Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant Headshot

Basketball Player • Olympian

Birth Date: August 23, 1978

Death Date: January 26, 2020

Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Considered by basketball fans and critics alike as the top player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 2000s, Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers to multiple championships while also establishing himself as one of the game's highest scoring and most skilled players. Born Kobe Bean Bryant on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he spent a portion of his childhood in Italy, where his father, former NBA veteran Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, was playing in that country's A1 and A2 leagues. The younger Bryant began playing basketball at a very early age, and upon returning to the United States in 1991, launched an impressive high school career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Philadelphia. He led the school's basketball team to four state championships before foregoing college to begin his professional career. In 1996, Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA draft, but was soon traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. There, he became the youngest All-Star in NBA history when he was elected as a starter in the 1998 All-Star game. With the addition of coach Phil Jackson and center Shaquille O'Neal to the Lakers' roster the following year, Bryant became part of a seemingly unbeatable triangle that led the team to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. The following year, both Bryant and the Lakers suffered setbacks: Jackson and O'Neal departed the team, and Bryant became embroiled in a high-profile sexual assault case which tarnished his career and ended several major promotional endorsements. Following the case's dismissal in 2004, Bryant would spend several years rebuilding his standing in the league. With the return of Jackson in 2006, he resumed his stellar ascent, scoring fifty or more points in consecutive games during the season and collecting his second All-Star Game MVP trophy. By 2010, Bryant had become the all-time leading scorer in Lakers history and collected his fourth and fifth championships against the Orlando Magic in 2009 and the Boston Celtics in 2010, respectively. Though subsequent years were plagued by injury, Bryant continued to play impressively into his 19th season, surpassing Michael Jordan's record in 2014 to become the NBA's third all-time leading scorer. Bryant announced on November 29, 2015 that he was planning to retire at the end of the 2015-16 season. Kobe Bryant died on January 26, 2020 at the age of 41 when the private helicopter in which he was traveling crashed. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant was among the other eight passengers killed in the crash.

Credits

Kobe Bryant The Greatest of All

Self
Show
2020

The Last DanceStream

Actor
Docuseries
2020
97%

Kobe Bryant: The Interview

Self
Show
2020

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Strahan & Sara

Guest
Show
2019

Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest StoryStream

Self
Movie
2019

The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2018

Actor
Show
2018

Detail: From the Mind of Kobe Bryant

Host
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2018

Players Only: Shaq and Kobe

Actor
Show
2018

Access

Guest
Show
2017

Dear Basketball

Producer
Movie
2017

Dear Basketball

Screenwriter
Movie
2017

Celebrity PageStream

Guest
News
2016

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Cara a cara con Kobe Bryant

Guest Star
Show
2015

Kobe Bryant's Muse

Actor
Show
2015

Kobe: The Interview

Guest
Show
2015

The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce

Actor
Movie
2015

Pacific Preview

Actor
Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot

Self
Movie
2014

Bruce Lee: The Legend

Self
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2012

I Am Bruce Lee

Actor
Movie
2012

RidiculousnessStream

Guest
Reality
2011

Extreme Weight LossStream

Guest Star
Reality
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

In Depth With Graham Bensinger

Guest
Show
2010

Lopez Tonight

Guest
Show
2009

Modern FamilyStream

Guest Star
Kobe Bryant
Series
2009
85%

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

Guest
Talk
2009

Kobe: Doin' Work

Actor
Show
2009

Jimmy Kimmel's Big Night of Stars

Guest
Show
2008

The Insider

Guest
Show
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

1 Love

Actor
Movie
2003

The Proud FamilyStream

Guest Voice
Himself
Series
2001

Bette

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2000

The Early Show

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1999

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Access Hollywood

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News
1996

MoeshaStream

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Series
1996

Hang Time

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1995

In the HouseStream

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1995

Extra

Guest
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1994

Sister, SisterStream

Guest Star
Series
1994

Entertainment Tonight

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1981

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Plaza Sésamo

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Show
1972

Sesame StreetStream

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Series
1969

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutKobe Bryant