At 34 years old, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points. He became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history on February 1, 2010, when he surpassed Jerry West.
During his third year in the league, Bryant was chosen to start the All-Star Game and was selected to start that game for a record 18 consecutive appearances until his retirement. His four All-Star MVP Awards are tied with Bob Pettit for the most in NBA history. At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, he won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his film Dear Basketball.
In 2018, Bryant became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the first former professional athlete to be nominated and to win an Academy Award in any category for his film Dear Basketball.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 23, 1978 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Died | January 26, 2020 Calabasas, California |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pennsylvania) |
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| NBA draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1996–2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Shooting guard | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8, 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2016 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 33,643 (25.0 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 7,047 (5.2 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 6,306 (4.7 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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United States
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna
Bryant died on January 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant, were also killed.
Video: Dear Basketball: The Legend of Kobe Bryant (Oscar Mix)
Basketball great Kobe Bryant collaborated with visionary animator Glen Keane and legendary composer John Williams on an animated short film that explores what it means to achieve your dream, and then leave it behind. The animated film is an adaptation of Bryant's NBA retirement announcement after 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Video: Kobe Bryant No.8 & No.24 Jersey Retirement in Los Angeles
Video: "Dear Basketball" wins Best Animated Short Film
Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill and Kelly Marie Tran present Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant with the Oscar® for Animated Short Film for "Dear Basketball" at the 90th Oscars® in 2018.
