• Kobe Bryant is an All-Star Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and one of the premier point scorers in the NBA.

  After winning his fourth NBA Championship, Bryant accepted an award from Asia Society for his work as a "cultural ambassador". The ceremony was attended by Liu Peng the China's Minister of Sport. This is also a bid to raise his profile in the Chinese market.The Wall Street Journal: Kobe's Next Conquest: China

  Bryant and Magic Johnson spoke at the memorial service for the late pop music icon Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: August 23, 1978
  2. Four-time NBA Champion
  3. Height: 6'6"
  4. Weight: 205 lbs
  5. 13th pick in the NBA draft
  6. Arrested for sexual assault, charges dropped
  7. Number 8 and 24 (Current)
  8. High School: Lower Merion
  9. Helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2008 Summer OlympicsUSA Basketball: USA Men Fight Off Spain To Claim... Olympic Gold Medal
  10. Official Website: http://www.kb24.com/

• Kobe Bryant Timeline

  • August 23, 1978: Born
  • 2000-2002: Wins three NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers
  • 2003-2004: Arrested for sexual assault; the charges were later dropped
  • 2006: Scores 81 points against the Toronto Raptors
  • 2007: Demands Trade from Lakers
  • 2008: NBA Regular Season Most Valuable Player
  • 2008: Win the Gold Medal 2008 Beijing Olympics
  • 2009: Scored a career high 61 points on February 2nd.
  • 2009: Wins the fourth NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers

• Housekeeping Lawsuit

  Bryant and his wife Vanessa were sued by former housekeeper Maria Jimenez in March of 2009 over claims that she was denied health insurance and was forced to work in "intolerable" working conditions. Jimenez also claims Vanessa Bryant was abusive and on one occasion, forced Jimenez to search through a bad of animal waste for a clothing price tag.CBSSports.com: Former Housekeeper Sues Kobe, Wife over 'Intolerable' Treatment

• Early Life

  Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1978. He was however mostly raised in Italy, because his father, Joe Bryant, played in Italy after his own stint in the National Basketball Association. The family later returned to the United States where Kobe Bryant established himself as one of the premiere young players in the nation at Lower Merion High School.NBA.com: Kobe Bryant

• Pro Career

  In 1996, after several impressive workouts for pro scouts, Los Angeles Lakers President Jerry West set his sights on landing the prolific young player. After the Lakers signed Shaquille O'Neal in the summer, the Lakers traded center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for the rights to Bryant. At 17 years of age Bryant became the youngest and first guard ever to be drafted directly to the NBA. In his first season he won the 1997 Slam Dunk Championship but struggled to land playing time in the very deep Lakers rotation. The following season the Lakers traded Eddie Jones and Bryant was inserted into the starting line-up. The Lakers were still unable to put their full potential together until the arrival of Head Coach Phil Jackson. In Jackson's first season at the helm, Bryant and the Lakers won the first of what would be three straight NBA championships.NBA.com: Kobe Bryant

• Controversies

  In 2003, Bryant drew national attention when he was arrested and tried for sexual assault in Colorado. The case was settled in 2004, when a judge dismissed the case. Bryant gave a public apology to the victim and she was compensated financially. His clean marketable image had been tarnished, and would unavoidably lead to unrest in his professional career. Even after winning three straight championships together, the friction in the Lakers locker room could not be avoided. With three big personalities like Bryant, Jackson, and NBA MVP Shaquille O'Neal something had to give. Bickering and back biting had always been part of the championship runs but after the Lakers were unable to win a championship after two straight frustrating seasons, the franchise decided that change was inevitable. With Bryant blossoming into his prime, the focus of the franchise became retaining and appeasing Bryant. The Lakers elected to let Jackson go and traded O'Neal making Bryant the face of the franchise. Bryant re-signed with the Lakers, but the team's championship caliber had been obviously dismantled.NBA.com: Kobe Bryant

• Post Shaq Years

  Although the team was no longer a legitimate championship contender, Kobe continued to dominate the league with impressive individual statistics. For two straight years he was the NBA scoring champion, and on January 22, 2006 he produced one of the most impressive individual feats in the history of the NBA by scoring 81 points in one game. But it wasn't long before the team's lack of success began to wear on Kobe. The Lakers re-hired Phil Jackson and after Bryant famously demanding a trade in 2007, the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol returning the team to a Championship contender for years to come.NBA.com: Kobe Bryant

• Air Kobes

  On December 19, 2008, Bryant unveiled his new Nike Zoome Kobe IV basketball shoe during a game against the Miami Heat. The shoe is notably unique for its low cut design.Nice Kicks: Nike Zoom Kobe IV unveiled A majority of basketball shoes produced today are high tops, which provide extra ankle support. But Bryant has opted for the low top design in order to give the player more mobility around the ankles and less weight to carry on his feet. The shoes will be available for purchase in February of 2009.Yahoo! Sports!: High-flying Bryant going low-cut with shoes(December 19, 2008)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Los Angeles Lakers | Phil Jackson | Jerry Buss | Shaquille O'Neal | LeBron James | Dwyane Wade | Tyra Banks | Gary Payton | Derek Fisher | Carmelo Anthony | Allen Iverson | Kobe Jumps Over Car | US Olympic Basketball 2008 | Shaq Twitter | Ankle Insurance | Jeremy Tyler | Kobe Doin Work | Ernest Provetti

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