Kobe Bryant.Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP
Kobe Bryantwas larger than life. A basketball star who also managed to win an Oscar and raise four children, he made Los Angeles shine brighter until his tragic death in 2020.Here, on what would have been his 45th birthday, look back on the late star’s life in photos.
Kobe Bryantwas larger than life. A basketball star who also managed to win an Oscar and raise four children, he made Los Angeles shine brighter until his tragic death in 2020.
Here, on what would have been his 45th birthday, look back on the late star’s life in photos.
01of 18Kobe Bryant’s Early YearsKobe Bryant/InstagramKobe Bryant(here in a throwback photo with big sister Shaya, one of his two siblings) was born in Philadelphia on Aug. 23, 1978, to mom Pamela Cox Bryant and father Joe Bryant, a former NBA player, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the San Diego Clippers and the Houston Rockets. He spent much of his childhood in Italy, where his father moved the family after he retired from the NBA and began playing abroad, and moved back to the U.S. in 1991.
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Kobe Bryant’s Early Years
Kobe Bryant/Instagram
Kobe Bryant(here in a throwback photo with big sister Shaya, one of his two siblings) was born in Philadelphia on Aug. 23, 1978, to mom Pamela Cox Bryant and father Joe Bryant, a former NBA player, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the San Diego Clippers and the Houston Rockets. He spent much of his childhood in Italy, where his father moved the family after he retired from the NBA and began playing abroad, and moved back to the U.S. in 1991.
02of 18Kobe Bryant with BrandyBruce Cotler/Globe PhotosBefore entering the NBA Draft as a teen, the high school senior brought a very special date to his prom: singerBrandy.
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Kobe Bryant with Brandy
Bruce Cotler/Globe Photos
Before entering the NBA Draft as a teen, the high school senior brought a very special date to his prom: singerBrandy.
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Kobe Bryant Joins the Lakers
Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
04of 18
Kobe Bryant Breaks Records
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images
05of 18
Kobe Bryant Meets and Marries Vanessa
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In December 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, but 13 months later, the pair announced they’d reconciled.
06of 18Kobe Bryant Wins NBA ChampionshipsKeith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesBryant and teammateShaquille O’Neal— who often had a contentious relationship — helped lead the Lakers to three consecutive NBA Championships from 2000 to 2002.
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Kobe Bryant Wins NBA Championships
Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Bryant and teammateShaquille O’Neal— who often had a contentious relationship — helped lead the Lakers to three consecutive NBA Championships from 2000 to 2002.
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Kobe Bryant Is Accused of Sexual Assault
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Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson’s Partnership
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Coach Phil Jackson — fresh off his championship run with the Chicago Bulls — was an instrumental part of Bryant’s career and legacy with the Lakers, coaching him to his first three titles with the team. Jackson left the team in the 2004 off-season and wrote a book about his time there,calling Bryant"uncoachable."
“When I came back for my second stint with the Lakers, Kobe and I worked it all out,“he said. “I gave him more of a license to do his thing, as long as it stayed within the overall context of the triangle. And we did win two more championships. Anyway, I’ve always seen Kobe as a truly great player, an intelligent guy and a remarkable person.”
09of 18Kobe Bryant as NBA MVPEMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty ImagesAfter winning the league’s Most Valuable Player honors in 2008, Bryant, Jackson and the Lakers went on to win two more Championships, in 2009 and 2010. “You know, I just wanted it so bad,“Bryant told reportersafter the game. “I wanted it so, so bad.”
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Kobe Bryant as NBA MVP
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
After winning the league’s Most Valuable Player honors in 2008, Bryant, Jackson and the Lakers went on to win two more Championships, in 2009 and 2010. “You know, I just wanted it so bad,“Bryant told reportersafter the game. “I wanted it so, so bad.”
10of 18Kobe Bryant at the OlympicsSteve Christo/Getty ImagesAbroad, Bryant won two gold medals for Team USA, at the 2012 London games (pictured) and 2008 Beijing games.
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Kobe Bryant at the Olympics
Steve Christo/Getty Images
Abroad, Bryant won two gold medals for Team USA, at the 2012 London games (pictured) and 2008 Beijing games.
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Kobe Bryant Retires
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
“Dear Basketball,” he wrote. “From the moment I started rolling my dad’s tube socks and shooting imaginary game-winning shots in the Great Western Forum I knew one thing was real: I fell in love with you.”
12of 18Kobe Bryant’s DaughtersKobe Bryant/InstagramAfter his retirement, Bryant and Vanessa welcomed two more daughters: Bianka in 2016 and Capri in 2019.
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Kobe Bryant’s Daughters
After his retirement, Bryant and Vanessa welcomed two more daughters: Bianka in 2016 and Capri in 2019.
13of 18Kobe Bryant in RetirementDave Mangels/GettyIn the months following his retirement, Bryant was honored everywhere, including with the Legend Award at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards in July 2016.
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Kobe Bryant in Retirement
Dave Mangels/Getty
In the months following his retirement, Bryant was honored everywhere, including with the Legend Award at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards in July 2016.
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Kobe Bryant Wins an ESPY Award
“We’re up here because of 4 a.m. We’re up here because of two-a-days or five-a-days. We’re up here because we had a dream and let nothing stand in our way,” he said during his speech. “If anything tried to bring us down, we used it to make us stronger.”
“I believe that there’s time for resting at the end, but for me that time is not now,” Bryant continued. “Thank you for this tremendous honor and honoring my basketball career, but I’m far from done. My next dream is to be honored one day for inspiring the next generation of athletes to have a dream, sacrifice for it and never, ever rest in the middle.”
15of 18Kobe Bryant Coaches, VolunteersKobe Bryant/InstagramIn retirement he was doing just that, inspiring young athletes through coaching and charity work (and postingabout it on Instagram).Here, he posed withhis fourth place “winners,” six of whom he worked with on a daily basis to improved their skills.
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Kobe Bryant Coaches, Volunteers
In retirement he was doing just that, inspiring young athletes through coaching and charity work (and postingabout it on Instagram).Here, he posed withhis fourth place “winners,” six of whom he worked with on a daily basis to improved their skills.
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Kobe Bryant’s Numbers Are Retired
Allen Berezovsky/Getty
In his speech, he addressed his girls and their futures.
“You guys know that if you do the work, you work hard enough, dreams come true. You know that, we all know that. But hopefully what you get from tonight is that those times when you get up early and you work hard; those times when you stay up late and you work hard; those times when don’t feel like working — you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself — but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream. That’s the dream. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. And if you guys can understand that, what you’ll see happen is that you won’t accomplish your dreams, your dreams won’t come true, something greater will. And if you guys can understand that, then I’m doing my job as a father.”
17of 18Kobe Bryant Wins an OscarSteve Granitz/WireImageIn 2018, Bryant won his first-ever Oscar for his filmDear Basketball,an animated short based on his Players' Tribune poem.“I don’t know if [the impossible is] possible,” Bryant said in his speech. “I mean, as basketball players, we are really supposed to shut up and dribble. But I am glad we do a little bit more than that.”
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Kobe Bryant Wins an Oscar
Steve Granitz/WireImage
In 2018, Bryant won his first-ever Oscar for his filmDear Basketball,an animated short based on his Players' Tribune poem.
“I don’t know if [the impossible is] possible,” Bryant said in his speech. “I mean, as basketball players, we are really supposed to shut up and dribble. But I am glad we do a little bit more than that.”
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Kobe Bryant Dies
Harry How/Getty Images
source: people.com
