied for second most All-NBA selections (15) with Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Most All-Defensive selections of any guard in NBA history

Tied for most All-Defensive First Team selections with Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, and Gary Payton

All-time leading scorer in Lakers history

Tied for most All-Star Game MVP Awards (4) with Bob Pettit

Most consecutive All-Star selections (18)

Youngest player to win the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest (18yo)

Kobe Bryant's Major achievements

5× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2009, 2010)

2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)

NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)

18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016)

4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)

11× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013)

2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001)

2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)

9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011)

3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)

2× NBA scoring champion (2006, 2007)

NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997)

NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)

NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Nos. 8 & 24 retired by Los Angeles Lakers

Gatorade National Player of the Year (1996)

Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996)

McDonald's All-American (1996)

First-team Parade All-American (1996)

Fourth-team Parade All-American (1995)

ESPY Icon Award (2016)

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film (2018)

Kobe Bryant's Foundation and Charity

The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF) was founded to help the homeless. Also, the foundation aims in assisting young people in need. Additionally, Bryant has made many notable contributions to various charities. Moreover, he was the official ambassador of the After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organization that provides after-school programs to children in US.

Likewise, in 2009, Bryant started the Kobe Bryant China Fund which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government. Further, the Fund works towards raising money within China for education and health programs. After Kobe and Gianna Bryant tragically died in 2020, Vanessa Bryant renamed the Mamba Sports Academy to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Kobe Bryant’s Shoe deal 

17-year-old Kobe Bryant signed a 6-year deal with Adidas when he was fresh out of high school. The deal, reportedly worth $48 million, made Bryant an Adidas athlete a month before the 1996 NBA Draft. Before the German shoe giant could release Bryant's second signature sneaker, he paid $8 million to buy his way out of the contract. The 'Black Mamba' spent the 2002-03 season as a sneaker free agent, donning brands like Air Jordan, AND1, Nike, Converse and Reebok throughout the year.

After signing with Nike that off-season for a 4-year $40 million deal, Bryant began the 03-04 season donning the Air Huaraches. Then, in 2006, sneaker history would be made as the Nike Kobe 1 would hit the market. More and more lines like the Venomenon began to come under Kobe's Nike umbrella. Through the rest of his career, the 'Black Mamba' would wear 13 Nike sneakers, all of which would later be featured in the Nike Black Mamba Pack.

It's been reported that nearly 20% of NBA players have donned Bryant's shoes since his passing. In 2021, Nike failed to extend their contract with the Bryant estate. Following long negotiations with Vanessa Bryant, a deal would be reached in 2022 with Nike agreeing to re-release 11 signature Bryant sneakers. Vanessa also included a Gigi Bryant shoe series whose revenue would go directly towards the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Kobe Bryant’s House

Hedge fund manager Jeffrey Feinberg purchased Kobe Bryant's 55,000-square-foot mansion for $44 million in 2021. A three-hole putting green, a customized half-court for basketball, a pool, a spa and a private entryway to the Getty museum are among the top amenities of the seven-bedroom mansion in Brentford. The 5x NBA champion also owned lavish residences in Orange County and Newport Beach.

A 15,000-square-foot mansion in Newport Beach was Bryant's primary abode during his playing days. A home gym, a private theater and a sauna were among the highlights of the 4-storey property. He also owned a 8,471-square-foot 4-bedroom mansion in the same area. In 2013, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant also invested in a mansion in Irvine for $1.3 million. The three-bedroom abode would sell for $2 million a few months after Kobe and Gianna Bryant's untimely demise.

Kobe Bryant’s Rings

With Phil Jackson at the helm, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight championships between 2000 to 2002. It was the first and only three-peat in the franchise's storied history. During Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals, Bryant took over, making the last shot of the game to secure a 120-118 win in overtime. Though Shaq won all three Finals MVP awards during their run, the 'Black Mamba' was already a clear star at the time.

His second championship run saw the Lakers breeze through the postseason with a 16-1 record. The next season, Bryant became the youngest player (23) to win 3 NBA championships. Following O'Neal's departure, the Lakers took a few seasons to retool and find the correct pieces to put around their franchise cornerstone. It began in 2008 when Bryant and Pau Gasol led the Purple and Gold to an NBA Finals matchup against the Celtics. Though they would lose the first year, Kobe and Co. came back with a vengeance.

In 2009, Bryant won his 4th ring, leading his Lakers with 30 points against the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The next season featured a heated rematch between the Celtics and the Lakers which saw Kobe Bryant emerge with his second consecutive championship and NBA Finals MVP Award. In total, the 20-season veteran played 7 times in the NBA Finals, winning 5 rings.

Kobe Bryant's Car collection

One of Kobe Bryant's favorite vehicles was the Ferrari 458 Italia. In 2012, he spent $229,000 on the latest model of the supercar before shelling out an extra $100,000 on upgrading all its features. He also purchased a Ferrari 458 Italia for his wife, Vanessa Bryant. Years earlier, Vanessa had begun the tradition by gifting her husband a heavily customized 1963 Chevy Impala. The low-rider was fitted with state-of-the-art hydraulics, Swarovski crystals and white leather upholstery. When Bryant put it up for auction in 2013, a bidder from Indiana purchased the vintage car for a whopping $221,000.

In 2016, rapper Snoop Dogg, who was an avid fan of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, gifted the 'Black Mamba' a custom '67 Pontiac as a retirement gift. There was a detailed mural of the Lakers' star on the hood, featuring various legends from the Purple and Gold like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal along with their favorite fan, Snoop Dogg. The car was colored yellow and purple to honor Bryant's Lakers legacy. Later in his life, the 5x NBA champion purchased some speedier vehicles like the $400,000 Lamborghini Aventador. It was probably his fastest car, with a reported top speed of 217 mph.

Kobe Bryant’s Bikes

While Kobe Bryant often reverted to bicycles for his training, there were also quite a few motorbikes in the 'Black Mamba's collection. He was often seen arriving to preseason games on two wheels. From Ducatis to Harley Davidsons, Bryant owned a collection of high end of motorbikes, including the Michael Jordan inspired Ducati 996.

Kobe Bryant’s Social Media Accounts

Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, and eldest daughter, Natalia, are frequent social media users.