Triumph Books - The Legend of Kobe Bryant: Basketballs Modern Superstar

Introduction

Kobe Bryant was more than a basketball player.

Sure, he will forever be remembered as one of the games greatest superstars, one who burst onto the scene straight out of high school, remains fourth on the NBAs all-time scoring list, won five championships, and spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. But Kobe was also so much more.

The man known as the Black Mamba left his mark on the game as a fierce competitor who lifted those around him and never settled for anything less than the best. He spoke several languages, was passionate about promoting youth sports and raising his four daughters, and even won an Academy Award.

The following pages look back on Kobes incredible life and career, from his earliest days playing the game he loved to his unforgettable 60-point final game and his desire to share basketball with everyone.

1. The Legend Begins

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia. His parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, already had two daughters when they welcomed their only son into the family. Joe was an accomplished basketball player, so it wasnt a shock to anyone when Kobe started playing the game himself when he was just three years old. Naturally, his favorite team was the Lakers.

When Kobe was six, the family picked up and moved to Italy so that Joe could continue to play basketball professionally. Kobes friend and teammate, Davide Giudici, told NBC News, When he moved to Reggio Emilia and started playing on my team, it was immediately clear he was from another planet, a cut above us all. When he often told us that one day he would become a professional NBA player, we would make fun of him. But he worked hard for it even back then. At the end of our training, the rest of us would just go watch TV or do other things. Kobe, instead, would go home and keep training with the basket his father put up for him in his garden.

2. Whats in a Name?

Kobe Bean Bryantnot exactly an ordinary name, is it? Then again, there wasnt anything ordinary about the man who is in fourth place on the NBAs all-time career scoring list. Kobes parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, also had two girls, Sharia and Shaya. So, how did they settle on naming their only son Kobe Bean?

According to NBA.com, the Bryants chose Kobe after seeing Kobe beef listed on a restaurant menu prior to his birth. His middle name is derived from his fathers nickname, Jellybean. In high school, Joes teammates marveled at his sweet and various moves; he recalls hearing, It must be jelly because jam dont shake like that, a quote from a Glenn Miller song. Joe was indeed a great player and was selected in the first round of the NBA draft in 1975. Seems he may have passed down more than a name to his son!

3. Jellybean

Kobe would grow up to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time. But his father, Joe Jellybean Bryant, was a very talented player in his own right.

Joe was a star forward at La Salle University and was drafted No. 14 overall by the Golden State Warriors, then traded to his hometown Philadelphia 76ers. He also played for the Clippers and Rockets during his NBA career before moving to Rieti, a small town in Italy. He later joined the team in Reggio Calabria, then in Pistoia, and ended his career in Reggio Emilia, where he was a two-time Player of the Year.

After his playing career was over, Joe coached in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including as the head coach of the WNBAs Los Angeles Sparks. But his greatest contribution to basketball is likely still raising his son, Kobe.

4. Parli Italiano, Kobe?

After eight seasons in the NBA, Joe Bryant moved his family to Italy to continue his playing career. Kobe was six at the time, and the Bryants lived there for many years before returning to Philadelphia when Kobe was 13.

During his years in Europe, Kobe learned to speak fluent Italian. Italy will always be close to my heart, he said. Speaking of the town Reggio Emilia, Kobe told BaskeTime magazine, I grew up here. I used to ride my bike here. There were all my friends, I have many memories, its special.

Years later, Kobe would also learn to speak Spanish well enough to conduct interviews in that language. Was there anything Kobe couldnt do if he set his mind to it?

5. A High School Phenom

After the Bryant family returned to Philadelphia, Kobe began a historic career at Lower Merion High School in the suburb of Ardmore. He became the first freshman in decades to start for the varsity team, though they struggled to a 420 record. But Kobe was never one to tolerate losing, even at that age. Over the next three years, the team went 7713.

As a junior, Kobe averaged 31.1 points per game and was named the Pennsylvania Player of the Year. As a senior, Kobe led the team to its first state championship in 53 years and was named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Mens National Basketball Player of the Year, and a McDonalds All-American.

Kobe had good grades and was interested in several colleges, including Duke, North Carolina, and Villanova. But in the end, he decided to forgo school and enter the NBA draft. He was ready to begin his professional career.

6. The Logo Loved Kobe

Few people in basketball command more respect than Lakers legend Jerry West. Need proof? The NBAs well-known logo was actually based on Wests silhouette. So when the former NBA champion has a strong opinion, people tend to listen.

In 1996, West was the Lakers general manager when the team brought in a young Kobe Bryant for a private workout. After watching Kobe scrimmage for just 30 minutes, West was sold. He decided the team needed to do whatever it took to select Kobe in the upcoming NBA draft.

Michael Cooper, a former Defensive Player of the Year who guarded Kobe during that workout, told Bleacher Report, There was no fear in him. I think that was what they were looking for.

According to former Lakers executive John Black, West said, OK, Ive seen enough. Best workout Ive ever seen. Hes better than anybody we have on the team right now. Lets go. It proved to be one of the best decisions West ever made.