During the playoffs, Bryant played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. ), Lakers need comeback to top woeful Bobcats", "Dwight Howard powers surging Lakers past Blazers", "Kobe Bryant recognizes he's better defending on the ball", "Mike D'Antoni minces words when describing Kobe Bryant's defense", "Lakers found formula, can they repeat it? [117][118], The 200506 season marked a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. [110][111], Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 200405 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. The academy established locations in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach, California. [177] In the 200809 season, the Lakers opened the campaign by winning their first seven games. [200] The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second round[201] and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the Phoenix Suns. [38] Bryant's news was met with a lot of publicity at a time when prep-to-pro NBA players were not very common (Garnett being the only exception in 20 years). During the All-Star weekend, Bryant participated in the Rookie Challenge and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest dunk champion at the age of 18. He met the show's star, Brandy, earlier in the year at a Nike All-Star basketball game, and then a couple of months later in May 1996, Bryant was Brandy's date to her Hollywood High School senior prom. He'd get out there and get his shot up. [364][365] A fierce competitor, Bryant made opponents and teammates alike the objects of his scorn. [46] Bryant ended his high-school career as Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, surpassing both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons. The group was signed by Sony Entertainment, but the company's ultimate goal was to eliminate the group and have Bryant record on his own. [207] The Lakers started the 201011 season by winning their first eight games. [441] He was also a fan of soccer teams Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City. [457] He has since resumed endorsement deals with The Coca-Cola Company, through their subsidiary Energy Brands, to promote their Vitamin Water brand of drinks. The following day, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner stated that the official cause of death for him and the eight others on the helicopter was blunt force trauma. "[158] Three hours after making that statement, Bryant stated in another interview that after having a conversation with head coach Jackson, he had reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request. [234] At the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant scored 27 points to pass Jordan as the career scoring leader in the All-Star Game. ", "Kobe Bryant is officially an Oscar winner", "Kobe Bryant helicopter crash post-mortem released", "NBA renames All-Star Game MVP award after Kobe Bryant", "Kobe Bryant, former NBA star and Los Angeles Lakers legend, dies at 41", "Kobe Bryant Will Always Be an All-Star of Talking", "Remembering Kobe Bryant: Formed and saved by his Catholic faith", "Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, among 9 killed in a helicopter crash in California", "Kobe Bryant, from the start, was an athlete like no other", "The Secret History of Kobe Bryant's Rap Career", "A view of Kobe Bryant from his childhood home in Italy", "Kobe Bryant, Reggio Emilia piange il suo figlio. ESPN Says It Was Someone on Inside With the Initials Kobe Bryant", "Phil Jackson's new book focuses a lot on (who else?) Lakers guard Russell Westbrook channels inner Kobe Bryant after finger dislocation in loss vs. Nuggets. [244] On December 18, in a 101100 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, Bryant scored 30+ points in his seventh consecutive game, the longest streak by an NBA player after turning 34 years old; it was the fourth-longest such streak in his career. [26] He was especially fond of Reggio Emilia, which he considered a loving place and where some of his best childhood memories were made. [334] He finished his national team career with a record of 260 across three tournaments, winning a gold medal each time. [215][216] During the season, Bryant moved from 12th to 6th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list, passing John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone. [493] The film was produced by Bryant's production company, Granity Studios. [72] He was joined by teammates O'Neal, Van Exel, and Jones, making it the first time since 1983 that four players on the same team were selected to play in the same All-Star Game. [272] Despite being sidelined, he was voted by fans to start in his 16th All-Star game. [69] Bryant would see an increase in minutes when the Lakers "played small", which would feature Bryant playing small forward alongside the guards he would usually back up. [44] While in high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Bryant to work out and scrimmage with the team, where he played one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse. "[374] Reuters called him "arguably the best player of his generation",[347] while both Sporting News and TNT named him their NBA player of the decade for the 2000s. Even at an early stage of his career, sportswriters were comparing his skills to those of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. The headquarters are in Newport Beach, California. [81] When Bryant was back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he had an increase in all statistical categories during the 19992000 season. Despite past differences with Bryant, Jackson returned to coach the Lakers. ", "40 stats you won't believe about Kobe Bryant's historic NBA career", Billups, Bryant Named Players of the Month, "Kobe's big month sets high expectations", "Bryant passes Jordan, has shot to be No. (Beckett/BAS & PSA/DNA LOAs)", "As Kobe returns home, his old coach urges Philadelphia to give him proper sendoff", "Kobe may already be the greatest Laker ever and he's not done yet", "Wilkins Honored as One of 35 Greatest McDonald's All Americans", "How Kobe Bryant almost became Boston Celtic", "Lakers' trade for Bryant has been misconstrued", "Kobe Bryant Will Retire With Record $680 Million In Career Earnings", "Kobe Bryant's farewell season has been painful to watch", "How Kobe, LeBron and other NBA stars fared in Summer League debuts", "The Youngest NBA Basketball Player Records", "Kobe Bryant: Perfect time for All-Star break as 'everything' aches", "Kobe Bryant's 'airball game' in 1997 was as defining moment in his career", "NBA Playoffs; A Dilemma for Kobe; NBA playoffs: The Lakers can still go small with Bryant in the frontcourt, but it could come at a price against the bigger Schrempf", "Basketball: N.B.A. Bryant averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in the tournament. [458] Bryant was also the cover athlete for NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. [228], Bryant received experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy called Orthokine in Germany to treat the pain on his left knee and ankle,[229][230] and Mike Brown replaced the retired Jackson as coach of the Lakers in the off-season. The Lakers, however, only won 56 games, an 11-game dropoff from the previous year. [205] Bryant said that this was the most satisfying of all of his five championships. [335], Bryant primarily played as a shooting guard. 1", "Suns' Steve Nash Wins Second Consecutive MVP Award", "Bryant will hang up his No. Bryant shot four air balls at the end of the game; the Jazz won 9893 in overtime to eliminate the Lakers 41. [210] On January 30 against the Celtics, he became the youngest player to score 27,000 points. With starting guards Van Exel and Jones traded, Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50-game season. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and scorers of all time,[3][4][5][6][7][8] Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. [291] He was expected to be sidelined for nine months with a return targeted toward the start of the 201516 season. [d] On December 14, Bryant became the NBA's third all-time leading scorer, passing Jordan (32,292) in a 10094 win against Minnesota. [227] The team's quest for another three-peat was ended when they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. During the draft, the Lakers told the Hornets whom to select minutes before the pick was made. [166] He said, "It's been a long ride. With 35 years of extensive industry experience, we at Bryant Security guard Company in Miami is in protecting communities, businesses, properties and people in South Florida. [g] Phil Jackson, who coached Bryant for many years, stated that Bryant "tends to force the action, especially when the game isn't going his way. [400] Following a Game 2 win in the 2020 NBA Finals, LeBron James was asked about the jerseys and had this to say: "It's always special to represent someone that meant so much, not only to the game but also to the Lakers organization for 20-plus years. [324] Bryant was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003 but withdrew after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries. [403], Bryant was the youngest of three children. dummy instructor@azsecuritygroup.com. [91][92] While making the All-NBA Defensive Team again, Bryant was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP trophy upon winning his fourth championship,[185] achieving series averages of 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. [447] In September 2004, the assault case was dropped by prosecutors after the accuser decided not to testify at the trial. [466][467][468], In September 2012, Bryant shot a commercial for Turkish Airlines with FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi. 2 and appeared in commercials for the video games Guitar Hero World Tour (with Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, and Alex Rodriguez) in 2008 and Call of Duty: Black Ops (alongside Jimmy Kimmel) in 2010. [296] However, he played in the season opener to begin his 20th season with the Lakers, surpassing John Stockton's league record of 19 for the most seasons with the same team. Kobe became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak fluent Italian. [239], The Lakers in 201213 acquired center Dwight Howard and point guard Steve Nash. [510][511], At the time of his death, he was working with Brazilian author Paulo Coelho on a children's book aimed at inspiring underprivileged children. [395] He won another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. [435] He sold the house in May 2015. [488], Bryant made his acting debut in 1996, appearing in an episode of Moesha. [55], The Lakers were looking to trade their starting center Vlade Divac for a player's draft rights to free up salary cap space to make an offer to free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal. [38] His basketball skills and SAT score of 1080 would have ensured admission to any college he chose,[16][52] but he did not officially visit any campuses. [121][122] A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two were seen laughing together. Email. [478], In high school, Bryant was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW, named after the Chi Sah gang in the martial arts film Kid with the Golden Arm. [h] Bryant was voted the league MVP in 2008 and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. [459], Together with his wife, Bryant founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF). [134] He won the league's scoring title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game, becoming just the fifth player in league history to average at least 35 in a season. But, this is an injury that myself [sic] and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis. It was as if the other players were now his partners, not his personal spear-carriers. You don't want to miss it! [309][310][311][312] Previously, Bryant was respected but not beloved,[313][314] and he was astonished at the cheers he was now receiving. ", "Better scoring night: Kobe's 81 or Wilt's 100? [437] Before the scheduled trial, a settlement was reached allowing the auction house the sale of less than 10% of the items. [183] The Lakers finished the regular season with the best record in the West (6517). [101] Bryant was arrested for sexual assault before the season began. [248][249] His defense disrupted opponents and freed Nash from unfavorable matchups. Russell Westbrook 's Los Angeles Lakers tenure hasn't been the smoothest. [112] Midway through the season, Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. [515][516][517][518] The helicopter was registered to the Fillmore-based Island Express Holding Corp., according to the California Secretary of State business database. The others were Chamberlain (2 in 197273) and Kidd (2 each in 200910 and 201011). [489] That same year, he guest starred as himself on an episode of Arli$$ (episode: "What About the Fans?") At 9:30a.m., Zobayan contacted the Burbank Airport's control tower,[521] notifying the tower of the situation, and was told he was "flying too low" to be tracked by radar. Chamberlain did it 15 times, and Baylor once. [197], On April 2, 2010, Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87million. [277] At age 36, he became the oldest NBA player to achieve 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game. [95] At age 23, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. [276] On November 30, 2014, in a 129122 overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors, Bryant recorded his 20th career triple-double with 31 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. A Catholic cantor said she was inspired by Bryant's faith, and the respect that he showed her. [451][452] His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8. [58] Bryant signed a three-year rookie contract totaling $3.5 million.[59]. [38] Bryant became the first freshman in decades to start for Lower Merion's varsity team, but the team finished with a 420 record. In 1997, he appeared on an episode of Hang Time, this was followed by a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That (1998). The Lakers finished 2755 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005. [231] On January 10, 2012, Bryant scored 48points against the Suns. "[448][449] The accuser filed a separate lawsuit against Bryant, which the two sides settled privately. On November 2, 2012, Bryant scored 40 points with two steals, and he passed Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers career leader in steals. [f] Bryant was the leading overall vote-getter for the 2016 All-Star Game with 1.9 million votes, ahead of Stephen Curry's 1.6 million. [260] On April 10, 2013, Bryant became the first player in NBA history to get 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in an NBA game. [331] He averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting .462 from the field in eight Olympic contests. [519] The group was traveling to Camarillo Airport in Ventura County for a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. [241] He was replaced by Mike D'Antoni, who Bryant knew as a child when Bryant's father was playing in Italy and D'Antoni was also a star player there. Vanessa Bryant has reached a $28.85million agreement with Los Angeles County over the leaked photos from the 2020 helicopter crash which took the lives of her husband Kobe Bryant, their daughter . Thank you for this incredible journey. Bryant scored 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, along with six assists, as Team USA defeated Spain 118107 in the gold medal game on August 24, 2008, for its first gold medal in a worldwide competition since the 2000 Olympics. [26][37], Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high-school career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. "[401], On January 26, 2022, coinciding with the 2nd anniversary of his death and the helicopter crash, a statue of Bryant and his daughter Gianna was placed at the site where the crash occurred. [495], Beginning in 2018, Bryant wrote, produced and hosted the television series Detail, which aired for multiple seasons on ESPN and ESPN+. [416] In early December 2016, Vanessa gave birth to their third daughter,[417][418][419] and in January 2019 the Bryants announced they were expecting a fourth daughter. [496][497] He also appeared on MTV's Ridiculousness in 2019. The Lakers would respond by going 151 in the playoffs. [421][422], Bryant was a practicing Catholic. [156] Bryant later confirmed his desire for West's return to the franchise but denied stating that he would want to be traded if that did not take place. [219][220][221] The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation praised the NBA's decision to fine Bryant, and the Human Rights Campaign said that Bryant's language was a "disgrace" and "distasteful". Speakers at the service included Vanessa, Jordan, and O'Neal, along with Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and Geno Auriemma, Taurasi's coach at Connecticut, where Gianna had been aspiring to play. He started in all 10 of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games. [294], After recovering to play in the 201516 preseason,[295] Bryant suffered a calf injury and missed the final two weeks of exhibition games. [242][243] On December 5 against New Orleans, Bryant became the youngest player (34 years and 104 days) in league history to score 30,000 points, joining Hall of Famers Chamberlain, Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Karl Malone as one of five players to reach that milestone. However, the Lakers lost the game to the Clippers and started the season 03 for the first time in 34 years and just the fourth time in franchise history. The next day, the Lakers played their first game after the crash against the Trail Blazers. [116] During the season, Bryant also engaged in public feuds with Malone and Ray Allen. [212] In Boston on February 10, Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half as the Lakers rallied from an early 15-point deficit for a 9286 win over the Celtics. [300], On November 29, 2015, Bryant announced via The Players' Tribune that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Sports", "Lakers equal best 19-game start in franchise history", Kobe's steady pace lands him top spot in rankings, "Lakers' Bryant, Magic's Howard named Players of the Week", "Shaq, Kobe lead freestyling West All-Stars past East", James outdistances Bryant in winning Kia MVP award, Daily Dime: Kobe named MVP as Lakers win NBA title, "Man on a mission: Bryant revels in victory, Finals MVP", "Kobe Bryant, making the best of bad situations", Lakers win 11th straight, Bryant injures finger, Kobe's jumper at OT buzzer lifts Lakers over Bucks, Bryant joins 14 others with 25,000 points, "Kobe's 3-pointer at buzzer gives Lakers win NBA Yahoo! "[372], Bryant was called "one of the greatest players in the history of our game" by NBA commissioner Adam Silver,[374] and The New York Times wrote that he had "one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport. Criminal charges were later dropped after the accuser failed to testify, and a lawsuit was settled out of court, with Bryant issuing a public apology and admitting to a sexual encounter he maintained was consensual. "[68], In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. At the time, the team was 2242 and tied for the worst record in the Western Conference. Learn what it takes to get your Arizona Security Guard Card from start to finish. [343], Bryant established a reputation for taking shots in the closing moments of tight games,[344][345][346] even when he was double or triple-teamed,[347] and was noted as one of the premier closers in the NBA. The song was also used by Sprite in its 2011 marketing campaign in China. [222][223][224] He later apologized for the use of the word. [124] In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was the second-highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. A security guard opens a steel door leading into a vault containing hundreds of collectibles at Collectors Vault, a new company that is making it easier for collectors to store and trade memorabilia. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. [304][305], Bryant requested that opposing teams on the road not hold any on-court ceremonies in his honor or present him any gifts in public. [146] In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retroactively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored the entire Mavericks team 6261, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the introduction of the shot clock. [80], Bryant was sidelined for six weeks prior to the start of the 19992000 season due to a hand injury that he had incurred during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards. [19][20][21], Bryant started playing basketball when he was three,[22] and the Lakers were his favorite team when he was growing up. [465], On December 13, 2010, Bryant signed a two-year endorsement deal with Turkey's national airline, Turkish Airlines. [76], Bryant's fortunes would improve when Phil Jackson took over as coach of the Lakers in 1999. [159] Bryant was later shown in an infamous amateur video saying that center Andrew Bynum should have been traded for All-Star Jason Kidd. [522] At that time, the helicopter experienced extreme fog and turned south towards the mountains. [281][282] However, Scott held him out for three straight games to rest after one of his worst performances of the season, when Bryant committed nine turnovers and scored 25 points on just 8-for-30 shooting in a 108101 loss to Sacramento. [56] Bryant was the first guard drafted directly out of high school. [33], Bryant also learned to play soccer, and his favorite soccer team was A.C. [62] At the time, he was the second-youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (18 years, 72 days) and also became the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 158 days). [279] He played in the first 27 games of the season,[280] averaging team-highs with 26.4 points and 35.4 minutes per game while leading the league with 22.4 shots per game. [289] Though he was right-handed, he returned to play in the game and ran the offense while shooting, dribbling, and passing almost exclusively with his left hand. In Game 2 win against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, Anthony Davis made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer and yelled Bryant's name, while the team was wearing the 'Black Mamba' jerseys. [190] Despite the injury, Bryant elected to continue playing, rather than take any time off to rest the injury. "Even though I play like shit, I've worked really, really hard not to play like crap and I do everything I possibly can. Vanessa Bryant's father is of Mexican and Italian descent and her mother is of Mexican and Filipino descent. The 201516 season "is all I have left to give./My heart can take the pounding/My mind can handle the grind/But my body knows it's time to say goodbye./And that's OK./I'm ready to let you go. His injury came while he was playing seven consecutive quarters and at least 40 minutes for seven consecutive games. [88] Once again, Bryant led the team in assists, with five per game. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. 8 and 24, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple numbers retired by the same franchise. 2022-23 Season Schedule; League Pass Schedule; [113] Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (also referred to as "Gigi"), was born in May 2006. [453] Bryant's other, earlier endorsements included deals with The Coca-Cola Company to endorse their Sprite soft drink, appearing in advertisements for McDonald's, promoting Spalding's new NBA Infusion Ball, Upper Deck, Italian chocolate company Ferrero SpA's brand Nutella, Russell Corporation,[454] and appearing on his own series of video games by Nintendo. [131] For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game,[132] the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. [394] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". To avoid media scrutiny, she finished high school through independent study. ", "Kobe Bryant rests again, Lakers fall to Trail Blazers, 10694", "Kobe Bryant notches triple-double as Lakers hold off Nuggets", "Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has torn rotator cuff in right shoulder", "Lakers' Kobe Bryant has torn rotator cuff; severity to be determined", "Kobe Bryant to undergo season-ending surgery for torn rotator cuff", "Lakers star Kobe Bryant out for season after shoulder surgery", "Lakers, Knicks close out worst seasons in franchise history", "Byron Scott says Kobe Bryant likely OK for next game", "Kobe Bryant on his play so far: "I freaking suck", "Two decades in: Kobe Bryant clears another milestone with start of 20th Lakers season", "Kobe Bryant's possible farewell tour hits new low", "Kobe's shooting struggles not putting 'pretty defined' role in jeopardy", "Kobe Bryant to retire after this season", "Los Angeles Lakers (2-13) Vs. Indiana Pacers (105)", "Kobe Bryant's struggles cause some in NBA circles to say it's time he retires", "With Flair for the Dramatic, Kobe Spins Frustrating End into Emotional Final Act", "Kobe Bryant: 'Do I want to play again or don't I the reality is no, I don't. [347][348] In a 2012 annual survey of NBA general managers, Bryant was selected for the 10th consecutive season as the player general managers would want to take a clutch shot with a game on the line. [198] Bryant finished the regular season missing four of the final five games, due to injuries to his knee and finger. In all, $200 million in . Apply to and more! [265] He remained the league's highest-paid player, although he accepted a discounted deal; he had been eligible to receive an extension starting at $32 million per year. [391] Bryant led the NBA in scoring during the 200506 and 200607 seasons. The cause of the crash was hard to investigate, as the helicopter was not equipped with a black box. [412] The birth resulted in a reconciliation between Bryant and his parents. He played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. [272], Bryant returned for the 201415 season, his 19th season with the Lakers,[275] who had replaced D'Antoni with Bryant's former Lakers teammate, Byron Scott. The story of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan sharing the court the last time on March 28, 2003, when the kid scored 55 points and the G.O.A.T. [382] He was the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, and his five titles are tied for the most in franchise history. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball (2017). [126][127] Chamberlain, playing in an era when the games were paced faster and scoring opportunities were more plentiful,[127][128] accounted for 59 percent of his team's points in Philadelphia's 169147 win, compared to Bryant scoring 66 percent of the Lakers' 122 points. In the semifinals round, the Lakers swept the Sacramento Kings. Firefighters work the scene of a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California where Kobe Bryant and eight others died. [79] The Lakers became championship contenders behind the center-guard combination of Bryant and O'Neal. [383][393] He was the first guard to play 20 seasons in the NBA. [396] Four times Bryant was named the All-Star MVP, a record he shares with Bob Pettit. [413] On December 16, 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and the couple requested joint custody of their daughters. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns. Afterward, Bryant co-founded an independent record label, Heads High Entertainment, but it folded within a year. [174] The Lakers then won the next two games to win the semifinals. [502][503] During his lifetime, Bryant granted over two hundred requests for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. [316] Playing in his first All-Star game since 2013, Bryant had 10 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. [292][293] The Lakers finished the season with a record of 2161, surpassing the franchise record for most losses in a season that they had set the previous year. [97] On November 1, Bryant recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 10893 win over the LA Clippers. His fit with . [492] The film also won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject and a Sports Emmy Award. 3 all-time scorer in Lakers' win", "Kobe Bryant misses Lakers vs. Warriors for rest", "Suns win 6th straight by spoiling Kobe Bryant's return to Lakers lineup", "Bryant's ailments likely reflect new reality for Lakers", "Lakers' Byron Scott to handle Kobe Bryant's playing time on game-by-game basis", "How will Kobe Bryant fare in his 20th NBA season? 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