Curiously enough, Kobe Bean Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard is named after the Japanese beef. Along with Shaquille O'Neal, this All-Star player led the Lakers to no less than three consecutive NBA Championships (in 2000, 2001 and 2002).
With the departure of O'Neal in 2003, Bryant became the team's star player, leading the league in scoring in the 2005-2006 and 206-2007 seasons. He is an 11 time NBA All-Star, 2008's NBA MVP and 3 time NBA Champion, along with having won a gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics as part of the US Olympic Men's Basketball team.
Kobe is no stranger to basketball, his father played for the Philadelphia 76'ers and coached the Los Angeles Sparks until Kobe was six years old. The family moved to Italy, where Kobe actually became interested in soccer, which he would have pursued had they stayed in Italy.
When they moved back to the States in 1991, he gained recognition during his high school years with his basketball career. He earned a SAT score of 1080, but decided to go directly into the NBA at the age of 17, having his parent co-sign his contract with the Lakers since he could not sign on his own until he turned 18. He became the youngest player to play and start in an NBA game.
In his first year, he earned a spot on the NBA All Rookie second team and gained recognition by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. By 1998-99, he was a premiere guard in the league and being compared to basketball greats like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. In 1999, with new coach of the Lakers, Phil Jackson, he started his rise to the elite class as one of the best shooting guards in the league.
Kobe Bryant averaged 30 points per game and posted 40 or more points in nine consecutive games during the 2002-03 season. He was voted to the All0NBA and All Defensive 1st teams for the first time in his career. Before the next season would start, Kobe Bryant went through arrest for sexual assault and his reputation was badly damaged.
In the 2003-2004 season, Bryant was criticized by many, including his coach who complained in writing that he was becoming uncoachable. He suffered another hit to his reputation with the Lakers first failure to make it to the NBA playoffs in more than ten years.
Bryant underperformed in the next two seasons until breaking a franchise record of 81 points (!) in a single game and achieving the second highest career point total in NBA history. In the 2006-2007 season, his jersey became the top selling jersey in both the US and in China. In December 2007 when he was only 29, he became the youngest NBA player to score 20,000 points in his career.
In 2008, with his Olympic career, he became an internationally known basketball star. While it was his first time going to the Olympics, he was certainly no rookie when his team won the gold medal. Kobe Bryant is a basketball great who has set many milestones, despite his ups and downs.
With the departure of O'Neal in 2003, Bryant became the team's star player, leading the league in scoring in the 2005-2006 and 206-2007 seasons. He is an 11 time NBA All-Star, 2008's NBA MVP and 3 time NBA Champion, along with having won a gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics as part of the US Olympic Men's Basketball team.
Kobe is no stranger to basketball, his father played for the Philadelphia 76'ers and coached the Los Angeles Sparks until Kobe was six years old. The family moved to Italy, where Kobe actually became interested in soccer, which he would have pursued had they stayed in Italy.
When they moved back to the States in 1991, he gained recognition during his high school years with his basketball career. He earned a SAT score of 1080, but decided to go directly into the NBA at the age of 17, having his parent co-sign his contract with the Lakers since he could not sign on his own until he turned 18. He became the youngest player to play and start in an NBA game.
In his first year, he earned a spot on the NBA All Rookie second team and gained recognition by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. By 1998-99, he was a premiere guard in the league and being compared to basketball greats like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. In 1999, with new coach of the Lakers, Phil Jackson, he started his rise to the elite class as one of the best shooting guards in the league.
Kobe Bryant averaged 30 points per game and posted 40 or more points in nine consecutive games during the 2002-03 season. He was voted to the All0NBA and All Defensive 1st teams for the first time in his career. Before the next season would start, Kobe Bryant went through arrest for sexual assault and his reputation was badly damaged.
In the 2003-2004 season, Bryant was criticized by many, including his coach who complained in writing that he was becoming uncoachable. He suffered another hit to his reputation with the Lakers first failure to make it to the NBA playoffs in more than ten years.
Bryant underperformed in the next two seasons until breaking a franchise record of 81 points (!) in a single game and achieving the second highest career point total in NBA history. In the 2006-2007 season, his jersey became the top selling jersey in both the US and in China. In December 2007 when he was only 29, he became the youngest NBA player to score 20,000 points in his career.
In 2008, with his Olympic career, he became an internationally known basketball star. While it was his first time going to the Olympics, he was certainly no rookie when his team won the gold medal. Kobe Bryant is a basketball great who has set many milestones, despite his ups and downs.
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