Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. He spent much of his childhood in Rieti, Italy, where his father continued his professional basketball career after retiring from the NBA. Kobe was raised in the Roman Catholic faith alongside his two older sisters. His father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, played eight seasons in the NBA before extending his career in the Italian professional leagues. Growing up surrounded by the sport, Kobe developed a passion for basketball as early as age three. He was also an enthusiastic soccer player, with AC Milan being one of his favorite teams. While living in Italy, Kobe developed multilingual skills, becoming fluent in Italian and Spanish. Despite his time abroad, he always admired the Los Angeles Lakers—his favorite team growing up. In 1991, after Joe Bryant's retirement from basketball, the family relocated back to the United States. Kobe attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he garnered national attention for his skills on the court.
At Lower Merion High School, Kobe quickly became a standout player, earning a spot on the varsity team as a freshman—a rare achievement. Throughout his high school career, he earned multiple honors, including Pennsylvania Player of the Year and, in his senior year, Naismith High School Player of the Year. He was named to the USA Today All-USA First Team and was selected as a McDonald's All-American.
Rather than attending college, Kobe declared for the 1996 NBA Draft, where he was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets. He was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers—a team with which he would build a legendary career. At just 18 years old, he became the second youngest player in NBA history. His rookie season included a win in the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and a strong showing in the Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend. By his second season, Kobe was voted to the NBA All-Star Game, becoming the youngest All-Star in league history at that time.
During the 1998–99 season, Bryant signed a six-year contract extension with the Lakers, solidifying his future with the franchise. He and fellow star Shaquille O’Neal formed a dominant guard-center duo that led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Kobe evolved into a complete player, earning All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors multiple times. Over his 20-season career—all spent with the Lakers—Bryant amassed an extraordinary list of accomplishments: five NBA championships, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and an NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2008.
His artistry, work ethic, and competitive intensity often drew comparisons to legends like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Bryant concluded his storied career on April 13, 2016, with a memorable 60-point performance against the Utah Jazz—an emphatic end to an iconic journey in professional basketball.
| Birth Date: | 23 Aug, 1978 |
| Age: | 41 yrs |
| Occupations: | Basketball player Screenwriter |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia |
| residence: | Lower Merion Township Newport Beach Italy |
| Education: | Lower Merion High School |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American basketball player |
| Twitter Id: | KobeBryant |
| Spouse: | Vanessa Laine Bryant[2001-2020] |
| Net Worth 2020: | 500 million |
| Net Worth 2021: | 600 million |
