Kobe Bryant

Date of Birth: August 23, 1978

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: January 26, 2020

Biography

Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bryant spent much of his early childhood in Italy where his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, played professional basketball. Returning to the United States for high school, Kobe attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he gained national recognition for his basketball skills. In 1996, Bryant declared for the NBA Draft directly from high school and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th overall pick, but he was soon traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would spend his entire 20-year career. Known for his competitive nature and scoring ability, Bryant led the Lakers to five NBA championships and earned numerous accolades, including two NBA Finals MVP awards and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player award. Off the court, Bryant was an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and storyteller. He won an Academy Award for his animated short film “Dear Basketball” in 2018. Tragically, Kobe Bryant’s life was cut short when he died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others.

5 Interesting Facts about Kobe Bryant

1. Kobe was fluent in Italian and Spanish.

2. He scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, the second-highest point total in a single game in NBA history.

3. He won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. men’s basketball team in 2008 and 2012.

4. Kobe Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to be drafted directly out of high school.

5. He wrote and narrated the Academy Award-winning short film “Dear Basketball.”

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Kobe Bryant

1. “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”

2. “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.”

3. “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.”

4. “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”

5. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the time of his death, Kobe Bryant’s net worth was estimated to be around $600 million.

Children

Kobe Bryant had four daughters with his wife Vanessa Bryant: 1. Natalia Diamante Bryant (born January 19, 2003) 2. Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant (born May 1, 2006; deceased January 26, 2020) 3. Bianka Bella Bryant (born December 5, 2016) 4. Capri Kobe Bryant (born June 20, 2019)