The Contents

1. Introduction
2. Early Life
3. The NBA
4. Ups and Downs
5. Triumphs
6. After the NBA
7. His Passing
8. Kobe Bryant’s Legacy
 The Introduction
Being a shooting guard for 20 years, he exhibited
a lot of talent and athleticism. He was a total
competitor. In the midst of any basketball game,
he showed no fear on the court. Kobe Bryant
played basketball against the best NBA Players in
human history like Lebron James, Dwayane
Wade, the GOAT Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan,
Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, and other
human beings. Plus, he held his own. Kobe
Bryant's contributions existed beyond basketball
as well. He worked on entertainment, education,
teamwork, technological development, and other
endeavors. Kobe Bryant publicly spoke out
against police brutality (after being encouraged
by heroic people like Jemele Hill) and helped so
many lives behind the scenes. He encouraged his
daughter Gianni to be the best basketball player
possible (in showing the message that fathers
helping their daughters achieve their aspirations
is always a blessing). From his time in
Philadelphia to California, his lifelong legacy
consisted of growth, strength, perseverance, and
achieving excellence at such a young age. From
August 28, 1978 to January 26, 2020, Kobe
worked hard to promote his best life after 41
years on this Earth. This work is about outlining
his life, his accomplishments, his lessons, and his
positive evolution as a basketball player and as a
man. He loved his wife Vanessa and his
daughters unconditionally. Now, it is the perfect
time to make manifest the truth. Many people
know of his 5 NBA Championships, his 2 NBA
Finals MVPs, his 2 Olympic gold medals, and his
retired 8 plus 24 jerseys for the Los Angeles
Lakers. Others may not know about his
philanthropy, literature, and other things that he
did outside the court that made other people's
lives better. As a very intelligent person, he
organized programs to assist the youth, he was
multilingual, and he planned more for the
world. Now, he belongs to the ages as an icon of
humanity.
 Early Life
Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of three children. His father was
the former NBA player Joe Bryant and his mother is Pamela Cox Bryant. He was the maternal nephew of
basketball player John Cox. His parents named him after the famous Kobe beef of Japan that they saw in a
restaurant. Kobe's middle name was Bean after his father's nickname of "Jellybean." A lot of people don't
know that Kobe Bryant was Roman Catholic, and his parents are Roman Catholics. By the time that he was 3,
Kobe played basketball. When he grew up, his favorite team was the Los Angeles Lakers. His father retired
from the NBA when he was six. His father moved his family to Rieti, Italy to continue his basketball career in
a lower level. After 2 years, the family moved to Reggio Calabria and then to Pisoia plus Reggio Emilia.
During this time, Kobe Bryant spoke Italian fluently. He adjusted to his surroundings. Kobe loved the place
of Reggio Emilia. At that place, he made a decision to place basketball on a serious level. That is why his
grandfather would mail him NBA games for Kobe Bryant to study.

Kobe Bryant played soccer and A.C. Milan was his favorite soccer player. During the summer time, he would
go to the States to play in a basketball summer league. His family moved back to Philadelphia when he was 13
years old. Kobe Bryant's high school basketball career was extraordinary. He gained national attention. He
played at Lower Merion High School at Ardmore, which is a Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. As a
freshman, he was on the varsity team. He was the first freshman in decades to start for Lower Merion's varsity
team. Yet, the team finished with a 4-20 record. That would change. During the next 3 years, the Aces had a
77-3 record. Bryant played all five positions. During his junior year, he averaged 31.1 points a game, 20.4
rebounds, and 5.2 assists. He was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year and earned a fourth team Parade All-
American nomination. Many recruiters from Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, and Villanova wanted him to
play for their colleges. This was after Kevin Garnett came into the 1995 NBA Draft. Then, Kobe Bryant later
decided to go into the NBA.
At the Adidas ABCD Camp, Bryant earned the 1995 senior MVP award. He played alongside future NBA
teammate Lamar Odom. During high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Kobe Bryant to work out
and scrimmage with the team. He played one on one with Jerry Stackhouse. During his senior year of high
school, Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years. During the run, he averaged 30.8
points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Aces to a 31–3 record. Bryant
ended his high school career as Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, surpassing
both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons. During his senior year at Lower Merion, he received many
awards for his outstanding skills. He was named Naismith High School Player of the Year, 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. Bryant's varsity coach, Greg Downer, commented that he was a
"complete player who dominates." He praised his work ethic, even as team's top player. In 1996, Bryant took
the singer Brandy to his senior prom. The 17 year old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA
coming only as the 6th player in NBA History to do so. The news was met with much publicity. His
basketball skills and SAT score of 1080 would have made him admissible to any college that he wanted. He
didn't visit any campuses officially. In 2012, Bryant was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-
Americans.
 This is the beginning of Kobe Bryant's professional basketball career.

The NBA
By the 1996 NBA Draft, he was in a new era. Before the draft, he worked out in Los Angeles. He scrimmaged
against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper. According to then Lakers manager Jerry
West, Kobe Bryant defeated these basketball players badly. The Lakers were looking to trade their starting
center Vlade Divac for a player's draft rights to free up salary cap space to make an offer to free-agent center
Shaquille O'Neal. Bill Branch, the Charlotte Hornets' head scout at the time, said that the Hornets agreed to
trade their draft selection at #13 to the Lakers the day before the draft. Before the trade agreement, the
Hornets never considered drafting Bryant. During the draft, the Lakers told the Hornets whom to select
minutes before the pick was made. Bryant was the first guard drafted directly out of high school. After the
draft, the trade was put in jeopardy when Divac threatened to retire rather than be traded from Los Angeles.
However, on June 30, Divac relented on his threat and the trade was made final on July 9, 1996, when the
league's off-season moratorium ended. Since Bryant 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
signed a three-year rookie contract totaling $3.5 million.

Kobe Bryant debuted at the professional level in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California. He
scored 25 points in front of standing room only crowd. Defenders struggled to stop him. His performance
made then Lakers coach Del Harris become happy. Kobe scored 36 points in the finale. He finished with
averages of 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 4 games. As a rookie in the NBA, Kobe Bryant (in the 1996-1997
season) mostly came off the bench. He was behind the guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Excel. During the
time, he was the youngest player ever to play in an NBA games (being 18 years and 72 days. This record was
broken by Jermaine O'Neal and former teammate Andrew Bynum). He was the youngest NBA starter being
only 18 years old and 158 days. At first, Kobe played in limited minutes. He saw more playing time as the
season went on. By the end of his rookie season, he averaged 15.5 minutes a game. During the All-Star
weekend, Kobe Bryant was in the Rookie Challenge and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. He was the
youngest dunk champion at the age of 18. Kobe was on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with fellow bench
teammate Travis Knight. The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs against
the Utah Jazz when Bryant was pressed into a lead role at the end of Game 5. Byron Scott missed the game. He
had a sprained wrist. Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek. Shaquille O'Neal
fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Kobe Bryant shot four air balls at the end of the game.
The Jazz won 98-93 in overtime to eliminate the Lakers 4-1. He first missed a game winning two point jump
shot in the fourth quarter, and then misfired 3 three point field goals in overtime. He missed two tying shots
in the last minute. O'Neal said that Kobe Bryant had guts at the time to take shots like that.

Kobe Bryant's 2nd season would be much better. Kobe had more playing time. He showed more of his
basketball skills as a player. His point averages came up from 7.6 to 16.4 points per game. He had more
minutes. Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, and through fan voting, he
also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter in NBA history. He was joined by teammates O'Neal, Van
Exel, and Jones, making it the first time since 1983 that four players on the same team were selected to play in
the same All-Star Game. Bryant's 15.4 points per game was the highest of any non-starter in the season. His
second 1997-1998 season was when Michael Jordan had his final year as a Chicago Bull to put it in perspective.

The 1998 NBA All Star Game was very historic. It was held at MSG or Madison Square Garden in New York
City. There was the Rookie s Games and the Three Point Shootout. The All Star Game occurred on February
8, 1998. Bob Costas, Isiah Thomas, and Bill Walton hosted the game. It was a celebration of older legendary
players (like Karl Malone, Vin Baker, Mitch David Robinson, Michael Jordan etc.) and the new generation of
players (like Antoine Walker, Anfernee Hardway, Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones, etc.) in that arena. The Western
Conference was coached by Seattle Supersonics head coach George Karl, and the Eastern Conference was
coached by Indiana head coach Larry Bird. The game featured the debuts of Kobe Bryant and then rookie
Tim Duncan. Kobe Bryant made exciting moves, never backed down, and played one on one against Michael
Jordan. The East won the game with the score of 135-114. Michael Jordan won the MVP award in the game at
the age of almost 35 years old. Jordan had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kobe Bryant had a team high 18
points. Jeff Hornacek won the 3 point competition. By 1998, Kobe Bryant took the country by storm as the
next great, superstar player of the NBA. He was already a great player by this time.

The 1998–99 season marked Bryant's emergence as a premier guard in the league. With starting guards Van
Exel and Jones traded, Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50-game season. During the
season, Bryant signed a six-year contract extension worth $70 million. This kept him with the Lakers until the
end of the 2003–04 season. Even at an early stage of his career, sportswriters were comparing his skills to those
of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. The playoff results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept
by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals.
 Ups and Downs
Kobe Bryant's 1999-2000 would start the first of his three 3-peat Championships as a Los Angeles Laker. Phil
Jackson took over as coach of the LA Lakers in 1999. This changed everything. Phil Jackson had the massive
experience needed for the young Laker team. Kobe had the talent while Phil Jackson had the coaching
experience to allow Kobe to reach into the next level. Shaq and Kobe were a duo who made the
championships possible. They are the greatest basketball duo of the 21st century in the NBA. By this time,
Kobe Bryant was one of the premier shooting guards of the NBA. He was a great defensive player too. The
Lakers were championship contenders. Jackson used the triangle offense that he used to allow the Chicago
Bulls to win 6 Championships. This offensive allowed Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal to rise to the elite
class of the NBA. They won rings in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Bryant was sidelined for six weeks prior to the
start of the 1999–2000 season due to a hand injury that he had incurred during a preseason game against the
Washington Wizards. When Bryant was back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he had an increase in all
statistical categories during the 1999–2000 season. This included leading the team in assists per game and
steals per game. The duo of O'Neal and Bryant backed with a strong bench led to the Lakers winning 67
games, tied for fifth-most in NBA history. This followed with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being
named to the All-NBA Team Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the
youngest player to receive defensive honors).

Shaq, during this time, was in the peak of his career. While playing second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs,
Bryant had some clutch performances including a 25-point, 11 rebounds, 7 assist, 4 block game in game 7 of
the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. He also threw an alley-oop pass to O'Neal to
clinch the game and the series. In the 2000 Finals, against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the
second quarter of Game 2 after landing on the Pacers' Jalen Rose's foot. Rose later admitted he placed his foot
under Bryant intentionally. Bryant did not return to the game, and he also missed Game 3 due to the injury.
In Game 4, Bryant scored 22 points in the second half and led the team to an OT victory as O'Neal fouled out
of the game. Bryant scored the winning shot to put the Lakers ahead 120–118. With a 116–111 Game 6 victory,
the Lakers won their first championship since 1988.
Statistically, the 2000–01 season saw Bryant perform similarly to the previous year, but he averaged six more
points per game (28.5). It was also the year when disagreements between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface.
Once again, Bryant led the team in assists, with five per game. The Lakers, however, only won 56 games, an 11-
game dropoff from the previous year. The Lakers would respond by going 15–1 in the playoffs. They easily
swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. In the semifinals round, the Lakers swept the Sacramento
Kings. In Game 4 against the Kings, Bryant recorded 48 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists in a 119–113 series-
clinching win. They swept the San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals to advance to the Finals, before
losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. They would go on to win the next four
games and bring their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. During the playoffs, Bryant
played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. In the
playoffs, teammate O'Neal declared Bryant the best player in the league. Bryant ended up making the All
NBA Second team and All NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. In addition, he was also voted
to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the third year in a row (no game in 1999).

During the 2001-2002 season, Kobe Bryant played 80 games for the first time of his career. He made 56 points
on January 14, 2002. He defeated the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5. assists
per game. He had a career high 46.95% shooting. He led his team in assists. He won his first All Star MVP
trophy after making 31 points in Philadelphia. He made the All-NBA Defensive team again. The Lakers won
58 games. He was suspended one game after he and Reggie Miller fought after the March 1, 2002 victory over
the Pacers. The road to the Finals would prove a lot tougher than the record run the Lakers had enjoyed the
previous year. While the Lakers swept the Blazers and defeated the Spurs 4–1 in the first two rounds of the
playoffs, the Lakers did not have home-court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The series would
stretch to seven games, the first time this had happened to the Lakers since the 2000 Western Conference
Finals. However, the Lakers were able to beat their division rivals and make their third consecutive NBA
Finals appearance. In the 2002 Finals, against the New Jersey Nets, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4%
shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the team's points. At age 23,
Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. Bryant's play was notable and praised for his
performance in the fourth quarter of games, specifically the last two rounds of the playoffs. This cemented
Bryant's reputation as a "clutch player."
After the 3-peat, Kobe Bryant would face ups and downs. During the first games of the 2002-2003 season,
Kobe Bryant recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in an 87–82 loss to the visiting Spurs. On
November 1, Bryant recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 108–93 win over the
LA Clippers. He also set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game on January 7, 2003, when he made 12
against the Seattle SuperSonics. Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting
40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In
addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career-highs to that point. Bryant
was once again voted to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive first teams, and came in third place in voting for
the MVP award. After finishing 50–32 in the regular season, the Lakers floundered in the playoffs and lost in
the Western Conference semi-finals in six games to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs. By the
2003-2004 season, the Lakers gained NBA All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton. They wanted a
championship. Before the season started, Kobe Bryant had the sexual assault scandal. Kobe was accused of
raping a woman in Colorado. Kobe Bryant said that he was guilty of adultery not rape. In the final game of
the regular season, the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer-beaters to win the
game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a three-pointer with 1.1
seconds left to send it into overtime. The game eventually went to a second overtime, in which Bryant made
another three-pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers past the Blazers, 105–104. With a starting lineup of
O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals. However, they were
upset in five games by the Detroit Pistons, who won their first championship since 1990. The Pistons back
then had Rasheed Wallace and an outstanding defense. In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game
and 4.4 assists. He shot 35.1% from the field. Phil Jackson's contract as coach was not renewed, and Rudy
Tomjanovich took over. O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian
Grant. The following day, Bryant declined an offer to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed with
the Lakers, on a seven-year contract.

From 2004 to 2007, the career of Kobe Bryant reached a new era. Even Phil Jackson criticized him in his book
The Last Season: A Team in Search of its Soul. Tomjanovich resigned as Lakers coach because of health issues
and exhaustion. Frank Hamblen was the coach for a time. Kobe Bryant was having a season in the 2004-2005
season of 27.6 points per game. He missed the playoffs. Kobe had verbal disputes with Karl Malone and Ray
Allen during this time. During the 2005-2006 season, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson reunited as coach and
player. The Lakers came into the playoffs. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters
against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored the entire Mavericks team 62–61,
the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the introduction of the shot clock. When the
Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging
in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in the feud that
had festered between them. That showed that the media-hyped up "feud" was
over. A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two were seen
laughing together. On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points
in a 122–104 victory against the Toronto Raptors. In addition to breaking the
previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was
the second-highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Kobe Bryant was a friend to
Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. Whereas Chamberlain was fed Tyra Banks. They did a song
repeatedly by teammates for inside shots in a blowout win, Bryant created his together named K.O.B.E.
which was his first rap album.
own shot—mostly from the outside—in a game which the Lakers trailed at
halftime by 14 and did not pull away until the fourth quarter.

In that same month, Bryant also 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. For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4
points per game, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA
Kobe Bryant and sports
history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. By the end of the journalist Jemele Hill had a
2005–06 season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40- discussion on BET
point games (27) and most points scored (2,832). He won the league's scoring Experience’s Genius Talks.
They discuss basketball, life,
title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game, becoming just the and friendships.
fifth player in league history to average at least 35 in a season.

Kobe Bryant is here hugging Former First

Lady Michelle Obama during the 2012
Summer Olympics.
Kobe Bryant and the Redeem Team of the 2008 USA Olympic Basketball game came about for one
mission. They wanted gold medals, and they fulfilled their goals via grit, talent, and determination.
By 2008, Kobe Bryant won NBA MVP Award. You always have to have a powerful will to
achieve your goals.

Kobe Bryant changed his jersey
number from 8 to 24 in the 2006-
2007 season. He won the NBA
All Star Game in 2007.
Throughout the 2006–07 season,
his jersey became the top selling
NBA jersey in the United States
and China. A number of
journalists have attributed the
improved sales to Bryant's new
number, as well as his continuing
All-Star performance on the
court. The 2007-2008 season
would change everything. On
December 23, 2007, Bryant
became the youngest player (29
years, 122 days) to reach 20,000
points, 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. His record has since been
broken by LeBron James. Paul
Gasol joined the Lakers and the
Triumphs
Lakers made a 57-28 record. In
2008, he was the NBA MVP at
the age of 30 years old. In 2008, he
lost to the Celtics in six games. In
the 2008-2009 season, he would
get his ring again. He scored 61
points in Madison Square Garden
to be the player with the most
points scored at MSG on
February 2, 2009. The Lakers had
a 65-17 record. He was the runner
up to the MVP to Lebron James.
Kobe and the Lakers defeated the
Orlando Magic in five games by
2009. He was the NBA Finals
MVP. He was the first player since
Jordan to average 30 points, 5
rebounds, and 5 assists for a title
winning team in the finals. He
won another championship in
2010 against the Boston Celtics. By
this time, he helped the USA
Basketball Team to win gold at
Beijing in 2008. He was the
youngest player to reach 25,000
points at 31 years and 151 days
during the seasons surprising
Chamberlain. He became the
most all-time scorer in Lakers
history. In a rematch against the
2008 Champion Boston Celtics,
Bryant, despite shooting 6 for 24
from the field, led the Lakers back
from a 13-point third-quarter
deficit in Game 7 to win the
championship; he scored 10 of his
game-high 23 points in the fourth
quarter and finished the game
with 15 rebounds. Bryant won his
fifth championship and earned his
second consecutive NBA Finals
MVP award. This marked the first
time the Lakers won a Game 7
against the Boston Celtics in the
NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant said
that this was the most satisfying of
all of his five championships.
 Kobe Bryant won 5 NBA Championships by 2010. Winning NBA Finals is never easy. It takes a
team effort and hard work.
From 2010 to 2016, it would be
the final era of Kobe Bryant's
NBA career. Kobe wanted 6
championships to match Michael
Jordan, but no man is like Michael
Jordan. The Lakers won its first 8
games in the 2010-2011 season. He
was the youngest player to reach
26,000 points. He was also the
youngest player to reach 27,000
points at January of 2010. He won
his 4th All Star Game with 37
points, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals.
The Dallas Mavericks swept them
in the 2nd round of the playoffs.
In 2011-2012 season, the Lakers lost
to the Thunder with Durant in
the playoffs. By December 5, 2012,
Kobe was the youngest player to
reach 30,000 points at 34 years old
and 104 days. Michael Jordan,
Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Karl
Malone reached that milestone.
His last years had him
experiencing injuries like the torn
Achilles tendon. He soon was the
third leading scorer by 2014. His
final season was in the 2015-2016
season. He played 20 years in the
NBA. He had the most seasons in
the same team surpassing John
Stockton's league record of 19
years. Bryant was the fourth NBA
player over 37 years old to have at
least 35 points, 5 rebounds, and 5
assists in a game. His last game
was on April 13. Bryant scored 60
points against Utah in his last
game. He won it in 101 to 96. He
was the oldest player to score 60
points or more in a game at 37
years and 234 days. The NBA
legacy of Kobe Bryant is extensive.
He was one of the greatest players
in NBA history. He was the best
player of his generation. He was
the 2nd greatest shooting guard of
all time after Michael Jordan. He
also won the 2008 Summer
Olympics at Beijing, China and
the 2012 Summer Olympics gold
medal in London. The NBA All-
Star MVP award is now the NBA
All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most
Valuable Player award in honor of
Kobe Bryant.
 After the NBA
After Kobe Bryant left the NBA, his life became better. He became more introspective about his life. He
continued to care for his wife Vanessa Bryant and his children. The children's names are: Gianna Maria-
Onore Bryant, Bianka Bella Bryant, Natalia Diamante Bryant, and Capri Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant is close
to his two older sisters whose names are Sharia and Shaya. Bryant was a lifelong fan of his hometown NFL
team of the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a fan of the soccer teams of Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester
City. According to Forbes, Kobe Bryant's $680 million in career earnings was the most ever by a team athlete
during their playing career. By 2018, Kobe Bryant wrote, produced, and hosted a multi-season television series
called "Detail" which aired on ESPN and ESPN+. It featured Bryant's insights into the game of basketball and
indepth analyses of games plus individual players. He has become a great philanthropist too. He was the
official ambassador for After School All-Stars (ASAS). This was an American non-profit organization that
gives people after school programs in 13 cities. He has worked with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation to help
Chinese people with education and health programs via the Kobe Bryant China Fund. On November 4, 2010,
Kobe Bryant was with Zach Braff to present a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment. This was an
Activision founded nonprofit organization that helps veterans transition to civilian careers after their military
service has ended. He and his wife founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF) to
help young people develop physical and social skills. It also helps people involving sports and works to assist
the homeless.
Kobe Bryant spoke out in public to help the homeless. Kobe was a founding donor of the National Museum
of African American History and Culture. He has granted over 200 hundred requests for the Make A Wish
Foundation. Kobe Bryant has worked in capital firm actions in developing businesses, media institutions,
gaming, data, and technology with $100 million in funding. He was the first African American in 2018 to win
the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. He was the first former professional athlete to have done
so for the film Dear Basketball. He released his book on October 23, 2018 called "The Mamba Mentality: How
I Play" with photographs and an afterword by Andrew D. Bernstein. The introduction was made by Phil
Jackson and a forward was created by Pau Gasol. It was published by MC/Farrar, Satauss, and Giroux. Just
before his passing, he wanted to create children books to inspire the underprivileged children with Brazilian
author Paula Coeltho. He co-wrote and produced many adult novels too. The fourth novel was released
posthumously from March of 2020.

Derek Fisher and Kobe This is Kobe Bryant, in The GOAT Michael This is Kobe Bryant
Bryant are with his final Cleveland Jordan is here making a wearing the “I Can’t
President Barack game, defending LeBron shot over Kobe Bryant Breathe” T-Shirt to
Obama during the James. Kobe Bryant during the 1998 NBA All- protest the unjust murder
Lakers’ White House retired in the year of Star game. Kobe Bryant of Eric Garner. Garner
visit honoring the Lakers' 2016. studied the greats like passed away in 2014 at
2009 championship. Reggie Miller, Michael New York City.
Jordan, and other
legends.
 His Passing
Kobe Bryant last day was very sad. At 9:06 am. Pacific standard time, on January 26, 2020, he left from a
Sikorsky S-76 helicopter. It left from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The helicopter has 9
people abroad. They include Kobe Bryant, his 13 year old daughter Gianna, 6 family friends, and the pilot.
The California Secretary of State business database said that the helicopter was registered to the Fillmore
based Island Express Holding Corporation. The people on the aircraft wanted to go to the Camarillo Airport
in Ventura County for a basketball game at Bryant's Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks. Because of the
light rain and fog that morning, the Los Angeles Police Department helicopters and most other air traffic
were grounded. The flight tracker showed that the helicopter circled above the LA Zoo due to heavy air
traffic in the area. At 9:20 am., the pilot contacted the Burbank Airport's control tower.

He notified that the tower of the situation and was told he was flying too low to be tracked by radar. At that
time, the helicopter experienced extreme fog and turn south towards the mountains. At 9:40 am, the
helicopter climbed rapidly from 1,200 to 2,000 feet. It flown at 181 knots or 185 mph. At 9:45 am, the
helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los
Angeles. It started to burn. Bryant, his daughter, and the other 7 occupants passed away. Witnesses reported
hearing a helicopter struggling before the crash. The cause of the crash is unknown now. The helicopter
didn't have a black box. The Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and
the FBI have all investigated the crash. Bryant's identity was confirmed using fingerprints. The following day,
the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner stated that the official cause of death for
him and eight others on the helicopter was blunt force trauma. Many people mourned nationwide in
America and worldwide. It was a very shocking, tragic day.
On February 7, 2020, Kobe Bryant and his daughter were buried in a private funeral in Pacific View
Memorial Park in the Coronoa del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach, California. Their graves were
unmarked to protect their privacy. Later, there was a large public memorial service on February 24, 2020. It
was held at the Staples Center, which is the Lakers' home arena in downtown Los Angeles. Many people
spoke including Vanessa Bryant. I will give great credit to Shaquille O'Neal to honoring Kobe Bryant's
parents, because without Kobe's parents, Kobe would not have been what he was. They gave birth to him.
Michael Jordan gave an emotional tribute to Kobe with history, facts, personal stories, and humor. The loss
of Kobe Bryant and the others in the helicopter should motivate anyone to fight for excellence in their own
lives.

Career Highlights and Awards

• 2X NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)

• NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)
• 5X NBA Champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010)
• 2X Olympic Gold Medal Winner (2008, 2012)
• 2X NA Scoring Champion (2006, 2007)
• 9X NBA All-Defensive First Team
• NBA Slam Dunk Champion (1997)
• His 81-point performance against Toronto in
2006 was the second-highest in NBA history,
behind only Chamberlain's 100.

This was when Kobe Bryant handled

the ball in 2014, when he became the
first NBA player with over 30,000
points and 6,000 assists.
From his youth to his passing,
he always loved basketball. Yet,
his life was much bigger than
basketball. Kobe Bryant's story
is a story of improvement,
overcoming obstacles, and
promoting excellence in daily
life. He transformed a team
into a future Championship
dynasty never seen before for
the Lakers since the 1980's.
His 3 peat was done with the
help of Shaq and other players
too. He competed at a very
exceptional level against the
best players in NBA history.
Kobe was very much brutally
honest about how he felt. Every
time that he was on the
basketball court, he wanted to
perform at a high level. After
his injuries, he never quit.
From his first to last NBA
game, he wanted to place
everything on the court. Also,
he took care of his family. He
loved his wife and his children.
Kobe reconciled with his
parents. Kobe Bryant also
ThisThis is the picture of Kobe
picture shows Kobe and her
Bryant and his mother,
Pamelamother.
Cox Bryant.
worked hard to support the
WNBA. WNBA Commissioner
Cathy Engelbert said that Kobe
wanted to promote women
being involved in athletes. He
supported WNBA player
Breanna Stewart. WNBA Player
Skylar Diggins-Smith
remembered Kobe Bryant as a
legend too. From watching
WNBA Games in the stands to
talking with WNBA players, the
new generation of WNBA
players have fought for criminal
justice reform, pay equity, and
other legitimate causes like
Maya Moore, Neka and
Chiney Ogwumike, and
Layshia Clarendon.
Professional WNBA women's
basketball player Talia Calwell
wrote an article about Kobe's
legacy involving the WNBA on
January 27, 2020 entitled,
'Why the WNBA Loved Kobe
Bryant." Kobe Bryant respected
women's basketball. Many don't
know that he was a super
intelligent person. He
apologized like a man face to
face to Trayvon Martin's family
about his previous statements.
He publicly opposed police
brutality. He was involved in about multiple subjects. In life, about the complexities of life in
many political causes via his you have to learn from other general.
own insights. Also, Kobe was people, because no living
willing to learn from others human has all of the answers

By Timothy

Kobe Bryant was competitive and made many records. Also, Kobe had an
unconditional love for his children. In terms of the NBA, he was the
GOAT of his generation. Eight other people passed away as well. We send
condolences to these eight people's family and friends. We are reminded
how valuable life is.

Rest in Power Brother Kobe Bryant.