Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time. There is no denying it. He has five world championships, an MVP award, two scoring crowns, 18 All-Star selections, and is third all-time in points scored. Since Bryant announced his retirement at the end of the...
Bryant, considered one of the best basketball players of all time, won five NBA titles, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time All-Defensive Team member, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
He also has the most All-Star Game appearances of any player in NBA history - he's played in every game since his first appearance in 1996. The last season he didn't make an All-Star Game was 2016-17; he withdrew himself from consideration that year due to concerns about playing multiple games in a week.
Kobe Bryant made his debut in 1995 as a 19-year-old rookie for the Los Angeles Lakers. He became the youngest ever All-Star starter when he took the court on January 24, 1996. At the time, this was a record that would not be broken for 13 more years; Kevin Durant is now the youngest All-Star starter of all time at 22 years old in 2014.
Bryant finished his first All-Star Game with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was also named MVP of the game. The following season, he was again selected by the fans as a reserve player for the Lakers, this time finishing second behind Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls.
Bryant won a league MVP award, five titles, and two NBA Finals MVPs during his 17-year career. Since the Lakers selected him out of high school, he's been an excellent player. He's been the league's undisputed top talent for years and is largely regarded as its hardest worker.
Bryant got better as he grew older. He improved his jump shot, became a more efficient scorer, and gained weight to play up against bigger players. He also changed his game in order to defeat defensive strategies used by opponents. For example, he altered his handle set-up so that he could use fakes when attacking the basket.
His ability to adapt at such a high level made him one of the most dangerous players in basketball. Even after he stopped playing, he stayed involved with the team through his family business. His father managed the Lakers while his brother Michael played for them.
Kobe's success can be attributed to his intense desire to get better, both on and off the court. He studied video games to learn how players like Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry operated on offense, then tried to replicate those moves. On defense, he worked with coaches to come up with new strategies to stop other teams from using his talents.
He also had a lot of help during his career from teammates and coaches who knew what they were doing.
The five NBA titles Bryant, widely recognized as one of the best basketball players of all time, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time All-Defensive Team member, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. He also holds the record for most points by a player in his first three seasons.
Bryant's career starts were interrupted by 17 months because of injuries, but he still managed to score 100 points seven times during that period. His last season was 2017-18; he played his final game on April 13, 2018. In that game, he scored 48 points against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Bryant led the Lakers to the playoffs every year except one (2012-13). That season, they finished with the worst record in franchise history (6-66). They have not gone past the first round of the playoffs since then.
In addition to his NBA achievements, Bryant made an impact on international basketball by helping Greece win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, scoring 46 points in the final game against United States. At the 2008 Beijing Games, he became the first player in Olympic history to score 4000 points in his career when the Lakers defeated Russia 105-94.
Bryant's wife, Vanessa, is his official manager. She helped him build his brand after he retired from playing basketball.