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Biography Early life Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest child and only son of Joe and Pam Bryant.[2] When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA, moved his family to Italy, and started playing professional basketball there.[7] Bryant became accustomed to the lifestyle there and learned to speak fluent Italian.[7] At an early age, he learned to play soccer and at first his favorite team was AC Milan.[8] He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player, and that his favorite team is FC Barcelona. Bryant is a big fan of former FC Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and their star player Ronaldinho.[9] In 1991, the Bryants moved back to the United States. Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion.[10] His SAT score of 1080[11] would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges. Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA. Bryant has stated that had he decided to go to college after high school, he would have attended Duke University.[12] 1996 NBA Draft Before Bryant was chosen as the 13th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996, he refused to play for anyone but the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Bryant's agent Arn Tellum at the time, Bryant playing for the Charlotte Hornets was "an impossibility".[13] Nevertheless, the Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant, seeing that there was a chance to trade with the Lakers.[13] On July 1, 1996, then L.A. general manager Jerry West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac, to the Hornets in exchange for Bryant's draft rights.[14] First three seasons (1997-1999) During his first season, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.[15] Initially, Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see some more playing time. He earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan-favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.[16] In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award[17], and through fan voting, he also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter.[17] The 1998-99 season marked Bryant's emergence as starting guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones were traded. The results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals.[18] Championship years (2000-2002) Bryant's fortunes would soon change when Phil Jackson became coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999.[19] After years of steady improvement, Bryant had become one of the premier shooting guards in the league, a fact that was evidenced by his annual presence in the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams.[20] The Los Angeles Lakers became premier championship contenders under Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who formed an outstanding center-guard combination.[21] Jackson utilized the triangle offense he used to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls, which helped both Bryant and O'Neal rise to the elite class of the NBA. Their NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002 proved such a fact.[22] Post-Championship years (2002-04) In the 2002-03 NBA season, 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 up to that point. For the first time in his career Bryant was voted on to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams.[2] After finishing 50-32 in the regular season, the Lakers floundered in the playoffs and lost in the Western Conference semi-finals to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs in six games.[23] In the following 2003-04 NBA season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All Stars Karl Malone, and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA Championship.[24] Before the season began, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault.[25] However, with a starting lineup of four future Hall of Famer, O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals.[26] In the Finals, they were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists. He shot a mere 35.1% from the field.[27] Phil Jackson resigned as coach, with Rudy Tomjanovich taking over.[28] Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant.[29] 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.[30] Departure of Shaquille O'Neal (2004-2007) Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 2004-05 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. This first season without O'Neal would prove to be a rocky one.[3] A particularly damaging salvo came from Phil Jackson in The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003-04 season and has a number of criticisms of Bryant. In the book Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable".[31] Then, midway through the season, Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen.[31] Despite the fact that Bryant was the league's second leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, the Lakers floundered and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. This year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA, as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was also demoted to the All-NBA Third Team.[32] Kobe Bryant defending Michael Redd in December 2005.The 2005-06 NBA season would mark a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to coach the Lakers.[33] Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. The team posted a 45-37 record, an eleven-game improvement over the previous season, and the entire squad seemed to be clicking.[34] In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough (3-1 series lead) to come within six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Phoenix Suns. The Lakers lost that game 107 to 96.[35] Despite Bryant's 27.8 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games.[35] In the 2006 off-season, Bryant had knee surgery, preventing him from participating in the 2006 FIBA World Championship tournament.[36] Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant had, by himself, outscored the entire Mavericks team 62-61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the advent of the 24-second shot clock.[37] 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 the end of the feud that had festered between the two players since O'Neal's departure from Los Angeles.[3] A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two laughed and joked together on several occasions.[3] On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in a 122-104 victory against the Toronto Raptors.[38][4] In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, his point total in that game was the second highest in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.[39] 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 ever to do so.[40] For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game,[41] the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain.[3] By the end of the season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832).[42] He won the league's scoring title for the first time, posting a scoring average of (35.4). Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes — second only to winner Steve Nash.[43] Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006-07 NBA season. Bryant's first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33.[44] After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers.[45] During the 2006-07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy.[46] Bryant scored 50 points or more in four consecutive games in 2007.Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents. On January 28 while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in the face with his elbow.[47] Following a league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards.[48] Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jaric.[47] On March 7, the NBA handed Bryant his second one-game suspension.[49] In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retrospectively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul.[47] On March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which helped end the Lakers 7-game losing streak. This was the second best scoring performance of his 11-year career.[50] The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves,[51] after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies - becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Michael Jordan last did it in 1987.[52] The only other Laker to do so was Elgin Baylor, who also scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December of 1962[53]. In the following day, in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Bryant scored 50 points, making him the second player in NBA history to have 4 straight 50 point games behind Wilt Chamberlain, who is the all-time leader with seven consecutive 50 point games twice.[54] Bryant finished the year with a total of ten 50-plus point games,[55] becoming the only player beside Wilt Chamberlain in 1961-62 and 1962-63 to do so in one season. He also won his second straight scoring title that season. [56] During the 2006-07 season, Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China.[57] A number of journalists have attributed the improved sales to Bryant's new jersey number, as well as his continuing All-Star performance on the court.[58][59] In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers were once again eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns.[60] MVP year (2007-present) Kobe Bryant being defended by Baron DavisOn May 27, 2007, ESPN reported that Bryant stated that he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority.[61] Bryant later confirmed his desire for West's return to the franchise, but denied stating that he would want to be traded if that does not occur.[62] However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed that Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and publicly stated, "I want to be traded." Three hours after making that statement, Bryant stated in another interview that after having a conversation with head coach Phil Jackson, he has reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request.[63] 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.[64] Despite an injury, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" of his shooting hand's small finger, that occurred in a game against the New Jersey Nets on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Regarding his injury, he stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that myself and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis."[65] Leading his team to a West best 57-25 record, they swept the Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, Bryant was officially announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first for his career.[66] He said, "It's been a long ride. I'm very proud to represent this organization, to represent this city."[67] Jerry West, who was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers was on hand at the press conference to observe Bryant receive his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. He stated, "Kobe deserved it. He's had just another great season. Doesn't surprise me one bit."[68] In addition to winning his MVP award, Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team on May 8, 2008 for the third straight season and sixth time in his career.[69] He would then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points overall including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection.[70] The Lakers concluded the 2007–08 regular season with a 57–25 record, finishing first in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Nuggets. In Game 1, Bryant, who said he made himself a decoy through most of the game, scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead.[71] That made Denver the first 50-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs since the Memphis Grizzlies fell in four to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004.[72] In the first game of the next round against the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1.[73] The Lakers won the next game as well, but dropped Games 3 and 4, even with Bryant putting up 33.5 points per game.[74] The Lakers then won the next two games to win the semifinals in 6.[74] This set up a Western Conference Finals berth against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in 5 games, sending them to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. This marked the fifth time in Bryant's career and the first time without Shaquille O'Neal to go to the NBA Finals.[75] The Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.[76] International career Bryant's senior international career with the United States national team began in 2006. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men’s Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10-0, won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. He started in all 10 of the USA’s FIBA Americas Championship games. He is ranked third on the team for made and attempted free throws, ranked fourth for made field goals, made 3-pointers. Among all FIBA Americas Championship competitors, Bryant is ranked 15th in scoring, 14th in assists, and eighth in steals. Scored in double-digits in eight of 10 games. He drained the game winner on a 14 feet (4.3 m) jumper above the foul line with second left in the game. He currently averages a .530 shooting percentage, with 16.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.[77] As a part of his international expansion, he is also featured in a Chinese reality TV show, called the Kobe Mentu show, which documents Chinese basketball players on different teams going through drills, preparing to play each other while Bryant gives advice and words of encouragement to the players while they practice.[78] On June 23, 2008, he was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[79] This will be his first time going to the Olympics. Player profile Bryant is a shooting guard who is capable of playing the small forward position. He is considered one of the most complete players in NBA history,[80] has been elected to every All-NBA Team since 1999, and has been featured in the last ten NBA All-Star games.[2] He is a prolific scorer, averaging 25.0 points per game for his career, along with 4.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.[81] He is known for his ability to create shots for himself, and is an adept outside shooter, sharing the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve.[82] He has exceptional ballhandling skills and utilizes his speed and athletic ability to elude defenders to finish at the basket. Aside from this, he is also a standout defender, having made the All-Defensive 1st or 2nd Team 8 of the last 9 seasons.[2]