Bryant's retired No. 33 jersey and banner on the Lower Merion High School gymBryant earned national recognition throughout a spectacular high-school profession at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, situated within the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. He played on the varsity basketball group as a freshman. Bryant became the primary freshman in a long time to begin for Lower Merion's varsity group, however the staff completed with a 4–20 document. The following three years, the Aces compiled a 77–13 document, with Bryant playing all five positions. Duke, Michigan, North Carolina and Villanova were on the top of his list. After the Lakers misplaced the 2004 NBA Finals, O'Neal was traded and Bryant grew to become the cornerstone of the franchise.

Former pro basketball player Kobe Bryant received 5 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers whereas establishing himself as one of the recreation's all-time greats. He died tragically in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. In real reverence to one of the best basketball players ever, Kobe Bryant is honored on the duvet of NBA 2K24, a legendary tribute. This alternative observes Kobe’s impact on the sport of basketball that stretches throughout generations. Bryant avoiding a collision in a recreation in opposition to China at the 2008 Summer OlympicsBryant declined to play within the 2000 Olympics because he was getting married in the low season.

His career started as Michael Jordan's reign on the court docket was ending, and his recreation constantly drew comparisons to Jordan's. Sony pushed Bryant from his roots of underground hip hop right into a extra radio-friendly sound. His debut album, Visions, was scheduled to launch within the spring of 2000. The first single, "K.O.B.E'", featured supermodel Tyra Banks singing the hook.

Bryant established a popularity for taking shots in the closing moments of tight games, even amid double or triple groups, and has been famous as being one of many premier closers in the NBA. In an annual survey of NBA basic managers, he was chosen in 2012 for the 10th consecutive season because the player they most needed taking the shot with the game on the line. Bryant enjoys being the villain, and revels in being booed and silencing the gang together with his play.

He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons and was named league MVP in 2008. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Bryant led the team to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, being named NBA Finals MVP on each events. He continued to be among the many premier gamers within the league through the 2012–13 season, when he suffered a torn achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons have been cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. In 2017, the Lakers retired both his Nos. 8 and 24, making him the one participant in NBA history to have a quantity of numbers retired by the identical franchise.

He was an emblem of motivation and an image of dedication and greatness. Kobe Bryant was a 20-year Los Angeles Lakers player who won 5 NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, and 18 NBA All-Star alternatives throughout his time there. He grew to become a job mannequin for aspiring athletes all over the world due to his unwavering work ethic and his unending quest for greatness. Amanda Gordon and her husband, Philip, mourn the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant close to the site of a helicopter crash Calabasas that claimed the lives of the Lakers legend, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday.

In the primary spherical of the playoffs, the Lakers performed well sufficient to achieve a 3–1 sequence lead over the Phoenix Suns, culminating with Bryant's overtime-forcing and game-winning pictures in Game four. They got here inside six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Suns in Game 6, nevertheless, they lost that game 126–118 in extra time. Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game within the sequence, the Lakers broke down and in the end fell to the Suns in seven games. After scoring 50 points on 20 of 35 taking pictures within the Game 6 loss, Bryant was criticized for under taking three photographs in the second half of the 121–90 Game 7 loss to Phoenix. Bryant received several awards for his excellent efficiency during his senior year at Lower Merion.

In Game 1, Bryant, who stated he made himself a decoy by way of most of the sport, scored 18 of his 32 points in the ultimate 8 minutes to maintain Los Angeles safely ahead. That made Denver the first 50-win staff to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs for the explanation that Memphis Grizzlies fell in four to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004. In the first recreation of the next spherical towards the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 factors as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1.