Kobe Bryant was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and played
from 1996 to 2016.
"The most important thing it to
try to inspire people
so they can be
great in whatever they want to do."
- 1996
- Kobe Bryant was drafted with the 13th pick to the Charlotte Hornets. He was
traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night for Vlade Divac.
- 1997
- In his rookie season. he became the youngest player in NBA history to win the Slam
Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.
- 2000-2002
- Completed a three-peat championship with the Los Angeles Lakers by defeating the Indiana Pacers,
Philadelphia Sixers, and New Jersey Nets respectively.
- 2006
- Scored 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors, which is the second-most
points scored in a game in NBA history.
- 2008
- Won his lone NBA MVP award.
- 2009
- Won his first of 2 NBA Finals MVP awards after defeating the Orlando Magic in the
2009 NBA Finals.
- 2010
- Won his final NBA championship by defeating the rival Boston Celtics in an epic 7 games.
- 2016
- In his final game, Bryant would score 60 points against the Utah Jazz, becoming the oldest
player in NBA history to score 60 in a game, as well as the most points any NBA player has
ever scored in his final game.
- 2017
- The Los Angeles Lakers would retire Bryant's jersey numbers, #8 and #24, becoming the only
man in NBA history to have two numbers retired by the same team.
- 2018
- His retirement short film "Dear Basketball" would win an Oscar for Best Animated short
Film at the 90th Academy Awards.
- 2020
- Kobe Bryant, and his daughter, Gigi, and 7 others died tragically in a helicopter crash in
Calabasas, California.
If you have time to, you should read about this incredible player on his
Wikipedia Entry.
Heroes come and go,
but legends are forever.
