Kobe Bean Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria-Onore “Gigi” Bryant, died as his privately-owned helicopter crashed on Sunday morning, January 26, 2020, on their way to a teen basketball game as Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. 41-year-old Bryant, his daughter, the pilot and six family friends also aboard the helicopter all perished.
Others that died in the crash included: Christina Mauser, an assistant girls basketball coach at a K-8 private school in Orange County; 56-year-old Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and daughter, Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan.
Bryant penned his nickname, “Black Mamba,” to describe his deadly tenacity and dedication on the basketball court.
Bryant was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of three children and only son of former NBA player Joseph Washington “Joe” Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. When his father retired from the NBA and moved his family to Italy to continue playing professional basketball, Kobe learned to speak fluent Italian. Over time, he also became fluent in Spanish and Chinese.
Bryant attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. He was a phenomenal basketball player. He played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman.
During his junior year, he averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year while also earning a fourth-team Parade All-American nomination. He led his high school, in his senior year, to their first state championship in fifty-three years.
Bryant ended his high school career as Southeastern Pennsylvania’s all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, passing both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons. Although many colleges tried to recruit Bryant, he opted to go straight to the NBA at the age of 17.
Bryant played 20 years in the NBA, from 1996 to 2016, all with the L. A. Lakers. He made 18 All-Star games and won five championships.
On January 22, 2006, Bryant racked up 57 points in the second half to round-off a total 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. 28-of-46 from the field, 7-of-13 three-pointers, 18-of-20 free throws.
On April 12, 2013, after rupturing his Achilles tendon, Bryant hobbled to the free-throw line and scored two free throws, tying the Golden State Warriors.
“The Mamba Mentality: How I Play” is one of two books written by Kobe Bryant. Bryant writes of his approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to succeed and excel at the game. Bryant is quoted as saying, “To sum up what Mamba Mentality is, it means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself.” “That is what the Mentality is.”
Known for his dedication, both on and off the court, Bryant wrote a short film, “Dear Basketball” that describes his passion and commitment to aspire for great things. For that short film, Bryant won an Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated).
Bryant founded the Mamba Sports Academy in California which is a training facility with youth and adult programs for basketball, volleyball, track and other sports.
Bryant holds or shares several NBA records:
- Most Seasons played for a single NBA Franchise: 20 (tied with Dirk Nowitzki)
- Most All-Star Game MVP awards won, career: 4 (tied with Bob Pettit)
- Most offensive rebounds in an All-Star Game: 10
- Most All-NBA Total Selections won, career: 15 (tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan)
- Most All-NBA First Team honors won, career: 11 (tied with Karl Malone and LeBron James)
- Most All-Defensive First Team honors won, career: 9 (tied with Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, and Kevin Garnett)
- Most free throws made, four-game playoff series: 51 (second round vs. Sacramento Kings, 2001)
- Most points scored in one arena, career: 16,161 (as of April 14, 2016, at Staples Center, Los Angeles)
- Most games played at one arena, career: 599 (as of April 14, 2016, at Staples Center, Los Angeles
- Highest Score against rest of teams in the league above 40 (share with Bob Pettit)
- Youngest player to score 32,000 points: (36 years, 87 days)
- Youngest player to score 33,000 points: (37 years, 138 days)
- Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team: (1996–97)
- Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Team: (1999–2000)
- Youngest player to start a game: (18 years, 158 days)
- Youngest player to win the NBA Slam Dunk Championship: (18 years, 169 days)
- Youngest player to start an All-Star game: (19 years, 169 days)
- Only player in NBA history to score at least 600 points in the postseason for three consecutive years, scoring 633 in 2008, 695 in 2009, and 671 in 2010
- Oldest player to score over 60 points in one game: (37 years, 234 days)
Bryant and his daughter Gigi are survived by wife / mother, Vanessa Laine Bryant, and their other three daughters / sisters: Natalia, Bianka and Capri Kobe; and his parents.
Last updated on March 18, 2020
