Early Life and Education of Kobe Bryant: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Kobe Bryant. A timeline of key moments.

Kobe Bryant, a celebrated shooting guard, played 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming a basketball icon. He secured five NBA championships, earned 18 All-Star selections, and was named the 2008 NBA MVP. Bryant received two NBA Finals MVP awards and twice led the league in scoring. He holds the fourth position in all-time NBA regular season and postseason scoring. Posthumously, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, once individually in 2020 and again in 2025 as part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

August 23, 1978: Kobe Bryant's Birth

On August 23, 1978, Kobe Bean Bryant was born. He would become a professional basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

1987: Father Played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia

From 1987 to 1989, Kobe Bryant's father played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia where he paired with former Detroit Pistons player Leon Douglas.

1989: Father Played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia

From 1987 to 1989, Kobe Bryant's father played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia where he paired with former Detroit Pistons player Leon Douglas.

May 1996: Brandy's Prom Date

In May 1996, Kobe Bryant was Brandy's date to her Hollywood High School senior prom, marking a personal connection outside of his burgeoning basketball career.

1997: Appearance on Hang Time

In 1997, Kobe Bryant appeared on an episode of Hang Time, continuing his forays into television entertainment.

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1997: Performance at Sway & King Tech Concert and Appearance on Hang Time

In 1997, Kobe Bryant performed at a concert by Sway & King Tech and recorded a verse for a remix of Brian McKnight's "Hold Me". Additionally, Bryant appeared on an episode of Hang Time, furthering his involvement in entertainment alongside his basketball career in 1997.

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1998: Guest Appearance on All That and Turning Down Role in He Got Game

In 1998, Kobe Bryant appeared on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That. Also in 1998, he turned down the role of Jesus Shuttlesworth in Spike Lee's film He Got Game, stating his summer was too busy.

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November 1999: Met Vanessa Laine

In November 1999, 21-year-old Kobe Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up."

1999: Featured on Destiny's Child Remix

In 1999, Kobe Bryant was featured on a remix of "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child, which was included on the Maxi single version of the song.

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May 2000: Engaged to Vanessa Laine

In May 2000, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine got engaged six months after meeting, while Laine was still a senior at Marina High School.

April 18, 2001: Married Vanessa Laine

On April 18, 2001, Kobe Bryant married Vanessa Laine at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California, in a ceremony not attended by his parents or Laker teammates.

January 2002: Bought house in Newport Coast

In January 2002, Kobe Bryant bought a Mediterranean-style house for $4 million, located on a cul-de-sac in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.

January 2003: Birth of first daughter Natalia

In January 2003, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant welcomed their first daughter, Natalia.

2003: First Meeting Between O'Neal and Yao Ming

In 2003, the first ever head-to-head meeting between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming resulted in the most-watched game with 4.41 million viewers until the game after Kobe's death.

2005: Vanessa suffered a miscarriage

In the spring of 2005, Vanessa Bryant suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy.

May 2006: Birth of second daughter Gianna

In May 2006, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant's second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (also referred to as "Gigi"), was born.

2008: Donation to National Museum of African American History and Culture

In 2008, Kobe Bryant donated his uniform from the 2008 NBA Finals to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Bryant was also named the league MVP the same year.

February 9, 2009: Featured on ESPN The Magazine cover

On February 9, 2009, Kobe Bryant was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine for being a big fan of FC Barcelona.

2009: Revealed childhood baseball fandom

During the 2009 National League Championship Series, Kobe Bryant revealed that he grew up a fan of the New York Mets and wanted to be like Darryl Strawberry, also boasting that he still had a Ron Darling baseball card.

November 4, 2010: Call of Duty: Black Ops Launch Event Donation

On November 4, 2010, Kobe Bryant, along with Zach Braff, appeared at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event and presented a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment, supporting veterans transitioning to civilian careers.

December 16, 2011: Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce

On December 16, 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce from Kobe Bryant, citing irreconcilable differences, and the couple requested joint custody of their daughters.

2012: Started referring to himself as "vino"

During the 2012–13 season, Kobe Bryant began referring to himself as "vino" to describe how his play had been aging like a fine wine.

January 11, 2013: Divorce called off

On January 11, 2013, Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, announced via social media that they had called off their divorce.

November 2013: Resuming Practice after Achilles Injury

In November 2013, Kobe Bryant resumed practicing with the Lakers after recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered during the previous 2012-13 season.

2013: Legal disagreement over memorabilia

In 2013, Kobe Bryant had a legal disagreement with an auction house over memorabilia from his early years that his parents had put up for auction. A settlement was reached allowing the auction house the sale of less than 10% of the items, and Bryant's parents apologized for the misunderstanding.

2013: Postponement of Lakers Game After Boston Marathon Bombing

In 2013, the NBA postponed the Lakers' game against the Clippers due to the Boston Marathon bombing. This marked the first time an NBA game was postponed for any reason since this tragic event.

March 12, 2014: Ruled out for the remainder of the season

On March 12, 2014, the Lakers ruled Kobe Bryant out for the remainder of the season due to the need for further rehabilitation of his knee. At that time, the Lakers were tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 22-42.

March 2014: Initial Investment in Bodyarmor SuperDrink Company

In March 2014, Kobe Bryant established Kobe Inc. and made the initial investment of a 10% stake in the Bodyarmor SuperDrink company for $6 million.

January 21, 2015: Suffering Rotator Cuff Tear

On January 21, 2015, Kobe Bryant suffered a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder while driving baseline for a dunk against the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the injury, he continued to play in the game using his left hand to shoot, dribble, and pass.

May 2015: Sold house in Newport Coast

In May 2015, Kobe Bryant sold the house he bought in January 2002, located in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.

November 29, 2015: Announcement of Retirement

On November 29, 2015, Kobe Bryant announced his decision to retire at the end of the 2015-16 NBA season through a poem titled "Dear Basketball" published in The Players' Tribune. He also released a letter to Lakers fans expressing his gratitude.

August 22, 2016: Launch of Bryant-Stibel Venture Capital Firm

On August 22, 2016, Kobe Bryant and his business partner Jeff Stibel launched Bryant-Stibel, a venture capital firm focused on various businesses including media, data, gaming, and technology, with $100 million in funding.

December 2016: Birth of third daughter

In early December 2016, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant welcomed their third daughter.

August 2018: Increased Valuation of Bodyarmor Stake

In August 2018, the Coca-Cola Company purchased a minority stake in Bodyarmor SuperDrink. This caused the valuation of Kobe Bryant's stake to rise to approximately $200 million.

2018: Launch of Mamba Sports Academy

In 2018, Kobe Bryant and Sports Academy launched Mamba Sports Academy, a joint athletic-training business venture with locations in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach, California.