Sports

Kobe Bryant

An NBA player's son raised in Italian gyms; went from high school straight to the Lakers at 17.

Born: 1978 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Roots: Black American; partly raised in Italy
Family: Affluent; His father Joe Bryant played in the NBA and then in Italy, where Kobe spent seven childhood years and learned fluent Italian.
Education: Lower Merion High School (no college)
Started with: A father's court; Learned the game in the Italian gyms where his father played.
Affiliations & societies: None documented.; Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.

The pathway

1996 · age 17
Straight from high school$48M deal
Drafted 13th and traded to the Lakers on draft night; his parents co-sign the contract because he is underage. An adidas deal arrives before his debut.
2000 · age 21
Three-peat begins
Three consecutive titles alongside Shaquille O'Neal.
2003 · age 24
Colorado case
Charged with sexual assault; the criminal case is dropped, a civil suit settles, and sponsors step back for a period.
2006 · age 27
81 points
The second-highest single-game total in NBA history.
2009 · age 30
Back-to-back titles
Finals MVP in both; five championships in all.
2016 · age 37
60 points in the farewell game
2018 · age 39
An Academy Award
Dear Basketball wins the animated-short Oscar — a first for an NBA player.
2020 · age 41
Calabasas helicopter crash
Dies with his daughter Gianna and seven others; memorials span the world.

Sources

Compiled from these references and contemporaneous press reporting. Figures are approximate; verify before relying on them.