His Early Childhood Abroad
Although Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, his family moved to Italy when he was 5 years old, where they spent 9 years living in Rieti. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, also played in the NBA. Kobe and his family returned to the United States right before he began high school.
His Early Childhood Abroad
Multilingual
Due to the fact that he spent a significant amount of his childhood in Italy, it seems obvious that Kobe learned to speak fluent Italian. Although Italy always held a significant place in Kobe’s heart, many people are surprised to find out about his connection to the European country. He also learned to speak Spanish fluently.
Multilingual
The Origin Of His Name
While it has been debated for many years, Kobe confirmed in an interview in 1998 where his first name originated from. His parents were regular patrons at a Japanese restaurant called Kobe, which was named after Kobe beef. They loved it so much that they decided to name their son after it!
The Origin Of His Name
It Runs In The Family
Kobe’s father Joe, whose nickname was “Jellybean”, was an NBA star in his day, having been selected 14th overall in the 1st round of the 1975 NBA draft. He played on teams like the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Houston Rockets. The father-son duo played one on one games but Kobe was only able to beat his father when he was 16 years old.
It Runs In The Family
An Alternative Career Path
Before he became a basketball legend, Kobe pursued rapping as a career. In 1999 he signed a record deal with Sony Records. He recorded a song called “K.O.B.E”, which featured Tyra Banks. However, the song did not do particularly well, and so his album deal was eventually scrapped. He even met his future wife, Vanessa Laine, at a recording studio. She was a backup dancer in “G’d Up,” a Tha Eastsidaz music video.
An Alternative Career Path
A Guest Appearance
Although his own musical career was short-lived, Kobe did make some notable appearances on other successful artists’ tracks. 3 years after he began his career in the NBA, he starred in a Destiny’s Child music video for their song “Bug A Boo.” In the video, you can see the girls run into a men’s locker room when they run into Kobe prepping for a game.
A Guest Appearance
A Famous Prom Date
After their time in Italy, when Kobe and his family returned to the United States he began attending Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia. He attended the prom with Brandy Norwood, who at the time was starring on her TV show Moesha. He was quite a successful high school senior, having just signed a deal with Adidas and preparing for the 1996 NBA draft.
A Famous Prom Date
A Young NBA Star
Kobe Bryant became the youngest guard in the history of the NBA to ever be drafted straight out of high school. He started playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, when he was only 18 years old. Though his initial start led to finishing games with an average of 7.6 points and 15 minutes per game, this drove him to work hard and improve immensely. The next year, his statistics improved dramatically to average 15.4 points and 26 minutes per game.
A Young NBA Star
His Original Number Was Taken
When Kobe played high school basketball, he finished with number 33. When he was drafted by the NBA, he wanted to keep his number, but unfortunately for him, 33 was already reserved for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and was retired with him. Therefore, Kobe chose the number 8. Kobe and Abdul-Jabbar would go on to become good friends and Kobe always said Kareem was one of his role models.
His Original Number Was Taken
A Talented Young Player
In addition to becoming the youngest guard to be drafted to the NBA, Kobe was also the youngest player in the whole league at the time. He was just 18 years, 2 months, and 11 days old when he began his NBA career. His first game took place on November 3rd, 1996 when his team played against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played a total of 6 minutes and managed one foul, one rebound, and one block.
A Talented Young Player
His (Literal) Pet Peeve
We all know how it goes to have that one thing that really gets us annoyed. Even celebrities have pet peeves, and in Kobe’s case, we truly understand. He shared in an interview with Complex magazine that he absolutely cannot stand when people do not pick up after their dogs. He went on the share that he even sued a former maid due to this!
His (Literal) Pet Peeve
Honoring Another Great
One of the best things about Kobe Bryant was the fact that he always showed respect to other great athletes. He appeared in the 2012 documentary I Am Bruce Lee, which was about the famous martial artist and actor. Kobe has shared that he was always interested in martial arts and that Bruce Lee strongly inspired him.
Honoring Another Great
Jersey In Mouth
Every Kobe fan will recognize the fact that he could frequently be found with his game jersey in his mouth during the game. Many have wondered about this signature move and in an interview with the LA Times, he revealed the reason behind it. He shared: “It’s disgusting, but my father taught me when your mouth gets dry, just suck the sweat out of your own jersey. There’s no bravado to any of it; it’s just a disgusting little trick.”
Jersey In Mouth
Representing His Country
The name Kobe Bryant his synonymous with the words “hard work” and “dedication.” His relentless drive allowed him to quality for the USA Olympic basketball team in both 2008 and 2012, for which he helped bring home gold medals. In order to train for the Olympics, Kobe woke up extra early to train on his own before team practice. Now that’s dedication!
Representing His Country
Forever A Laker
Kobe began and ended his NBA career with the L.A. Lakers, having played 20 seasons with them. Before that, Jerry West held the record for being the longest-playing Laker, having played for them for 14 years. The only player to have beaten his overall record is Dirk Nowitzki, who played on the Dallas Mavericks for 21 seasons.
Forever A Laker
His Signature Shoes
Kobe Bryant also ventured into many business opportunities, including a deal with Nike to release his own line of sneakers. Even though he personally preferred the high top style, he also released low top sneaker styles. In 2014, his shoe line brought in a whopping $105 million.
His Signature Shoes
The Beginning Of Their Relationship
Kobe Bryant met Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo Laine in 1999 when he was 21 years old and she was just 17 years old. She was actually still in high school at the time. Her former classmate Monica Squadrilli told the Los Angeles Times in 2005: “She’d bring pictures of Kobe to school and we’d be like, ‘Omygod.’ ”
The Beginning Of Their Relationship
The Bryant Family
Kobe proposed to Vanessa 6 months into their relationship when he was just 22 years old. However, his family was not pleased with his choice of partner or the fact that he was getting married so young. In fact, his parents sisters, and his agent did not attend his wedding. This led him to becoming estranged from his family for two years until his first daughter was born and they set their anger aside.
The Bryant Family
Opening Up
Kobe appeared on the cover of men’s lifestyle magazine GQ many times. He agreed to appear on the cover and even opened up about his relationship with Vanessa in the interview. He shared that their marriage experienced ups and downs but just as he works hard on the court, he works hard to make his marriage work.
Opening Up
His Many Accomplishments
Throughout his basketball career, Kobe racked up award after award. These include former MVP, five-time NBA champion, two Finals MVP awards, 18 NBA All-Star awards, two scoring champion awards, two Olympic Gold medals, nine NBA All-Defensive First Team nominations, 11 First Team All-NBA’er awards, and also a Slam Dunk title. He retired from the NBA as the third highest scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points. Both his numbers, 8 and 24, were retired.
His Many Accomplishments
His Middle Name
Many people don’t know, but Kobe Bryant’s middle name is also a food-inspired one. His middle name, Bean, came from his father’s nickname, “Jellybean.” It seems like his parents absolutely loved commemorating their favorite foods through their son’s name.
His Middle Name
Where His Nickname Came From
Everyone knows that Kobe Bryant was also known as “Black Mamba,” and his signature “Mamba Mentality” meant working hard and being dedicated to your craft. The Black Mamba is often regarded as the deadliest snake in the world. He quoted that the snake’s “ability to strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession” was the reason he chose to adopt the nickname.
Where His Nickname Came From
An Oscar Award Winning Movie
Kobe Bryant also dabbled in creative writing and in 2015 he wrote a poem called “Dear Basketball.” The poem went on the be adapted into an animated short film with the same name which Kobe wrote and narrated himself. The film won Best Animated Short Film at the 90th Academy Awards.
An Oscar Award Winning Movie
A Fan Of Fantasy
Bryant was always very open about the fact that he was a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, as well as Game of Thrones. He told Ellen Degeneres on her talk show that his signed first-edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was his most prized possession, and he even named his dogs Dumbledore and Crucio, which are both references to the book and film series.
A Fan Of Fantasy
How Much He Earned
As we know, Kobe spent 20 years playing in the NBA, which means he earned a hefty sum of coins for playing. From only his NBA contracts, he earned about $328 million. Taking all of his other business ventures into consideration, his net worth was around $680 million. The only athletes who have surpassed him include Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, and Michael Schumacher.
How Much He Earned
His Final Game Stats
When playing the final game of his incredible career, Kobe finished with 60 points and an average of 25 points per game. His last game, which took place on April 13th, 2016, was his 1556th game. He helped the Lakers defeat the Utah Jazz 101-96 and left the crowd in loud and raucous cheers.
His Final Game Stats
His Sisters
Although we usually only hear about Kobe Bryant and his also famous father, he was not actually an only child. Bryant had two sisters, named Sharia and Shaya. Growing up with girls surely prepared him for becoming a father of only daughters later in life.
His Sisters
Playing With Jordan
When Kobe Bryant first faced Michael Jordan, he was just an 18 year old kid who had just started his NBA career. It was 1996 and the Lakers were playing the Chicago Bulls and Bryant admitted that Jordan did get the better of him that day, displaying signature Jordan moves. Kobe said: ‘I was 18 and I was like, ‘oh…that’s pretty….quick!’. Eventually, Kobe would outscore Jordan.
Playing With Jordan
Kobe Sued Kobe, The City
In 2010, Kobe Bryant had had enough of sharing his name with the city that inspired his name in the first place. He decided to sue the city for the rights to rename their signature item, Kobe beef. His attorney Jeff Rundvless said: “While we are aware the city of Kobe has been around longer than my client, Mr. Bryant has clearly become more famous and influential. I mean, just type ‘Kobe’ into Google and tell me what comes up first… If Gatorade had a flavor named Kobe and wasn’t paying him for it, we’d be suing them too.”
Kobe Sued Kobe, The City
He Was Almost A Hornet
Back in the 1996 NBA Draft, Kobe was actually first drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. Only two weeks after they selected him 13th in the first round, the Hornets decided to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers in order to get player Vlade Divac.
He Was Almost A Hornet
Kobe The Soccer Player?
As we know, Kove grew up in Italy, so he was around soccer for a significant part of his childhood. He often played with other kids at a local park, switching from goalie to midfielder. When asked by the Chicago Tribune what would have happened if he had never left Italy, he said: “I would have kept playing [soccer], that’s for sure. I loved basketball so much, but I also wanted to play for AC Milan.”
Kobe The Soccer Player?
Five Titles Total
Throughout his illustrious basketball career, Kobe achieved incredible feats, including earning five NBA titles. Other LA Lakers who have achieved this accomplishment include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, and Derek Fisher.
Five Titles Total
His Highest Score
Kobe’s playing was always highly impressive, but he beat his personal record on January 22nd, 2016 when he scored 81 points total in one game, which was played against the Toronto Raptors. Only Wilt Chamberlain has scored more points than that, scoring 100 points in one game in 1962.
His Highest Score
A Different Kind Of Record
Now, Kobe will always be remembered as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. However, with all the shots he did make, there were also many he did not make. He actually also holds the record for all-time leader in missed shots as well.
A Different Kind Of Record
Half His Life
Since Kobe joined the NBA at the age of 18, that means that by the time he retired in 2016, he actually spent more than half of his life playing for the NBA. Basketball was quite literally his entire life.
Half His Life
The Teams He Loved
As an athlete, Kobe was also a fan of other sports and athletes as well. His favorite NFL team was his hometown team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He also enjoyed watching soccer and supported teams Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City.
The Teams He Loved
TV Appearances
Kobe made several appearances in television shows. In 2000, he starred in an episode of All That, a sketch comedy series on kid’s channel Nickelodeon. In 2019, he was featured in an episode of MTV’s show Ridiculousness.
TV Appearances
Girl Dad
Kobe was always very vocal about how much he loved being a father to daughters. He called himself a “girl dad” and welcomed the idea of having even more daughters. Before the birth of his fifth daughter, Capri, he responded to someone asking him if he wanted more daughters by saying he would gladly have even five more.
Girl Dad
Mamba Sports Academy
In 2016, Kobe opened up the Mamba Sports Academy, a 100,00 square foot training facility located in Thousand Oaks. It has five basketball courts, five volleyball courts, two beach volleyball courts, batting cages, pitching mounds, an esports training ground, a turf field, and a jiu jitsu school.
Mamba Sports Academy
Kobe Bryant Day
The Los Angeles City Council honored Kobe by declaring August 24th to be Kobe Bryant Day. They chose August 24th since the date (8/24) represents both of his jersey numbers when he played for the L.A. Lakers. He whole family turned out to be by his side.
Kobe Bryant Day
The Secret To Strong Ankles
You might be surprised to learn that Kobe had a very interesting method to keep his ankles strong in order to avoid injury. In an interview while on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kobe said that he learned to tap dance to keep his ankles strong! He also said that at first he was embarrassed about it and kept it a secret.
The Secret To Strong Ankles
Not A Social Butterfly
While Kobe had forged special relationships with fellow NBA stars like LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal during his time as a professional basketball player, he also admitted that he did not really have any friends. He explained: “Do we have time to socialize and to hangout aimlessly? No…I enjoy working.”
Not A Social Butterfly
A Basketball Family
Not only was Kobe Bryant’s father Joe an NBA basketball player, but his uncle John “Chubby” Cox, Kobe’s mother’s brother, was also an NBA player, having played for the Washington Bullets. Kobe’s daughter, Gianna, played basketball and dreamt of playing in the WNBA. Kobe was always supportive of his daughter, even saying that she was “the future of the WNBA.”
A Basketball Family
His Infamous Work Ethic
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Kobe Bryant is one of the greats in the history of the game of basketball. The reason behind his incredible abilities? Hard work and dedication. Nothing stopped Kobe, who was known for things like playing with his left hand due to a right shoulder injury, being extremely strict about his diet, and even losing 16 pounds in preparation for the 2012 Olympics in order to ensure his knees would stay pain-free.
His Infamous Work Ethic
A Special Gift
During a rough patch with his wife Vanessa, Kobe decided that he wanted to do something special for her. While he could afford any item in the world, he decided to do something that really showed her how much he cares. He decided to learn how to play “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven on the piano, teaching himself how to play it all in his own. Talk about talent!
A Special Gift
His Numbers
When Kobe first started playing in the NBA, his jersey number was 8. Later in his career, during the 2006-2007 season, he decided to change his jersey number to 24. He said that he wanted to signify a new chapter in his life now that he was older and wiser. When he retired from the NBA, he became the first player to have two jersey numbers retired for his on the same team.
His Numbers
Dating At Disney
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant met one another when they were both very young. So where was their first date at? None other than Disneyland! The theme park would remain important to the couple throughout their marriage, and they would frequently go back for more date nights and they of course brought their daughters to the park as well.
Dating At Disney
Kobe’s Favorite Food
As we know, Kobe was truly dedicated to maintaining a healthy diet in order to stay in peak form throughout his NBA career. That meant he stayed far away from junk food and fried food. However, when asked what his favorite food is, he gave an unexpected response. He loved frog legs dipped in honey-garlic sauce! We bet you weren’t going to guess that. He also admitted that his favorite cheat food were burgers.
Kobe’s Favorite Food
Armani’s Influence
When Kobe was just 21 years old, he had the chance to meet famous Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani. When the two met, Armani gave Kobe life advice and shared how he started his massively successful company when he was 40 years old. Kobe was very inspired by the conversation, and after his retirement from the NBA he shifted his focus to building a business.
Armani’s Influence
His Business Ventures
In 2013, Kobe founded Bryant Stibel, a venture capital firm, alongside Jeff Stibel, founder of Web.com. The company invested in tech, data, and media companies, amassing assets worth of over $2 billion. In 2016, Kobe founded media company Ganity Studios, which focused on creative sports-based storytelling.
His Business Ventures
Not Quite An Academy Member
After Kobe film Dear Basketball won an Academy Award, he was recommended for membership to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the executive committee of the Academy’s short films and feature animation branch. However, once a second committee reviewed the list of recommended names, they felt that Kobe had not yet created a substantial body of work in order to join the Academy quite yet.
Not Quite An Academy Member
Also A Book Creator
Kobe Bryant could have been happy with his legendary status as a basketball icon. But that wasn’t enough for the Black Mamba. He could have been satisfied when he won an Academy Award for his movie Dear Basketball. But Kobe was even more ambitious. In 2019, along with writer Wesley King, he released a young adult fantasy book called The Wizenard Series: Training Camp. The book is a Harry Potter-meets-basketball story which combines sports with magical aspects.
Also A Book Creator
Pushing Through Difficult Times
Kobe and Vanessa’s relationship has been through many ups and downs. In December 2011, the Vanessa actually filed for a divorce and the they requested joint custody of their children. However, in January 2013, the pair announced on social media that they decided to call off their divorce. Three years later, in 2016, their third daughter was born, and three years after that, in 2019, their fourth daughter was born.
Pushing Through Difficult Times
Crossing Over To Music Again
Despite his own unsuccessful attempts at becoming a rap star, Kobe has both been featured on other musicians’ tracks and has been the topic of many songs. He featured in singer Jay Chou’s song called The Heaven and Earth Challenege in 2011. Rapper Lil’ Wayne released a song in 2009 called “Kobe Bryant,” and in 2010, rapper Sho Baraka also put out a song called “Kobe Bryant On’em.”
Crossing Over To Music Again
His Muse
In 2015, a documentary about Kobe Bryant’s career was released on SHOWTIME. Titled Kobe Bryant’s Muse, the documentary focused on Kobe’s mentors, allies, and rivals, all of which helped shaped his incredible career. The film was produced by Granity Studios, which Kobe actually founded himself.
His Muse
More Insights Into His Career
In October 2018, Bryant released a book about his career called The Mamba Mentality: How I Play. The book features photographs by Andrew D. Bernstein, who also wrote the afterword, a foreword by Pau Gasol and an introduction by Phil Jackson.
More Insights Into His Career
Kobe And Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation
Kobe and his wife Vanessa started the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF), whose goals aimed towards: “helping young people in need, encouraging the development of physical and social skills through sports and assisting the homeless.” Kobe said that this foundation (and his other philanthropy) was important to him because he wanted more out of life than just a successful basketball career.
Kobe And Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation
More Philanthropy
In November 2010, Kobe Bryant and Zach Braff made an appearance at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch in order to present the $1 million check for the Call of Duty Endowment, which is a nonprofit founded by Activision that helps veterans transition smoothly back into civilian life, including career help, after ending military service.
More Philanthropy
Real Recognize Real
On January 26th, 2020, Kobe tweeted: “Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother #33644.” to honor LeBron James’ passing his record, making LeBron the #2 all-time top scorer. Kobe also posted a photo of the two on Instagram with the caption: “On to #2 @kingjames! Keep growing the game and charting the path for the next.”
Real Recognize Real
The GOAT And GOT
Kobe Brant was a huge fan of Game of Thrones, and in May 2017, he even got a chance to get together with George RR Martin, who wrote the books that would become one of the most successful TV series of all time. Kobe tweeted a photo of the two with the caption: “Learning about the art of story from one of my muses today. Thank you @ GRRMspeaking @muse #musecage.”
The GOAT And GOT
