Many fans know him as the "Black Mamba," while others simply call him "Kobe." But for the people that have truly witnessed the iconic 20 year career of the great Lakers shooting guard, they can now call him a legend.
Kobe Bryant, a product of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, began his professional basketball career as the first round, 13th pick in the 1996 NBA draft. Bryant, who was only 17 years of age prior to the draft, became one of few basketball players to be drafted to the NBA directly from high school. He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets, who would go on to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team which would become the home of one of the best scorers in NBA history. Bryant went on to play his entire career with the Lakers, giving fans 19 seasons of what many have called "greatness" and "pure talent." With Bryant's talents on the court, he received several awards and conquered virtually every team and player which stood in his way.
Kobe is the holder of five NBA championships. He led the Lakers to five playoff victories in 2000, 2001,2002, 2009 and 2010. He also is the holder of two NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards in 2009 and 2010, NBA MVP in 2008, NBA Scoring Champion in 2006 and 2007 and NBA All-Star in 1998, and from 2000-2016, among many other awards. Bryant also accumulated 33,643 NBA career points, putting him third on the all time scoring list for the league.While the Black Mamba has enojyed personal success, he has also made sure to credit Michael Jordan for helping pave the way.
Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, was a shooting guard for the NBA, most notably belonging to the Chicago Bulls who he led to 6 playoff victories. Bryant, as reported by his own interviews with the NBA, watched Jordan's games as a kid, and emulated his gameplay. It was the meeting of these two guards on Dec. 17, 1997 in a regular season matchup which strengthened Bryant's admiration and respect for the guard. This match-up, along with Jordan's competitiveness and killer instinct for the game, caused Bryant to develop his talents in similarity to the Chicago guard, which caught many fans' attention. The Mamba and the G.O.A.T. both had similar basketball prowess, but fans of Bryant have developed a love for the Lakers guard which has given the two basketball greats a distinction which Mamba fans can appreciate.
On April 13, 2016, Bryant played his last game in the NBA against the Utah Jazz. In 42 minutes of play, he recorded 60 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Many fans and supporters came out to witness his last game, and the event was trending on various social media platforms. Bryant gave fans one last chance to see a spectacular performance, executing vintage jumpshots, drives to the basket, and signature plays which have become so prominent in any Black Mamba discussion. Kobe leaves behind a legacy of excellence and hard work, and a message that greatness is not an achievement, but a lifelong pursuit.
