Shaina Indovino - Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

SUPERSTARS IN THE WORLD OF BASKETBALL

LeBron James

Dwyane Wade

Kobe Bryant

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Durant

Chris Paul

Dwight Howard

Rajon Rondo

Blake Griffin

Players & the Game Around the World

SUPERSTARS IN THE WORLD OF BASKETBALL

Kobe Bryant

Shaina Indovino

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com

Copyright 2015 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3101-2
ISBN: 978-1-4222-3108-1
ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8798-9

The Library of Congress has cataloged the
hardcopy format(s) as follows:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Indovino, Shaina Carmel.

Kobe Bryant / Shaina Indovino.

pages cm. (Superstars in the world of basketball)

ISBN 978-1-4222-3108-1 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-4222-3101-2 (series) ISBN 9781-4222-8798-9 (ebook) 1. Bryant, Kobe, 1978Juvenile literature. 2. Basketball playersUnited States--BiographyJuvenile literature. I. Title.

GV884.B794I53 2014

796.323092dc23

[B]

2014007852

Contents

Words to Understand

professional: Paid to play (usually in a league like the NBA).

varsity: The highest-level team that represents a high school or college.

Kobe Bryant and his teammates are standing on a podium in the center of the Olympic Stadium. Beside them are members of the Russian and Chinese basketball teams. They have come from miles away for a chance to earn the Olympic gold medal. All three teams have fought hard to get to this point, and it really shows.

Thousands of fans in the crowd cheer loudly as medals for each member of the three teams are brought out on trays. The Russian team is given the bronze, and the Spanish team is given the silver. That leaves the United States, which has earned the gold. Kobe and his teammates are tired and sweaty, but they are also smiling. Over the past few weeks, the U.S. team won eight games and gone undefeated to claim the title of Olympic champions.

Music plays in the background as the crowd cheers loudly. The audience claps and cheers as gold medals are given to each member of the U.S. team. As each team member receives his medal, the players name is called. When Kobe Bryants name is announced, the crowd goes wild. He waves to his fans and smiles as the heavy medal is placed around his neck. Moments like this make basketball worth playing.

Kobe dunks the ball during a game against China during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

For many athletes, competing in the Olympic Games is the highlight of their careers. The athletes chosen to compete for each country are the best in the world. Kobe Bryant joined the USA basketball team twice and helped win a gold medal both times. The first time was in 2008. The second time was just four years later, in 2012. Winning an international championship is never easy. Every member of the U.S. basketball team needed to give their all to snag the gold.

After winning his second Olympic gold medal, Kobe announced he would not return to the Olympics. This is it for me. The other guys are good to go, he said. Kobe believes his other teammates are strong enough to win the next world championship without him. In 2016 the world will know if he is correct.

As of 2013, Kobe has been playing in the NBA for over fifteen years. He started his NBA career right out of high school, but thats not when Kobes love for the game began. Hes been playing since he was just three years old! Through hard work and determination, he has risen to the top. Now hes one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the sport!

Make Connections

When Kobe was growing up, his favorite basketball player was Magic Johnson, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers. As a Laker, Magic Johnson became an NBA champion five times. Kobe looked up to Magic Johnson, and the Lakers became Kobes favorite team. One day, Kobe hoped to play for that team, too. And he did!

Kobe dreamed of being a famous basketball player from the moment he could dribble a ball. Today he has a long list of accomplishments. He has won international titles, been part of an NBA championship team five times, and was the NBAs Most Valuable Player (MVP) of 2008.

SPORTS IN THE FAMILY

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has two older sisters, Shaya and Sharia. Growing up, all three children were athletic and liked to play sports. One of the reasons Kobe and his sisters were so athletic is because of their father. Joe Jellybean Bryant is a former NBA player. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the San Diego Clippers, and the Houston Rockets during his time in the NBA.

The Beijing basketball stadium where the basketball games of the 2008 Olympics were held.

The Wells Fargo center, where the Philadelphia 76ers play. Kobes dad played for the 76ers during his time in the NBA. Later, Kobe would train with the team.

Kobe loved sports at an early age. Living in Italy, Kobe loved both soccer and basketball. But in the end, Kobe followed his father into basketball.

Like many sons, Kobe wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps. He went with his dad to practice and even watched him play at official games. Kobe watched his father on television and practiced with his own plastic ball and hoop. He pretended to be his dad, shooting his tiny basketball at the same time his father did on television. By Kobes third birthday, his mind was made up. He was going to become an NBA starjust like his fatherand no one was going to stop him.

When Kobe was six years old, his father decided to stop playing in the NBA. The family moved to Italy, so Joe could play basketball in an Italian league. Adjusting to life in a foreign country was difficult at first. Luckily, Kobe had his family to help him get used to it. Kobe and his sisters learned to speak Italian while they lived there. Kobe is still fluent in Italian.

While living in Italy, Kobe learned how to play soccer. Soccer is a very popular sport, especially in Europe. Kobe played both basketball and soccer while he lived in Italy. Kobe was very good at both sports. He has said he might have become a soccer player if he stayed in Italy. But even though Kobe liked to play soccer, his favorite sport was still basketball.