Kobe Bryant's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Kobe Bryant. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Kobe Bryant, a celebrated American professional basketball player, dedicated his entire 20-year career to the Los Angeles Lakers. A shooting guard renowned as one of basketball's greatest, he secured five NBA championships. Bryant's accolades include 18 All-Star selections, a 2008 NBA MVP award, and two NBA Finals MVP titles. He earned spots on 15 All-NBA Teams and 12 All-Defensive Teams, and he was a two-time scoring champion. Bryant holds the fourth position in all-time regular season and postseason scoring. In 2020, he was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Sections (6)

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

December 1962: Baylor's Scoring Streak

In December 1962, Baylor scored 50+ points in three consecutive contests, mirroring a feat later achieved by Kobe Bryant.

1962: Wilt Chamberlain's 100-Point Game

In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game, the highest point total in NBA history. This is mentioned in the context of Kobe Bryant's 81-point game in 2006.

1964: Scoring Streak

In 1964, a player scored 45 points or more in four consecutive games, a feat Kobe Bryant matched in 2006.

1969: West's Finals Performance

In the 1969 NBA Finals, Jerry West achieved an average of at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists, a feat Kobe Bryant replicated later.

1987: Jordan's 50-plus Point Games

In 1987, Jordan was the last player to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat Kobe Bryant would later match.

1988: Lakers Championship

In 1988, The Lakers won their championship. This is mentioned in the context of the 2000 Lakers winning their first championship since 1988.

1990: Detroit Pistons Win Championship

In 1990, the Detroit Pistons won their first championship. This is mentioned in the context of the 2004 NBA Finals where the Pistons won their first championship since 1990.

1995: Adidas ABCD Camp MVP

In 1995, Kobe Bryant earned the senior MVP award at Adidas ABCD Camp.

1996: Magic Johnson's Playoff Assists

In 1996, Magic Johnson recorded 13 assists in a playoff game, a mark Kobe Bryant later matched in 2010.

1997: Bryant wins NBA Slam Dunk Contest

In 1997, Kobe Bryant won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and was its youngest winner.

1997: Slam Dunk Contest Win and All-Rookie Team Selection

In 1997, Kobe Bryant won the Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest dunk champion at the age of 18, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

1997: Slam Dunk Contest Win

In 1997, as a rookie, Kobe Bryant won the Slam Dunk Contest.

1999: Leading Scorer of the Decade

From 1999-00 to 2008–09, Kobe Bryant was the league's leading scorer, accumulating 21,065 points in regular-season play.

2000: NBA Championship

In 2000, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to an NBA championship.

2000: Continued Strong Performance and Team Leadership

In 2000, Kobe Bryant continued to play at a high level, leading the team in assists. He was also voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the third year in a row.

2000: Lakers Championship Victory

In 2000, the Lakers, led by the duo of O'Neal and Bryant, won 67 games. Bryant 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 in Game 2, Bryant led the team to an overtime victory in Game 4. The Lakers secured a 116–111 victory in Game 6, winning their first championship since 1988.

2000: First gold medal since 2000 Olympics

On August 24, 2008, Team USA secured its first gold medal in a worldwide competition since the 2000 Olympics.

2001: All-Star MVP Trophy and All-NBA First Team Selection

In 2001, Bryant won his first All-Star MVP trophy after a 31-point performance. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career.

2001: NBA Championship

In 2001, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal won another NBA Championship

January 14, 2002: Career-High Scoring Game Against Grizzlies

On January 14, 2002, Kobe Bryant scored a then career-high 56 points in a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

2002: Third Consecutive NBA Championship

In 2002, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to their third consecutive NBA championship.

2002: NBA Championship

In 2002, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal won another NBA Championship

2002: Third Consecutive NBA Finals Appearance and Championship

In 2002, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers made their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance, winning the championship against the New Jersey Nets. Bryant averaged 26.8 points during the finals and became the youngest player to win three championships.

January 7, 2003: NBA Record for Three-Pointers in a Game

On January 7, 2003, Kobe Bryant set an NBA record by making 12 three-pointers in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics.

2003: Bryant was the leading vote-getter for All-Star Game

In 2003, Kobe Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game.

2003: Fewest Shots Since 2003-04 Season

In the 2010-2011 season, Kobe Bryant finished averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since the 2003–04 season.

December 20, 2005: 62 Points in Three Quarters Against Mavericks

On December 20, 2005, Kobe Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks, outscoring the entire Mavericks team 62–61 through three quarters.

2005: Bryant sets Lakers records

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).

2005: Bryant led the NBA in scoring

During the 2005–06 season, Kobe Bryant led the NBA in scoring.

January 22, 2006: Career-High 81 Points Against Raptors

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.

January 22, 2006: Career-High 81 Points

On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a single NBA game.

2006: Bryant led the NBA in scoring

During the 2006–07 season, Kobe Bryant led the NBA in scoring. Also, Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance against Toronto in 2006 was the second-highest in NBA history.

2006: All-Star Game MVP and On-Court Incidents

During the 2006–07 season, Kobe Bryant was selected to his ninth All-Star Game appearance, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy on February 18. He was also involved in multiple on-court incidents, resulting in suspensions.

December 23, 2007: Youngest to Reach 20,000 Points

On December 23, 2007, at 29 years and 122 days, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to reach 20,000 points in a game against the New York Knicks.

2007: Joined the United States national team

In 2007, 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 the United States men for the 2008 Olympics.

May 6, 2008: Bryant Named League MVP

On May 6, 2008, Kobe Bryant was officially announced as the league MVP, leading his team to a West-leading 57–25 record.

May 8, 2008: All-NBA Team Selection

On May 8, 2008, Kobe Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team, marking his third straight season and sixth time overall, also headlining the NBA All-Defensive First Team.

August 24, 2008: Won gold medal at the Olympics

On August 24, 2008, Team USA, with Bryant scoring 20 points, defeated Spain 118–107 in the gold medal game at the Olympics, securing its first gold medal in a worldwide competition since the 2000 Olympics.

2008: Played in the FIBA Americas Championship games

In 2008, Bryant started in all 10 of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games, averaging 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in the tournament.

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.

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

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

2008: NBA MVP Award

In 2008, Kobe Bryant was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP).

2008: Bryant Wins MVP and Olympic Gold

In 2008, Kobe Bryant was voted the league MVP and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Bryant won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team.

2008: Gold Medal at the Olympics

In 2008, Kobe Bryant won a gold medal on the U.S. Olympic team.

2008: Lakers' Finals Trip

In 2008-09, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals, ultimately defeating the Orlando Magic in five games.

2008: Rematch against the Celtics

In a 2010 rematch against the 2008 Champion Boston Celtics, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers back from a 13-point deficit in Game 7 to win the championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award.

January 21, 2009: Previous Triple-Double

Before recording a triple-double in the 2010-2011 season, Kobe Bryant's previous triple-double occurred on January 21, 2009.

February 2, 2009: Madison Square Garden Scoring Record

On February 2, 2009, Kobe Bryant set a record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden, tallying 61 points against the Knicks.

2009: NBA Championship and Finals MVP

In 2009, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another championship and was named NBA Finals MVP.

2009: Bryant and Lakers win NBA Championship

In 2009, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another championship, winning the Finals MVP award.

2010: Youngest to Reach 25,000 Points

In 2010, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 career points, surpassing Chamberlain.

2010: NBA Championship and Finals MVP

In 2010, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another championship and was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.

2010: Bryant and Lakers win NBA Championship again

In 2010, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another championship, winning the Finals MVP award for the second consecutive time.

January 30, 2011: Youngest to 27,000 Points

On January 30, 2011, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to score 27,000 points.

2011: Bryant was the leading vote-getter for All-Star Game

In 2011, Kobe Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game.

January 10, 2012: Scores 48 points against the Suns

On January 10, 2012, Kobe Bryant scored 48 points against the Phoenix Suns, following a preseason ESPN ranking where he was considered the seventh-best player in the league. It was part of a streak where he scored 40 or more points in four straight games.

November 2, 2012: Passes Magic Johnson as Lakers career leader in steals

On November 2, 2012, Kobe Bryant scored 40 points with two steals, surpassing Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers' career leader in steals. However, the Lakers lost the game to the Clippers and started the season 0–3 for the first time in 34 years.

2012: Won another gold medal and retired from the national team

In 2012, Bryant rejoined the national team for the Summer Olympics, and after winning another gold medal, he decided to retire from the team. He finished his national team career with a record of 26–0 across three tournaments, winning a gold medal each time.

2012: Honored as a McDonald's All-American

In 2012, Kobe Bryant was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans for his high school play as well as his later accomplishments.

2012: Second Gold Medal at the Olympics

In 2012, Kobe Bryant won a second gold medal on the U.S. Olympic team.

2012: Bryant wins another Olympic gold medal

In 2012, Kobe Bryant won another gold medal at the Summer Olympics.

2012: Selected as the player general managers would want to take a clutch shot

In a 2012 annual survey of NBA general managers, 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.

January 11, 2013: Called off their divorce

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

March 30, 2013: Surpasses Chamberlain as fourth-leading scorer

On March 30, 2013, Kobe Bryant surpassed Wilt Chamberlain to become the fourth-leading scorer in NBA league history, during a victory over Sacramento.

April 10, 2013: First player with 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in a game

On April 10, 2013, Kobe Bryant became the first player in NBA history to achieve 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in a single game.

2013: Listed as fifth-highest paid sports star in the world

In 2013, Forbes listed Bryant the fifth-highest paid sports star in the world behind Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Lionel Messi.

2013: Bryant was the leading vote-getter for All-Star Game

In 2013, Kobe Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game.

November 30, 2014: Records 20th career triple-double

On November 30, 2014, in a 129–122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors, Kobe Bryant recorded his 20th career triple-double with 31 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds, becoming the oldest NBA player to achieve 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game at age 36.

2016: ESPN again ranks Bryant as second-greatest shooting guard

In 2016, ESPN again ranked Kobe Bryant as the second-greatest shooting guard of all time, only behind Michael Jordan.

2016: Bryant was the leading vote-getter for All-Star Game

In 2016, Kobe Bryant was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game.

2017: Lakers Retired Numbers

In 2017, the Lakers retired both Kobe Bryant's Nos. 8 and 24, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple numbers retired by the same franchise.

2018: Academy Award Win for "Dear Basketball"

In 2018, Kobe Bryant became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, as well as the first former professional athlete to win an Oscar in any category, for his film Dear Basketball. The film also won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject and a Sports Emmy Award. Bryant was denied membership into the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences due to his past sexual abuse case. The film was produced by Bryant's production company, Granity Studios.

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2018: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

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

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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, weeks after being named a finalist in his first year of eligibility.

2020: Snoop Dogg's Homage Tattoo and Lakers' Championship

In 2020, After the Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals to clinch the franchise's 17th NBA championship, rapper Snoop Dogg paid homage to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers with a full forearm tattoo.