Ellen Labrecque - Who Was Kobe Bryant?

Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His first name came from a type of Japanese beef that his parents had noticed on a restaurant menu. Kobes mom, Pamela, said later they always knew their son would be special, and that is why they choose that unique name. Kobes dad, Joe Bryant, was a professional basketball player for the 76ers.

When Kobe was three, he loved to watch his dad play on television. While he watched, Kobe would often run down the hallway, jump onto a mini trampoline, and slam a ball into an eight-foot-high plastic hoop.

When Kobe was six, his dads basketball career changed his familys lives. Joe had played for eight seasons and had been traded to two different teams. In 1983, he moved his whole family to Rieti, Italy, so he could play basketball there. Rieti is a small city fifty miles from Rome.

The Bryant family did not know how to speak Italian at first. Kobe had two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, and they spent afternoons teaching each other the language. Eventually Kobe spoke Italian as well as he spoke English.

Kobe with his basketball team in Italy

Joes team had its own youth squad that Kobe joined. Despite being so young, Kobes skills stood out right away. His talent might have come from his dad, but his personality came from his mother. Pam was the stern one in the family. Kobe hardly ever smiled when he played. He was always so serious about everything he did as far as sports, said his sister Sharia.

Kobes father switched teams every few years while playing in Italy. No matter where they moved, Kobe always found a place to play basketball.

Kobes grandfather, Grandpa Cox, still lived in the United States. He recorded NBA games on his television, boxed up the tapes, and sent them to his grandson. Kobe watched the games again and again. He studied the moves of NBA players like Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. Then he would go to the courts near his house and practice those moves for hours at a time.

In November 1991, when Kobe was thirteen, his family returned to Philadelphia. He was back in his home country, but he felt like an outsider. He didnt understand American slang. He didnt know what clothes were cool to wear. Kobe didnt blend in with the kids at school. He took the anger he felt about being an outsider, and he used it on the basketball court.

The year after he returned to the United States, Kobe attended Lower Merion High School. He started on the varsity basketball team as a freshman and spent every free second practicing. In addition to his high-school team, Kobe played on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. They played against all-star teams from all over the country. During the summer, Kobe attended top basketball camps and faced other great players. He began to stand out, even among the best.

Kobe worked harder than any other kid Ive ever seen, said Sam Rines, one of Kobes coaches.

By the time Kobe was a senior, he was considered to be the best high-school player in the entire country.

During his senior season, Kobe led Lower Merion to a state-championship title and averaged more than thirty points and twelve rebounds per game. Almost every college basketball team in the country recruited him.