The Air Apparent Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant was born in the U.S. while his dad was playing professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76ers. After his dad’s career in American basketball ended, Joe Bryant (Kobe’s dad) moved Kobe’s family to Italy where Kobe learned how to play the game.
In Italy, no one ever played basketball with Kobe. Soccer was the favored sport. Often times he would get kicked off of the basketball court because other kids wanted to play soccer there. He had the choice to either go home, or be the goalkeeper.
During Kobe’s 7th grade year, his father decided to move the family back to Pennsylvania. It was now that Kobe got the chance to prove himself and began to get his first recognition as a star in school sports. Kobe led his team to the championships many times while going to Lower Merion High School. That’s when he was noticed and was considered to be NBA material.
As a senior at Lower Merion High School, Kobe was selected by USA Today and Parade Magazine as the National High School Player of the Year. He was also named Naismith Player of the Year, Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year and added to the McDonalds All-American Team.
Kobe Bryant averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assist, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game. Kobe led Lower Marion high school to a Class AAAA state title with a 31-3 record. When going to the state finals, Kobe scored 34 points with 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and nine blocks to lead Lower Merion to District 1 Class AAA title over Chester. He scored 117 as his all time high and was named Most Outstanding Player in the Prestigious Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Kobe set a high school record of 2,883 points during his four years. He beat the record of former NBA legend and Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain and former St. Joseph player Carlin Warley (who scored 2,441). Kobe Bryant led his high school team to a 77-13 record in the school’s last three seasons and Kobe is also remembered because he was a four-year starter.
Kobe went from high school straight to the NBA. His first team was the Charlotte Hornets, but then he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vince DeWalt.
During Kobe’s rookie season with the NBA, he won the Nestle Crunch Slam Dunk contest and lead the players of the Schick Rookie Game during All-Star weekend. In his second season of basketball, he was voted by the fans to start in the 1998 All-Star Game. He became the youngest player, at age nineteen, to play in an All-Star Game. While playing for the West in the All-Star Game, he led his team, scoring eighteen points.
Despite his youth and lack of college experience, Bryant was a very important part of the Laker organization. He helped [next page]