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 his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Recognized as one of basketball's greatest, he secured five NBA championships, 18 All-Star selections, and the 2008 NBA MVP award. Bryant earned two NBA Finals MVP awards and two scoring titles, holding the fourth-highest rank in NBA regular season and postseason scoring history. Posthumously honored, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice; once in 2020 as a player and again in 2025 for his contribution to 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 go on to become an American professional basketball player and spend his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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.

1995: College Recruiters Attention

During his junior year, Kobe Bryant averaged impressive stats and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year, attracting attention from college recruiters in 1995.

May 1996: Brandy's Senior Prom Date

In May 1996, Kobe Bryant was Brandy's date to her Hollywood High School senior prom after they had met earlier in the year at a Nike All-Star basketball game.

1996: Decision to Enter NBA Draft

In 1996, Kobe Bryant decided to go directly into the NBA after considering college offers, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to do so.

1997: Appearance on Hang Time

In 1997, Kobe Bryant appeared on an episode of Hang Time, expanding his presence in television.

1997: Performance with Sway & King Tech

In 1997, Kobe Bryant performed at a concert by Sway & King Tech, showcasing his early musical endeavors alongside his basketball career.

1998: Appearance on All That

In 1998, Kobe Bryant appeared on an episode of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That. That same year, he turned down the role of Jesus Shuttlesworth in Spike Lee's film He Got Game.

January 1999: Billboard Hot 100 Appearance

In January 1999, Kobe Bryant made his only credited appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 as a featured rapper on Brian McKnight and Tone's single "Hold Me," which peaked at number 35.

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November 1999: Met Vanessa Laine

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

1999: Remix of "Say My Name"

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

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May 2000: Engaged to Vanessa Laine

In May 2000, six months after meeting, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine became engaged while Laine was still a senior in 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; the wedding was not attended by his parents or Laker teammates.

January 2002: Bought a house in Newport Coast

In January 2002, Kobe Bryant purchased a Mediterranean-style house in Newport Coast, Newport Beach for $4 million.

January 2003: Birth of first daughter, Natalia

In January 2003, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant's first daughter, Natalia, was born.

2005: Vanessa Bryant 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 and Vanessa Bryant's second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (Gigi), was born.

2006: Bryant's Jersey Sales Surge

In 2006, Kobe Bryant's jersey became the top-selling NBA jersey in the United States and China, attributed to his new number and All-Star performances.

February 5, 2008: Bryant Injures Finger, Foregoes Surgery

On February 5, 2008, Kobe Bryant sustained a significant injury to his shooting hand's small finger, including a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury. Despite the severity, he chose to play all 82 games of the regular season instead of undergoing surgery, planning to delay any procedure until after the Lakers season and the Olympic Games.

September 2008: Bryant Defers Pinkie Surgery

In early September 2008, Kobe Bryant made the decision not to undergo surgery to repair his injured right pinkie finger.

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

In 2008, Kobe Bryant and his wife were founding donors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, with Bryant also donating his uniform from the 2008 NBA Finals, the year Bryant was named the league MVP.

2009: Revealed he grew up a New York Mets fan

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

November 4, 2010: Call of Duty Endowment Donation

On November 4, 2010, Kobe Bryant appeared with Zach Braff at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event and presented a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment, an Activision-founded nonprofit helping veterans transition to civilian careers.

December 16, 2011: Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce

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

2011: Collaboration with Jay Chou

In 2011, Kobe Bryant was featured in Taiwanese singer Jay Chou's single "The Heaven and Earth Challenge", also known as "Tian Di Yi Dou". The proceeds for downloads were donated to impoverished schools for basketball facilities and equipment.

2012: Began 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: Bryants called off their divorce

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

2013: Legal disagreement over memorabilia auction

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.

2013: Launch of Granity Studios

In 2013, Kobe Bryant launched Granity Studios, a production company that developed different media, ranging from films to television shows and novels.

March 2014: Investment in Bodyarmor SuperDrink

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

May 2015: Sold Newport Coast house

In May 2015, Kobe Bryant sold his Mediterranean-style house in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.

November 29, 2015: Bryant announces retirement

On November 29, 2015, Kobe Bryant announced his retirement at the end of the season via The Players' Tribune, in a poem titled "Dear Basketball", expressing his lifelong love for the game. He also distributed a letter to Lakers fans expressing his gratitude.

August 22, 2016: Launch of Bryant-Stibel

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

December 2016: Birth of third daughter

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

August 2018: Valuation of Bodyarmor Stake Rises

In August 2018, with The Coca-Cola Company purchasing a minority stake in Bodyarmor SuperDrink, the valuation of Kobe Bryant's stake rose to approximately $200 million.

October 23, 2018: Publication of The Mamba Mentality

On October 23, 2018, Kobe Bryant's book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play was published, featuring photographs and reflections on his career. The book also featured contributions from Andrew D. Bernstein, Phil Jackson, and Pau Gasol.

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

Check it on Amazon

2018: Launch of Mamba Sports Academy

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

2018: Debut of Detail

In 2018, Kobe Bryant wrote, produced, and hosted the television series Detail, which aired on ESPN and ESPN+ for multiple seasons, showcasing his basketball insights.