Bio
- Father Joe Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA and seven in Italy before eventually becoming WNBA coach.
- Named after a type of steak his parents saw listed on a restaurant menu.
- Speaks fluent Italian, having spent eight childhood years in Italy.
- Took R&B singer Brandy to his high school prom.
- Went directly from high school to play for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.
- Became youngest All-Star in NBA history at the age of 19 in 1998.
- Won three straight NBA championships with the Lakers (2000-02), plus back-to-back titles (2009-10) in which he was named Finals MVP.
- Led the NBA in scoring 2006 and 2007 and was named league MVP in 2008.
- Scored 81 points, second most ever in NBA history, against Toronto in 2006.
- In 2006, his daughter Gianna Maria-Onoro was born six minutes before the daughter of Bryant's former teammate, Shaquille O'Neal.
Kobe BryantAugust 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020 (aged 41)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
PHOTO CREDIT:
Bio
- Father Joe Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA and seven in Italy before eventually becoming WNBA coach.
- Named after a type of steak his parents saw listed on a restaurant menu.
- Speaks fluent Italian, having spent eight childhood years in Italy.
- Took R&B singer Brandy to his high school prom.
- Went directly from high school to play for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.
- Became youngest All-Star in NBA history at the age of 19 in 1998.
- Won three straight NBA championships with the Lakers (2000-02), plus back-to-back titles (2009-10) in which he was named Finals MVP.
- Led the NBA in scoring 2006 and 2007 and was named league MVP in 2008.
- Scored 81 points, second most ever in NBA history, against Toronto in 2006.
- In 2006, his daughter Gianna Maria-Onoro was born six minutes before the daughter of Bryant's former teammate, Shaquille O'Neal.
