Kobe Bryant, a celebrated American professional basketball player, played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers as a shooting guard. Considered one of basketball's all-time greats, he secured five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, and earned numerous MVP awards. Bryant's accolades include being a 15-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time All-Defensive Team member, the 2008 NBA MVP, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. He holds the fourth position in all-time regular season and postseason scoring. Posthumously named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, Bryant was twice inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In December 1962, Elgin Baylor was the only other Laker besides Kobe Bryant to score 50+ points in three consecutive games.
On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a 122–104 victory over the Toronto Raptors, surpassed only by Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.
In January 2006, Kobe Bryant became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players to achieve this feat.
In the 1969 NBA Finals, Jerry West averaged at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists, a feat that Kobe Bryant later matched.
On August 23, 1978, Kobe Bean Bryant was born. He later became a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1983, Kobe Bryant 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.
From 1987 to 1989, Kobe Bryant's father played for Olimpia Basket Pistoia. Kobe worked at the games as a ball and mop boy and practiced shooting at halftime.
In 1987, Michael Jordan became the last player before Kobe Bryant to score 50 or more points in three consecutive games.
In 2000, The Lakers won their first championship since 1988.
From 1987 to 1989, Kobe Bryant's father ended his Olimpia Basket Pistoia tenure. Kobe worked at the games as a ball and mop boy and practiced shooting at halftime.
In 2004, The Detroit Pistons won their first championship since 1990.
In 1995, Kobe Bryant earned the senior MVP award at Adidas ABCD Camp, playing alongside future NBA teammate Lamar Odom.
In 1995, after high schooler Kevin Garnett entered the first round of the NBA draft, Kobe Bryant started considering going directly to the pros.
In May 1996, Kobe Bryant attended Brandy's Hollywood High School senior prom as her date, marking a personal connection outside of basketball.
On July 9, 1996, Kobe Bryant's trade to the Lakers became final after Vlade Divac relented, and the league's off-season moratorium ended.
Before the 1996 NBA draft, Kobe Bryant worked out in Los Angeles and scrimmaged against former Lakers players.
Before the 1996–97 season, Kobe Bryant signed a six-year contract with Adidas worth approximately $48 million. His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8.
During the 1996-97 NBA season, Kobe Bryant made his debut as a rookie, primarily coming off the bench and gradually increasing his playing time.
In 1996, Kobe Bryant declared for the NBA draft after high school and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick, then traded to the Lakers.
In 1996, Kobe Bryant took R&B singer Brandy to her Hollywood High senior prom, generating publicity.
In the playoffs of 1996, Magic Johnson recorded 13 assists, which was the most by a Laker until Kobe Bryant tied the record in 2010.
In 1997, Kobe Bryant appeared on an episode of the television show Hang Time, marking one of his early acting roles.
In 1997, Kobe Bryant performed at a concert by Sway & King Tech, showcasing his rapping skills and further exploring his musical interests.
In 1997, Kobe Bryant won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, becoming its youngest winner.
In 1997, Kobe Bryant won the Slam Dunk Contest and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, marking a successful start to his NBA career.
In 1997, as a rookie, Kobe Bryant won the Slam Dunk Contest.
In 1998, Kobe Bryant made a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, adding to his acting experience.
In 1998, Kobe Bryant's credited appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 was as a featured rapper on Brian McKnight and Tone's single "Hold Me."
The 1998-99 season marked Kobe Bryant's emergence as a premier guard in the league. During the season, he signed a six-year contract extension worth $70 million.
In January 1999, Kobe Bryant's credited appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 as a featured rapper on Brian McKnight and Tone's single "Hold Me," peaked at number 35.
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."
Between the 1999-00 and 2008-09 seasons, Kobe Bryant was the league's leading scorer throughout the 2000s decade, accumulating 21,065 points in regular season play.
In 1999, Kobe Bryant was featured on a remix of "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child on the Maxi single version of the song.
In 1999, Kobe Bryant was sidelined for six weeks due to a hand injury he incurred during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards.
In 1999, Phil Jackson became the coach of the Lakers, improving Bryant's fortunes and solidifying his position as one of the premier shooting guards in the NBA.
Kobe Bryant was voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the third year in a row. There was no game in 1999.
In January 2000, Kobe Bryant's single "K.O.B.E'" featuring Tyra Banks, debuted and was performed at NBA All-Star Weekend.
In May 2000, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine got engaged, six months after they met. Laine was still a senior at Marina High School.
During the 2000-01 season, Kobe Bryant's performance was similar to the previous year, but his points per game increased, averaging 28.5. Disagreements between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface during this season. Bryant led the team in assists, averaging five per game.
In 2000, Bryant won his first NBA Championship with the Lakers.
In 2000, Kobe Bryant declined to participate in the Olympics because he was getting married during the off-season.
In 2000, Kobe Bryant experienced a statistical increase, leading the Lakers in assists and steals. The Lakers won 67 games and Kobe was named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team. In the 2000 Finals against the Indiana Pacers, despite an ankle injury, Bryant led the team to an overtime victory in Game 4. The Lakers won their first championship since 1988 in Game 6.
Team USA won its first gold medal in a worldwide competition since the 2000 Olympics.
The series against the Sacramento Kings stretched to seven games, the first time this had happened to the Lakers since the 2000 Western Conference Finals.
On April 18, 2001, Kobe Bryant married Vanessa Laine at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Bryant's parents did not attend due to objections to the marriage.
In 2001, Bryant won another NBA Championship with the Lakers.
In the 2001-02 season, Kobe Bryant played 80 games, averaging 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He won his first All-Star MVP trophy and was named to the All-NBA First Team. He also made the All-NBA Defensive Team again.
On January 14, 2002, Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 56 points, along with five rebounds and four assists, leading the Lakers to a 120-81 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies.
In January 2002, Kobe Bryant bought a Mediterranean-style house for $4 million, located in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.
On March 1, 2002, Kobe Bryant punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers after the Lakers' victory, leading to Bryant's suspension for one game.
During the 2002-03 season, in the first game of the season, Bryant recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in an 87–82 loss to the visiting Spurs.
In 2002, Bryant won another NBA Championship with the Lakers.
In 2002, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal secured their third consecutive NBA championship title with the Lakers.
In 2002, Kobe Bryant decided not to play in the FIBA World Championship.
In the 2002 Finals against the New Jersey Nets, Kobe Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. At age 23, he became the youngest player to win three championships.
On January 7, 2003, Kobe Bryant set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game when he made 12 against the Seattle SuperSonics.
In January 2003, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant's first daughter, Natalia, was born.
On June 18, 2003, Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assault following an incident in Eagle, Colorado.
During the 2003 season, Kobe Bryant finished the season averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since the 2003–04 season.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant received the most votes among all players for the NBA All-Star Game.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assault, leading to a controversial legal situation that was later resolved with dropped charges and a settlement.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant withdrew from the FIBA Americas Championship team after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries.
In 2003, the first-ever head-to-head meeting between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming took place, becoming the most-watched NBA game in the sport's history.
In the 1998-99 season, Bryant signed a six-year contract extension worth $70 million, keeping Bryant with the Lakers until the end of the 2003-04 season.
In the 2004-05 season, Jackson wrote The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003–04 season and has several criticisms of Bryant.
In September 2004, the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant was dropped after the accuser decided not to testify at the trial. Bryant apologized for the incident and settled a separate lawsuit privately.
Around 2004, Kobe Bryant was considered the most alienated superstar the NBA had ever seen.
In 2004, before the Lakers swept the Nuggets, the Memphis Grizzlies were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs.
In 2004, despite reaching the NBA Finals, the Lakers were upset by the Detroit Pistons. Following this, coach Jackson's contract was not renewed, Rudy Tomjanovich took over, and O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat. Bryant re-signed with the Lakers.
In 2004, the Lakers lost the NBA Finals, leading to O'Neal being traded and Bryant becoming the franchise's cornerstone.
In the 2004-05 season, Kobe Bryant faced scrutiny and criticism, with his reputation damaged. Phil Jackson's book, "The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul," criticized Bryant. The Lakers missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
On December 20, 2005, Kobe Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks, outscoring the entire Mavericks team 62-61.
By the end of the 2005–06 season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832).
During the 2005–06 NBA season, Kobe Bryant led the NBA in scoring.
In the 2005-06 season, Kobe Bryant led the NBA in scoring.
In the spring of 2005, Vanessa Bryant suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy.
On January 16, 2006, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in their relationship.
On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a 122-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest point total in NBA history.
On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a single NBA game, the second-most in NBA history.
In May 2006, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant's second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (Gigi), was born.
During the 2006-07 season, Kobe Bryant was selected to his ninth All-Star Game and earned his second All-Star Game MVP trophy on February 18. Throughout the season, he was involved in several on-court incidents, leading to suspensions.
In 2006, Kobe Bryant achieved the second-highest single-game point total in NBA history by scoring 81 points against Toronto.
In 2006, Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number from 8 to 24. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers reached a 3-1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns, but ultimately lost the series.
In 2006, Kobe Bryant was named to the 2006-2008 U.S. preliminary roster along with LeBron James. However, he was sidelined after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
On May 27, 2007, Kobe Bryant initially stated he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the Lakers with full authority. He later confirmed his desire for West's return but denied demanding a trade. However, after expressing anger over an insider claiming he caused Shaquille O'Neal's departure, Bryant publicly stated, "I want to be traded," before reconsidering after a conversation with coach Jackson.
On December 23, 2007, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player at 29 years and 122 days old to reach 20,000 career points in a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, scoring 39 points along with 11 rebounds and eight assists.
CNN estimated Kobe Bryant's endorsement deals in 2007 to be worth $16 million a year.
In 2007, Kobe Bryant's United States national team career began. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men's Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10–0, won gold, and qualified for the 2008 Olympics.
In 2007, the Lakers finished the regular season with a 57–25 record, finishing first in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Denver Nuggets.
In the 2007 NBA playoffs, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, losing the series 4-1.
Throughout his first 17 seasons, by 2007, Kobe Bryant's body was resilient, and he exhibited a high pain threshold while often playing through injuries.
On February 5, 2008, Kobe Bryant sustained a significant injury to his shooting hand's small finger during a game, including a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint, but chose to play all 82 games instead of undergoing surgery.
On May 6, 2008, Kobe Bryant was officially announced as the league MVP, leading his team to a West-leading 57-25 record, aided by the trade for Pau Gasol.
On May 8, 2008, Kobe Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team for the third straight season and sixth time in his career. He also headlined the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett.
On June 23, 2008, Kobe Bryant was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics, marking his first Olympic appearance.
On August 24, 2008, Team USA, including Kobe Bryant who scored 20 points, defeated Spain 118–107 in the gold medal game at the 2008 Summer Olympics, securing its first gold medal since the 2000 Olympics.
In early September 2008, Kobe Bryant decided not to have surgery to repair his right pinkie.
In 2008, ESPN ranked Kobe Bryant as the second-greatest shooting guard of all time, only behind Michael Jordan.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant appeared in commercials for the video game Guitar Hero World Tour with Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, and Alex Rodriguez.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant donated his uniform from the 2008 NBA Finals, the year he was named league MVP, to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant had an average of 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in the FIBA Americas Championship tournament.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Also in 2008, Bryant won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant was voted the league MVP and led his team to the NBA Finals. He also won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team at the Summer Olympics.
In 2008, Kobe Bryant won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic team.
In 2008, in a rematch against the Boston Celtics, Bryant led the Lakers back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit in Game 7 to win the championship. He scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 15 rebounds, tying an NBA Finals record.
In 2008, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals by finishing off the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals in six games.
In a 2008 video promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Kobe Bryant appeared to jump over a speeding Aston Martin, a stunt that was considered fake.
In the summer of 2008, Kobe Bryant had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his sexual assault case.
Kobe Bryant recorded his first triple-double since January 21, 2009, while playing against the Denver Nuggets.
On February 2, 2009, Kobe Bryant scored 61 points in a game against the Knicks, setting a record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden.
On February 9, 2009, Kobe Bryant was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine about his being a fan of FC Barcelona.
On December 4, 2009, Kobe Bryant made a buzzer-beating, one-legged three-pointer over Dwyane Wade, leading to the Lakers' narrow 108–107 victory over the Miami Heat.
During the 2009 National League Championship Series, Kobe Bryant revealed that he grew up a fan of the New York Mets, admiring Darryl Strawberry, and boasted that he still had a Ron Darling baseball card.
In 2009, American rapper Lil Wayne released a song called "Kobe Bryant", paying tribute to the basketball star.
In 2009, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP.
In 2009, Spike Lee's documentary film Kobe Doin' Work, which chronicled Kobe Bryant during the 2007–08 NBA season, was released.
On April 2, 2010, Kobe Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87 million with the Lakers.
On November 4, 2010, Kobe Bryant and Zach Braff presented a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event.
On December 13, 2010, Kobe Bryant signed a two-year endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines and appeared in a promotional film.
In 2010, American rapper Sho Baraka released a song called "Kobe Bryant On'em" on his album Lions and Liars.
In 2010, Kobe Bryant again led the Lakers to another championship and earned his second consecutive Finals MVP award.
In 2010, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers won another NBA championship, with Bryant again being named NBA Finals MVP.
In 2010, Kobe Bryant appeared in commercials for the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops alongside Jimmy Kimmel.
In 2010, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 points in his career, surpassing Chamberlain.
In 2010, Kobe Bryant was ranked third, behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, in Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes, with $48 million.
In 2010, Nike launched another shoe, Nike Zoom Kobe V.
The Lakers started the 2010-11 season by winning their first eight games.
On January 30, 2011, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to score 27,000 points in a game against the Celtics.
On April 13, 2011, the NBA fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for directing a gay slur at referee Bennie Adams in frustration during a game. He later apologized and appeared in a Lakers public service announcement denouncing his behavior.
On December 16, 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce from Kobe Bryant, citing irreconcilable differences, and the couple requested joint custody of their daughters.
In 2011, Kobe Bryant was again the leading vote-getter for the NBA All-Star Game.
On January 10, 2012, Kobe Bryant scored 48 points against the Phoenix Suns, after which he sarcastically referenced his preseason ESPN ranking as the seventh-best player in the league. Following this game, he continued his scoring streak with 40, 42, and 42 points in the subsequent three games.
In September 2012, Kobe Bryant shot a commercial for Turkish Airlines with FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi, where they competed for a young boy's attention.
On November 2, 2012, Kobe Bryant scored 40 points and recorded two steals, surpassing Magic Johnson to become the Lakers' all-time leader in steals. However, despite this achievement, the Lakers lost the game to the Clippers, marking their first 0-3 start to the season in 34 years.
During the 2012 season, Kobe Bryant began referring to himself as "vino" to describe how his play had been aging like a fine wine.
During the 2012-13 season, Kobe Bryant suffered a torn achilles tendon, impacting the later years of his career.
In 2012, American rapper Chief Keef released "Kobe", a tribute song featured on the deluxe edition of his debut album, Finally Rich.
In 2012, Kobe Bryant rejoined the national team for the Summer Olympics, and after winning another gold medal, he decided to retire from the team.
In 2012, Kobe Bryant was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans for his high school play and later accomplishments.
In 2012, Kobe Bryant won another gold medal at the Summer Olympics as part of the U.S. men's basketball team.
In a 2012 annual survey of NBA general managers, Kobe 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.
On January 11, 2013, Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa announced via social media that they had called off their divorce.
On March 30, 2013, Kobe Bryant surpassed Wilt Chamberlain to become the fourth-leading scorer in NBA league history, during a victory over the Sacramento Kings.
On April 10, 2013, Kobe Bryant became the first player in NBA history to record 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in a single game.
In 2013, Forbes listed Kobe Bryant as the fifth-highest paid sports star in the world.
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, which was later settled allowing the sale of less than 10% of the items.
In 2013, Kobe Bryant launched Granity Studios, a production company focused on developing various media, including films, television shows, and novels.
In 2013, Kobe Bryant received the highest number of votes for the NBA All-Star Game.
On March 12, 2014, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that Kobe Bryant would miss the remainder of the 2013-14 season, citing his need for continued rehabilitation and the limited time left in the season. At the time, the Lakers had a 22-42 record and were tied for the worst record in the Western Conference.
In March 2014, Kobe Bryant, through Kobe Inc., made an initial investment of $6 million for a 10% stake in the Bodyarmor SuperDrink company.
On November 30, 2014, Kobe Bryant recorded his 20th career triple-double with 31 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 129-122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. At age 36, he became the oldest NBA player to reach 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game.
On January 21, 2015, Kobe Bryant suffered a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the injury, he continued to play, using his left hand for most actions, before ultimately undergoing season-ending surgery.
In May 2015, Kobe Bryant sold his house in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.
On November 24, 2015, the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Golden State Warriors 111-77, bringing their record to 2-12. Kobe Bryant scored only four points in 25 minutes, with a poor shooting performance.
On November 29, 2015, Kobe Bryant announced his retirement at the end of the 2015-16 season via The Players' Tribune, in a poem titled "Dear Basketball." He expressed his lifelong love for the game and acknowledged that his body could no longer endure the physical demands. A letter was also distributed to Lakers fans, expressing his gratitude.
In 2015, Kobe Bryant announced his retirement from the NBA after the 2015-16 season.
On August 22, 2016, Kobe Bryant and Jeff Stibel launched Bryant-Stibel, a venture capital firm with $100 million in funding, focused on media, data, gaming, and technology businesses.
In early December 2016, Vanessa Bryant gave birth to their third daughter.
In 2016, ESPN reaffirmed their previous assessment and again ranked Kobe Bryant as the second-greatest shooting guard of all time, remaining second to Michael Jordan.
In 2016, Kobe Bryant led the NBA All-Star Game voting, marking the fourth and final time he achieved this honor.
On December 18, 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers retired both numbers, 8 and 24, that Kobe Bryant wore during his career.
In 2017, the Lakers retired both of Kobe Bryant's jersey numbers, 8 and 24, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple numbers retired by the same franchise.
In August 2018, with The Coca-Cola Company purchasing a minority stake in Bodyarmor, Kobe Bryant's stake's value rose to approximately $200 million.
On October 23, 2018, Kobe Bryant's book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, was published, offering a look back on his career with photos and reflections.
In 2018, Kobe Bryant and Sports Academy launched Mamba Sports Academy, a joint athletic-training business venture with locations in California.
In 2018, Kobe Bryant became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his film Dear Basketball.
In 2018, Kobe Bryant began writing, producing, and hosting the television series Detail, which aired on ESPN and ESPN+.
In 2018, Kobe Bryant won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for Dear Basketball (2017).
In January 2019, the Bryants announced that they were expecting a fourth daughter.
In June 2019, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant's fourth daughter was born.
In 2019, Kobe Bryant appeared on MTV's Ridiculousness, marking another television appearance.
In 2019, Kobe Bryant was one of the global ambassadors of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
In January 2020, Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among those who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. This event led to numerous tributes and memorials.
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, along with his daughter Gianna and seven other people.
In March 2020, Kobe Bryant's fourth novel, The Wizenard Series: Season One, was released posthumously and topped the New York Times middle-grade hardcover list.
In April 2020, Kobe Bryant was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, marking his first year of eligibility.
In May 2020, the Mamba Sports Academy was renamed to Sports Academy in recognition and respect of Kobe Bryant's death.
In August 2020, Kobe Bryant was not included in the montages at the 2020 VMAs and Emmys, which upset fans after the deaths of Naya Rivera and Chadwick Boseman.
During the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Lakers' players honored Kobe Bryant by wearing 'Black Mamba' jerseys, which Bryant himself designed. The black jersey features a snakeskin pattern with yellow accents and 16 stars. In a Game 2 victory over the Denver Nuggets, Anthony Davis made a buzzer-beating three-pointer and yelled Bryant's name while wearing the jerseys. LeBron James commented on how special it was to honor Bryant.
In 2020, Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli, and Payton Chester were honored as honorary draft picks in the WNBA draft after their deaths.
In 2020, after the Lakers won the NBA Finals, Snoop Dogg paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with a tattoo, honoring the basketball star.
In 2020, prior to the start of the Pro Bowl, NFC players conducted a prayer led by Russell Wilson, along with on-field and PA tributes, in response to Kobe Bryant's sudden death.
On February 9, 2021, over a year after the crash, the NTSB declared that pilot Ara Zobayan probably became disoriented after flying into thick clouds, leading to the crash that caused Kobe Bryant's death.
In October 2021, Kobe Bryant was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
In 2021, Kobe Bryant was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, with Vanessa Bryant delivering the acceptance speech on his behalf.
In 2021, Kobe Bryant was posthumously named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
On January 26, 2022, coinciding with the second anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death, a statue of Bryant and his daughter Gianna was placed at the crash site in Calabasas.
In 2022, The Athletic ranked Kobe Bryant as the 10th-greatest player in NBA history and the second-highest shooting guard on the list for the NBA's 75th Anniversary.
On February 28, 2023, Vanessa Bryant was awarded a $28.85 million settlement from Los Angeles County to conclude legal proceedings over unauthorized graphic photos of the aftermath of the helicopter crash that caused Kobe Bryant's death.
On Kobe Bryant Day, August 24 in 2023, the Lakers announced that Bryant's statue outside of Crypto.com Arena would be unveiled on February 8, 2024.
On February 8, 2024, Kobe Bryant's statue was unveiled outside of Crypto.com Arena, honoring his two Lakers numbers, 8 and 24, and his daughter Gianna's number 2.
On August 2, 2024, the Lakers unveiled a statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant outside of Crypto.com Arena.
In 2024, LeBron James broke Kobe Bryant's record for most missed field goal attempts in an NBA career.
In February 2025, Donald Trump announced that Kobe Bryant would get a statue in the proposed National Garden of American Heroes.
In 2025, Kobe Bryant is to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
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