How Kobe Bryant Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Kobe Bryant across different fields.

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.

Sections (6)

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

2006: Kobe's jersey becomes top selling NBA jersey

In 2006, Kobe Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China, with journalists attributing the improved sales to Bryant's new number and his All-Star performance.

2007: Reputation for relentless work ethic

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.

2008: ESPN Ranks Bryant as Second-Greatest Shooting Guard

In 2008, ESPN ranked Kobe Bryant as the second-greatest shooting guard of all time, only behind Michael Jordan.

2009: Lil Wayne Releases "Kobe Bryant" Song

In 2009, American rapper Lil Wayne released a song called "Kobe Bryant", paying tribute to the basketball star.

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2009: Release of Kobe Doin' Work Documentary

In 2009, Spike Lee's documentary film Kobe Doin' Work, which chronicled Kobe Bryant during the 2007–08 NBA season, was released.

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2010: Sho Baraka Releases "Kobe Bryant On'em"

In 2010, American rapper Sho Baraka released a song called "Kobe Bryant On'em" on his album Lions and Liars.

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2012: Chief Keef Releases "Kobe"

In 2012, American rapper Chief Keef released "Kobe", a tribute song featured on the deluxe edition of his debut album, Finally Rich.

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2016: ESPN Re-ranks Bryant as Second-Greatest Shooting Guard

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.

December 18, 2017: Lakers Retire Bryant's Numbers

On December 18, 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers retired both numbers, 8 and 24, that Kobe Bryant wore during his career.

2017: Lakers Retire Both Numbers

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.

October 23, 2018: Publication of The Mamba Mentality

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.

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

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2018: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

In 2018, Kobe Bryant became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his film Dear Basketball.

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2018: Academy Award Win

In 2018, Kobe Bryant won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for Dear Basketball (2017).

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March 2020: Posthumous Release of The Wizenard Series: Season One

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.

The Wizenard Series: Season One (The Wizenard Series, 2)

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April 2020: Bryant Elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

In April 2020, Kobe Bryant was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, marking his first year of eligibility.

May 2020: Mamba Sports Academy Renamed

In May 2020, the Mamba Sports Academy was renamed to Sports Academy in recognition and respect of Kobe Bryant's death.

August 2020: Omission from VMA and Emmy Montages

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.

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2020: Lakers Wear 'Black Mamba' Jerseys During Playoffs

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.

Facsimile Autographed LeBron James #23 Los Angeles LA Black Mamba Reprint Laser Auto Basketball Jersey Size Men's XL

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2020: Honorary WNBA Draft Picks

In 2020, Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli, and Payton Chester were honored as honorary draft picks in the WNBA draft after their deaths.

2020: Lakers Win Championship, Snoop Dogg Tattoo

In 2020, after the Lakers won the NBA Finals, Snoop Dogg paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with a tattoo, honoring the basketball star.

2020: Tributes at the Pro Bowl

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.

October 2021: Bryant Named to NBA 75th Anniversary Team

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.

2021: Posthumous Induction into Basketball Hall of Fame

In 2021, Kobe Bryant was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, with Vanessa Bryant delivering the acceptance speech on his behalf.

2021: Posthumously Named to NBA 75th Anniversary Team

In 2021, Kobe Bryant was posthumously named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

January 26, 2022: Statue of Kobe and Gianna Placed at Crash Site

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.

2022: The Athletic Ranks Bryant Among NBA's Greatest

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.

February 28, 2023: Settlement in Lawsuit Over Crash Photos

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.

2023: Lakers Announce Unveiling Date of Bryant's Statue

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.

February 8, 2024: Unveiling of Kobe Bryant's Statue

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.