Kobe Bryant

Position	Shooting guard
Nickname	"Black Mamba", "KB24"
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Team	Los Angeles Lakers
Nationality	United States
Born	August 23, 1978 (age 28) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
High school	Lower Merion HS, Lower Merion, Pennsylvania
Draft	13th overall, 1996 Charlotte Hornets
Pro career	1996–present
Awards	3-time NBA Champion 9-time All-Star 8-time All-NBA Selection 6-time All-Defensive Selection 2-time NBA All-Star Game MVP 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Champion Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1182x1365, 171 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Kobe Bryant Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of units of mass that formed part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... Lakers logo 1966-1991 The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team, based in Los Angeles, California, which plays in the National Basketball Association. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Cradle of Liberty, the City That Loves You Back, the Quaker City, The Birthplace of America Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government... Official language(s) English, Pennsylvania Dutch Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Lower Merion High School, is an American public high school in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. ... Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and part of the Pennsylvania Main Line. ... 1996 NBA Draft - 26 June 1996 - East Rutherford, New Jersey The 1996 NBA Draft was the 54th draft in the National Basketball Association. ... The New Orleans Hornets (temporarily the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets) are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... All-star (also, Allstar or All Star) is a term with meanings in both the worlds of sports and entertainment. ... 1996 Naismith Prep Player of the Year

Kobe Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the only son of former Philadelphia 76ers player and former Los Angeles Sparks head coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. The Naismith Prep Player of the Year award, named for Canadian basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to high school basketballs top male and female player. ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The NBA staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. ... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... Lakers logo 1966-1991 The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team, based in Los Angeles, California, which plays in the National Basketball Association. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Los Angeles Sparks are a Womens National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. ... Coaching the Los Angeles Sparks, July 3, 2006 Joseph Washington Jellybean Bryant (born October 19, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American former professional basketball player and a current WNBA coach. ...

Bryant rose to national prominence in 1996 when he became the first guard in league history to be drafted out of high school. Bryant and then-teammate Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Since O'Neal's departure following the 2004 season, Bryant has become the cornerstone of the Lakers' franchise, and was the NBA scoring leader during the 2005-06 season. The 1996-97 NBA season was the 51st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... Shaquille Rashaun ONeal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is one of the most famous American professional basketball players, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association. ... Logo of the NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association, played under a best-of-seven playoff format. ... The 1999-2000 NBA season was the 54th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2001-02 NBA season is the 56th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

In 2003, Bryant made headlines when he was accused of sexual assault. The charges were dropped after Bryant's accuser declined to testify, and the two sides ultimately settled the matter outside of criminal court. Bryant, following his arrest in 2003 In the summer of 2003, the news media reported that the sheriffs office in Eagle, Colorado had arrested NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year old hotel employee. ...

Early life

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest child and only son of Joe and Pam Bryant (they also have two daughters, Shaya and Sharia). His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu.^[1] Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Cradle of Liberty, the City That Loves You Back, the Quaker City, The Birthplace of America Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government... Official language(s) English, Pennsylvania Dutch Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Coaching the Los Angeles Sparks, July 3, 2006 Joseph Washington Jellybean Bryant (born October 19, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American former professional basketball player and a current WNBA coach. ... Kobe beef for sukiyaki Kobe beef refers to beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. ... Kobe ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1. ...

When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA, moved his family to Italy, and started playing professional basketball there. Bryant acclimated to the lifestyle there and became fluent in Italian. At an early age, he learned to play soccer. He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player, and that his favorite team is AC Milan. Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... AC Milan is an Italian football club. ...

In 1991, the Bryants moved back to the United States. Kobe earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. His SAT score of 1080^[2] would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges. Bryant has stated that had he decided to go to college after high school, he would have attended Duke University.^[3] Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the controversial decision to go directly into the NBA. Lower Merion High School, is an American public high school in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. ... Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and part of the Pennsylvania Main Line. ... The SAT is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. ... Duke University is a private coeducational research university located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. ...

NBA career profile

1996 Draft

Before he was chosen as the 13th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996, the 17-year-old Bryant had made a lasting impression on then-Lakers general manager Jerry West, who immediately foresaw potential in Bryant's basketball ability during pre-draft workouts. He went on to state that Bryant's workouts were some of the best he had seen. Immediately after the draft, Bryant expressed that he did not wish to play for the Hornets and wanted to play for the Lakers instead. Fifteen days later, West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac to the Hornets for the young Kobe Bryant. The NBA Draft is an annual North American event in which the National Basketball Associations (NBA) thirty teams (29 in the United States and one in Canada) can select young players who wish to join the league. ... The New Orleans Hornets (temporarily the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets) are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... 1996 NBA Draft - 26 June 1996 - East Rutherford, New Jersey The 1996 NBA Draft was the 54th draft in the National Basketball Association. ... Jerry Alan West (born May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia) has had one of the most successful careers ever in professional basketball, first as a player, then as a coach, and finally as an executive. ... Vlade Divac [pronounced VLAH-de DEE-vahts] (born 3 February 1968) (Serbian: Владе Дивац) is a former NBA player. ...

First two seasons

During his first season with the Lakers, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. Initially, he played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see more playing time. He earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan-favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. The 1996-97 NBA season was the 51st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Eddie Charles Jones (born October 20, 1971 in Pompano Beach, Florida) is a professional basketball player who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. Jones played college basketball at Temple University alongside guard and future NBA player Aaron McKie. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Josh Smith jumped over Denvers Kenyon Martin to win the 2005 contest. ...

In Bryant's second season (1997-98), he received more playing time and began showing more of his abilities as a talented young guard. He was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, and through fan voting, he also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter. While his statistics were impressive for his age, he was still a young guard who lacked the experience to complement Shaquille O'Neal and significantly help the team contend for a championship. The 1997-98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. ... The NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award is the award given by the National Basketball Association to the leagues most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute (sixth man). ... The NBA staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. ... Shaquille Rashaun ONeal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is one of the most famous American professional basketball players, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association. ...

Championship years

However, Bryant's fortunes would soon change when Phil Jackson became coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. After years of steady improvement, Bryant had become one of the premier shooting guards in the league, a fact that was evidenced by his annual presence in the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams. The Los Angeles Lakers became perennial championship contenders under Bryant and O'Neal, who formed an outstanding center-guard combination. Their success gave the Lakers three consecutive NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Philip Douglas Phil Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. ... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. ... NBA Finals logo from NBA.com. ... The 2002 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2001-2002 NBA season. ...

End of a dynasty

In the 2002-03 NBA season, Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic scoring run, posting 40 or more points per game in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career highs up to that point. For the first time in his career Bryant was voted on to both--All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams. After finishing 50-32 in the regular season, the Lakers floundered in the playoffs and lost in the Western Conference Semi-finals to the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in six games. The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. ... In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was assisting in the basket. ... In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally deflects and controls, catches, or bats to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player. ... The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2002-03 NBA season. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ...

In the following 2003-04 NBA season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA Championship. With a starting lineup of four potential Hall of Fame players in Shaquille O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game, shooting 35.1% from the field, and 4.4 assists per game. The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Karl The Mailman Malone (born July 24, 1963, in Bernice, Louisiana) is an American former professional basketball player. ... This article is about the basketball player. ... The Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game. ... The Pistons are congratulated by President George W. Bush after capturing the 2004 title. ... The Detroit Pistons are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in the Detroit metropolitan area. ...

Conflicts and turmoil

Main article: Kobe Bryant sexual assault case

Bryant, following his arrest in 2003

In 2003, Bryant's reputation was tainted by a sexual assault case in which Katelyn Faber, a young woman from Colorado, accused him of rape. With his image badly tarnished, the public's perception of Bryant plummeted, and his endorsement contracts with McDonald's, Nutella, and Ferrero SpA were terminated. Sales figures from NBA merchandisers indicated that sales of replicas of Bryant's jersey fell far off of their previous highs. Bryant, following his arrest in 2003 In the summer of 2003, the news media reported that the sheriffs office in Eagle, Colorado had arrested NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year old hotel employee. ... Image File history File links Kobe_Bryant_-_mug_shot. ... Image File history File links Kobe_Bryant_-_mug_shot. ... Bryant, following his arrest in 2003 In the summer of 2003, the news media reported that the sheriffs office in Eagle, Colorado had arrested NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year old hotel employee. ... Katelyn Kristine Faber (born June 18, 1985 in Colorado) is a woman who accused NBA star player Kobe Bryant of rape in July 2003. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, milkshakes and soft drinks. ... Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut-based sweet spread created by the Italian company Ferrero. ... A box of Kinder Chocolate A couple boxes of Australian Peppermint-flavoured Tic Tacs, manufactured by Ferrero. ...

During the rape investigation, Kobe told police that “he should have done what Shaq does ... that Shaq would pay his women not to say anything” and that Shaq already had paid up to $1 million “for situations like this.” This was controversial because Kobe and Shaq were teammates at the time and many thought that Kobe broke "locker-room code" by revealing confidential information, or worse, by falsely accusing a teammate to deflect attention from himself. [1]

The rape investigation was resolved when Kobe agreed to apologize to the victim for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did." [2] Details of financial compensation to the victim were not made public.

In 2004, a dispute between Bryant and former teammate Malone became public prior to Malone's expected re-signing with the Lakers. Bryant claimed Malone had made inappropriate comments to Bryant's wife. Malone claimed the comments were in jest and that Bryant was overreacting [3]. In the subsequent months, rather than re-join Bryant and the Lakers, Malone turned his attention to the possibility of joining another team, but ultimately decided to retire.

Unquestioned leader

When O'Neal was traded, Bryant became the Lakers' unquestioned leader of the team going into the 2004-05 season. As it turned out, however, his first season without O'Neal would prove to be a very rocky one. With his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year, Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the season. The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...

A particularly damaging salvo came from Phil Jackson in The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003-04 season and has a number of criticisms of Bryant. In the book Jackson also calls Bryant "uncoachable." The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

Then, midway through the season, Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. Without "Rudy T," stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen. Despite the fact that Bryant was the league's second leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, the Lakers floundered and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. This year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA by not making the NBA All-Defensive Team and being demoted to All-NBA Third Team. Rudy Tomjanovich Rudolph Tomjanovich (born November 24, 1948 in Hamtramck, Michigan), nicknamed Rudy T., is best known as a basketball player and coach. ... Frank Hamblen is a former NBA coach and scout, and a college basketball player at Syracuse University. ...

2005-06 season

Kobe Bryant defending Michael Redd in December of 2005.

The 2005-06 NBA season would mark a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to coach the Lakers. Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. Bryant also resolved his conflict with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal. The team posted a 45-37 record, an eleven-game improvement over the previous season, and the entire squad seemed to be clicking. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 1189 KB) Taken by myself, Jeramey Jannene, and first made available on Flickr at [1]. Picture is of Michael Redd and Kobe Bryant at a Milwaukee Bucks game in 2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 1189 KB) Taken by myself, Jeramey Jannene, and first made available on Flickr at [1]. Picture is of Michael Redd and Kobe Bryant at a Milwaukee Bucks game in 2005. ... Michael Redd (born August 24, 1979, in Columbus, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA, and the United States national basketball team. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Philip Douglas Phil Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-06 season. ...

In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough (3-1 series lead) to come within six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Phoenix Suns. Despite Bryant's remarkable game winning shot in Game 4, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games. In the following offseason, Bryant had knee surgery, preventing him from participating in the 2006 FIBA World Championship tournament. The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team, based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... Official logo The winner, Spain, is being celebrated The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. ...

In many ways, the team's improvement in 2005-06 was often overshadowed by the individual scoring accomplishments posted by Bryant which resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. The season included many spectacular individual performances including a game on December 20th in which Bryant scored 62 points despite playing only three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter Bryant had, by himself, outscored the entire Mavericks team 62-61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the advent of the 24-second shot clock. On January 22, Bryant scored 81 points,^[4] in a 122-104 victory against the Toronto Raptors. In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, his point total in that game was the second highest in NBA history only to Wilt Chamberlain's legendary 100-point game in 1962. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Shot Clock Monument in Syracuse, New York A shot clock is a timer designed to increase the pace (and subsequently, the score) in a competitive sport. ... The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. ... Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 in Washington, D.C.) is an American former basketball forward. ... Wilton Norman Wilt Chamberlain (born August 21, 1936, in Philadelphia - died October 12, 1999 in Bel-Air), nicknamed Wilt the Stilt and The Big Dipper, was a professional National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters, the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles... Wilt Chamberlain after his 100 point game, holding up a paper with a scribbled 100. (cnn. ...

Also in January, Bryant became the first player since 1964, and the only player aside from Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games. For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 per game, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history, and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. By the end of the season, Bryant had also set Lakers single-season franchise records for the most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832), among others. Bryant won the league's scoring title for the first time, posting the highest scoring average (35.4) since Michael Jordan's 37.1 average in 1986-87. Bryant finished in fourth-place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but also received 22 first place votes — second only to winner Steve Nash, and by far the highest number of first-place votes Bryant had ever received in his career. NBA minimum requirements for scoring average are 70 games played or 1400 points scored. ... For other persons named Michael Jordan, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). ... The 1986-87 NBA Season was the 41st season of the National Basketball Association. ... The National Basketball Association first named a Most Valuable Player after the 1955-56 NBA season. ... Steven John Nash[1], OBC (born February 7, 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball player. ...

Other notable events

• When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying the end of the feud that had festered between the two players since O'Neal's acrimonious departure from Los Angeles. A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two laughed and joked together on several occasions.

Bryant's #24 Jersey.

• Late in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006-07 NBA season. 24 was Bryant's first high school number, before he switched to 33.^[5] After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers. He had also worn number 8 as a child in Italy,^[6] as a salute to Mike D'Antoni, who was one of his early idols and wore number 8 as a professional basketball player in Italy. He mentioned some more reasons about his number switch, one to signify the start of the second half of his career.^{[citation needed]}

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The so-called Shaq-Kobe feud refers to bitter rivalry between former National Basketball Association (NBA) teammates Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant. ... The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Kobe_jersey_24. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Kobe_jersey_24. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is a cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and launched with a showing of his favorite film, Gone with the Wind, on October 3, 1988. ... For the football player, see Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar. ... Mike DAntoni (born May 9, 1951 in Mullens, West Virginia) is a basketball coach and former basketball player. ...

2006-07 season

Kobe Bryant scored 50 points or more in four consecutive games in 2007.

During the 2006-07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18th, he logged 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 402 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (407 × 606 pixel, file size: 35 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cropped By User:Quadzilla99 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 402 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (407 × 606 pixel, file size: 35 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cropped By User:Quadzilla99 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents. On January 28th while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in the face with his elbow. Following league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, the basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards. Later, on March 6th, he seemed to repeat the motion this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jarić. On March 7th the NBA handed Bryant his second one-game suspension, leading several commentators in the media to call recent happenings into question. In his first game back on March 9th, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retrospectively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul. January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... Emanuel David Ginobili (Spanish: Ginóbili) (born July 28, 1977 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina), better known as Manu Ginobili, is an Argentine basketball player of Italian descent. ... Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, known colloquially simply as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City, United States. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ... The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. ... Marko Jarić (Serbian: Марко Јарић) (born October 12, 1978 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional basketball player currently playing point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. He was selected as the 30th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2000 NBA Draft. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... Kyle Elliot Korver (born March 17, 1981 in Lakewood, California) is an American basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers. ... A flagrant foul is a more serious contact foul involving excessive contact in a National Basketball Association game. ...

On March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trailblazers, which helped end the Lakers 7-game losing streak. This was the second best scoring performance of his 11-year career. The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies - becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Michael Jordan last did it in 1987. The only other Laker to do so was Elgin Baylor, who also scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December 1962. On March 23, in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Bryant scored 50 points, making him the second player in NBA history to have 4 straight 50 point games behind Wilt Chamberlain, who is the all-time leader with seven consecutive 50 point games. Bryant nearly made it 5 consecutive but was "held" to 43 points in a 115-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors. March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in leap years). ... The Portland Trail Blazers are a National Basketball Association team based in Portland, Oregon. ... The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. ... The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. ... For other persons named Michael Jordan, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). ... Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 in Washington, D.C.) is an American former basketball forward. ... The 1962-63 NBA Season was the 17th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Wilton Norman Wilt Chamberlain (born August 21, 1936, in Philadelphia - died October 12, 1999 in Bel-Air), nicknamed Wilt the Stilt and The Big Dipper, was a professional National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters, the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles... The Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California, United States. ...

During the 2006-07 season, Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China.^[7] A number of journalists have attributed the improved sales to Bryant's new jersey number, as well as his continuing All-Star performance on the court.^[8][9]

Player profile

Kobe Bryant shoots a free throw.

Bryant is a shooting guard who plays small forward and point guard on some occasions. He is considered one of the most complete players in the NBA,^[10] being elected into the All-NBA Teams en bloc from 1999 on and featured in the last nine NBA All-Star call-ups. Bryant was a vital part of the three most recent Lakers' championships. He is a prolific scorer, averaging 24.4 points per game for his career, along with 4.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He is known for his ability to create shots for himself, and is an adept outside shooter, sharing the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve. Aside from this, he is also a standout defender having made the All-Defensive 1st or 2nd Team 6 of the last 7 seasons. He is deemed by many league executives as one of the most reliable clutch players in the league. Image File history File links Kobe_Bryant_Free_Throw. ... Image File history File links Kobe_Bryant_Free_Throw. ... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... LeBron James is one of the premier players listed at small forward. ... Point Guard (PG), also known as the ball-handler, is one of the five traditional positions of a basketball team. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Private life

In November 1999, 21 year old Bryant met 17 year old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video^[11] " G'd Up " (In the video Vanessa is in the convertible in a silver bikini). Bryant was in the building working on his debut musical album, which was never released. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta Laine Bryant (born Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta May 5, 1982) is the wife of NBA star Kobe Bryant. ... Tha Eastsidaz is a rap group made up of Snoop Dogg,Tray Deee, & Goldie Loc. ...

The two began dating and were engaged just six months later in May 2000,^[12] all while Laine was still a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. Due to the media, she finished high school through independent study.^[13] According to Vanessa's cousin Laila Laine, there was no prenuptial agreement. Vanessa said Kobe "loved her too much for one".^[14] 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in May, 2000. ... Marina High School (Marina) is a secondary school located in the southwest corner of Huntington Beach, California which first began operating in 1963. ... Nickname: Surf City Location of Huntington Beach within Orange County, California. ... // Definition A prenuptial agreement or antenuptial agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into by two people prior to marriage or civil union. ...

They married on April 18, 2001 in Dana Point, California. There were only about 12 guests at the wedding. Neither Bryant's parents, his two sisters, longtime advisor and agent Arn Tellem, nor Bryant's Laker teammates attended. Bryant's parents were opposed to the marriage for a number of reasons. Reportedly Bryant's parents had problems with him marrying so young, especially to a woman who wasn't African-American.^[15] This disagreement resulted in an estrangement period of over two years, during which Kobe Bryant did not have any contact with his parents. April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Dana Point within Orange County, California. ...

The Bryants' first child, a daughter named Natalia Diamante Bryant, was born on January 19, 2003. The birth of Natalia influenced Bryant to reconcile his differences with his parents. Vanessa Bryant suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy in the Spring of 2005. In the Fall of 2005 the Bryants announced that they were expecting their second child. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, was born on May 1, 2006. Interestingly, Gianna was born 6 minutes ahead of former teammate Shaquille O'Neal's daughter Me'arah Sanaa, who was born in Florida.^[16] January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta Laine Bryant (born Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta May 5, 1982) is the wife of NBA star Kobe Bryant. ... Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving, generally defined at a gestation of prior to 20 weeks. ... Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones, the transition from winter into summer. ... Autumn colours at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, England. ...

Regular season statistics

Current stats as of April 12, 2007
TD = Triple-doubles

Awards and achievements

Career highlights

• 3-time NBA Champion: 2000, 2001, 2002
• 9-time NBA All-Star: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

• Has started in each of his appearances
• 9 consecutive appearances (No All-Star game in 1999 due to league-wide lock-out)

• 2-time NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2002, 2007
• 8-time All-NBA Selection:

• First Team: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
• Second Team: 2000, 2001
• Third Team: 1999, 2005

• 6-time All-Defensive Selection:

• First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006
• Second Team: 2001, 2002

• NBA All-Rookie Second Team: 1997
• NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Champion: 1997
• NBA regular season leader in:

• points: 2003 (2,461), 2006 (2,832, 7th highest in NBA history)
• points per game: 2006 (35.4, 9th highest in NBA history)
• field goals attempted: 2006 (2,173)
• field goals made: 2003 (868), 2006 (978)
• free throws made: 2006 (696)

• 2nd highest single-game point total in NBA history: 81 (January 22, 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors)

• The All-Time record is 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain on March 2, 1962.

The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. ... Wilt Chamberlain after his 100 point game, holding up a paper with a scribbled 100. (cnn. ... Wilton Norman Wilt Chamberlain (born August 21, 1936, in Philadelphia - died October 12, 1999 in Bel-Air), nicknamed Wilt the Stilt and The Big Dipper, was a professional National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters, the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles... March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

NBA milestones

• Youngest player in NBA history to reach:

• 10,000 points (24 years, 193 days), set March 5, 2003 vs. the Indiana Pacers.
• 14,000 points (26 years, 240 days), set April 20, 2005 vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
• 15,000 points (27 years, 136 days), set January 6, 2006 vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.
• 16,000 points (27 years, 192 days), set March 3, 2006 vs. the Golden State Warriors.
• 17,000 points (28 years, 86 days), set November 17, 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors.
• 18,000 points (28 years, 156 days), set January 26, 2007 vs. the Charlotte Bobcats.^[17]
• 19,000 points (28 years, 223 days), set April 3, 2007 vs, the Denver Nuggets.

• Youngest player to start an NBA game (18 years, 158 days), making his first start for the Los Angeles Lakers on January 28, 1997.
• Youngest player to start an NBA All-Star Game (19 years, 175 days), making his debut at the 48th annual All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden on February 8, 1998.
• Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Team (1999-2000)^[18]
• Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (1996-1997)^[19]
• Youngest NBA All-Star Slam Dunk champion (18 years, 175 days), after winning the contest at the 1997 NBA All-Star Weekend.

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The Portland Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California, United States. ... The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. ... The Charlotte Bobcats are a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. They play in the Southeast Division, created because of the teams entry, of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association. ... The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. ... Lakers logo 1966-1991 The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team, based in Los Angeles, California, which plays in the National Basketball Association. ... The NBA staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. ... Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, known colloquially simply as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City, United States. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1997-98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) holds an All-Star Weekend every February, with a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night. ...

NBA records

Kobe Bryant holds or shares seven NBA records:

• Most three-point field goals made, one game: 12 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics; shared with Donyell Marshall)^[20]
• Most three-point field goals made, one half: 8 (March 28, 2003 vs. Washington Wizards; shared with 5 players).^[21]
• Most consecutive three-point field goals made, one game: 9 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics; shared with Latrell Sprewell and Ben Gordon).^[22]
• Most free throws made, one quarter: 14 (3rd quarter, December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks; shared with 5 players).^[23][24]
• Most free throws attempted, one quarter: 16 (3rd quarter, December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks; shared with 6 players).^[25][26]
• Holds shot-clock era records for:

• Greatest percentage of own team's point total (66.4% of the Lakers' 122 points) ( set on January 22, 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors).
• Greatest percentage of both teams' combined point total (35.8% of the Lakers' and Raptors' 226 points) (Also set on January 22, 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors).

The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. ... Donyell Lamar Marshall (born May 18, 1973 in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA) is an American professional basketball player currently with the NBAs Cleveland Cavaliers. ... The Washington Wizards is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C.. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8, 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2004-05 NBA season. ... Benjamin (Ben) Gordon (born April 4, 1983 in London, England)[1] is an American National Basketball Association player for the Chicago Bulls. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Lakers franchise records

Kobe Bryant holds or shares twenty-eight Los Angeles Lakers franchise records:

• Points

• Season: 2,832 (2005-06; 7th highest NBA single season scoring output of all-time)
• Game: 81 (January 22, 2006 vs. Toronto Raptors)^[27]
• Half: 55 (2nd half, January 22, 2006 vs. Toronto Raptors).^[28]
• Quarter: 30 (twice, most recently on November 30, 2006 in 3rd quarter vs. Utah Jazz)^[29]
• Scoring average, month: 43.4 (January 2006)
• Games scoring 50 points or more, all-time: 19^[30]
• Games scoring 50 points or more, season: 8 (2006-07)^[31]
• Games scoring 40 points or more, season: 27 (2005-06)^[32]
• Consecutive games of 50 points or more: 4 (March 16–March 23, 2007)^[33]
• Consecutive games of 40 points or more: 9 (February 6–February 23, 2003)^[34]
• Consecutive games of 20 points or more, season: 62 (December 9, 2005–April 19, 2006)

• Field goals made

• Half: 18 (2nd half, January 22, 2006 vs. Toronto Raptors).^[35]
• Quarter: 11 (February 2, 1999 vs. Seattle SuperSonics).^[36]

• Free throws made

• Game: 23 (twice, most recently on January 31, 2006 vs. New York Knicks).^[37]
• Half: 16 (January 30, 2001 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers)^[38]
• Quarter: 14 (3rd quarter, December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks)^[39]
• Quarter, playoffs: 11 (tied with 3 players; May 8, 1997 vs. Utah Jazz).^[40]
• Consecutive: 62 (January 11–22, 2006).^[41]

• Three-point field goals made

• All-time: 915 (1996–present)^[42]
• Game: 12 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics).^[43]
• Half: 8 (1st half, March 28, 2003 vs. Washington Wizards).^[44]
• Consecutive: 9 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics).^[45]

• Three-point field goals attempted

• All-time: 2,703 (1996–present)^[46]
• All-time, playoffs: 410 (1996–present)^[47]
• Season: 518 (2005-06)^[48]
• Game: 18 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics).^[49]

• Steals

• Half: 6 (tied with 3 players; February 13, 2006 vs. Utah Jazz).^[50]
• Quarter, playoffs: 3 (tied with 6 players; May 17, 1999 vs. San Antonio Spurs).^[51]

The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. ... The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ...

Other awards and achievements

• 1996 Naismith High School Player of the Year^[52]
• 1996 Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year^[52]
• 1996 McDonald's High School All-American^[52]
• 1996 USA Today All-USA First Team^[52]
• 1995 Adidas ABCD Camp Senior MVP^[52]
• Named to the USA Today All-Time All-USA First Team in 2003.^[52]
• USA Today and Parade Magazine's 1996 National High School Player of the Year with a seasonal average of 30.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.9 blocks per game.^[53]
• Led Lower Merion High School to a 31-3 record, including 27 straight wins, and the PIAA Class AAAA state title as a senior (1996).^[53]
• The all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania school history with 2,883 points.^[53]
• Had his Lower Merion High School number 33 retired a few years ago.

The McDonalds All-American Team is named each year for boys and girls high school basketball. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... In addition to its most general meaning, a parade is: a general term for a collected formation of troops, typically with restricted movement; or a place or avenue for the parading of troops on ceremonial occasions, for example Horse Guards Parade in London and ANZAC Parade in Canberra; It can... The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association is the governoring body of high school and junior high school sports in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ... Lower Merion High School, is an American public high school in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. ...

Trivia

• For several years, he had an exclusive apparel and shoe deal with Adidas but is currently under a four-year, $45 million advertising contract with Nike.^[54]
• He appeared on the front cover of Gameboy Color's NBA 3-on-3 and Nintendo 64 games NBA Courtside and NBA Courtside 2 early in his career. Later, he was on the cover of NBA Courtside 2002, for Nintendo GameCube. He is also on the cover of NBA 07 VOL. 2 for PlayStation 2, Playstation 3, and PlayStation Portable.
• Bryant appeared in NBA Jam Extreme, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, NBA Jam (2003).
• Bryant appears in one of Nike's U.S. Joga Bonito TV commercials alongside American male and female players and Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho.
• In May 1996, Bryant went to his high school prom with singing star Brandy Norwood.
• Bryant's personal trainer since 1996 is Joe Carbone, who is currently The Los Angeles Lakers Strength & Conditioning Coach. Kobe is also godfather to one of Carbone's children.
• Bryant was named to People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" list in 2001.
• Bryant was a member of a rap group called Chi Sah. They called him "Eight-Man Kobe-One-Kenobie." He even rapped in Italian.
• He was featured on the "Say My Name" Remix by Destiny's Child performing a rap in place of the bridge, and has a single with former supermodel/singer, Tyra Banks.
• He had a cameo in an episode of Hang Time.
• He is mentioned in the Oscar-winning song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" by Three Six Mafia from the film Hustle and Flow: "I gotta keep my game tight like Kobe on game night."
• In the movie Be Cool, there is a cameo of Bryant walking to the spectators stand when John Travolta as Chili Palmer, and Uma Thurman as Edie Athens were watching the Lakers play against the Sacramento Kings in which the Lakers lost 101-103 on February 26th, 2004.
• Bryant is the only remaining Laker from the club's 2000-2002 championship teams.
• His uncle is former NBA player Chubby Cox.
• His name is in John Cena's song Running Game'
• He has won 4 NBA Photo of the Year Awards.^[55]

Adidas AG (ISIN: DE0005003404) is a German sports apparel manufacturer, part of the Adidas Group, which is the second largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. ... Nike, Inc. ... The Game Boy Color (also referred to as GBC) was Nintendos successor to the Game Boy. ... The Nintendo 64 ) is Nintendos third home video game console for the international market. ... NBA Courtside 2002 is a video game of the sports genre released in 2002 by Left Field Productions. ... The Nintendo GameCube , GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... It has been suggested that Billy Joe Cuthbert be merged into this article or section. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... PlayStation 3 , trademarked PLAYSTATION®3,[7] commonly abbreviated PS3) is Sony Computer Entertainments third video game console. ... It has been suggested that GoMax be merged into this article or section. ... NBA Jam Extreme is a a basketball arcade game by Acclaim Entertainment that follows the 1996-97 NBA season. ... NBA Jam is a arcade style video game engineered from the ground up for PlayStation 2 & Xbox. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Joga Bonito (which means play beautiful in Portuguese) is a football-oriented social network service created by Nike and Google, based upon Googles orkut. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980 in Porto Alegre) is a Brazilian footballer, commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho (due to his being from the Rio Grande do Sul state of Brazil), or simply Ronaldinho. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), known professionally as Brandy, is an American actress and Grammy Award-winning R&B singer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Lakers logo 1966-1991 Lakers alternate logo 2002- The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team, based in Los Angeles, California, who play in the National Basketball Association. ... People, a weekly magazine of celebrity and popular culture news, debuted on February 27, 1974. ... A relaxation technique used when one is constapated. ... Say My Name is a number-one single by American R&B group Destinys Child for the Columbia label, released in early 2000 (see 2000 in music). ... Destinys Child is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B girl group. ... Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973) is an American television personality, Daytime Emmy nominated, author, actress, singer, executive producer, talk show hostess, and retired model [1] [2] [3]. She first emerged to prominence as a cover model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and one of the original Victoria... Hang Time was an American teen sitcom that aired from 1995-2000. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Its Hard Out Here for a Pimp is a 2005 song written for the film Hustle & Flow by Memphis hip hop musicians DJ Paul Beauregarde and Jordan Juicy J Houston (both from rap group Three 6 Mafia), and Cedric Frayser Boy Coleman. ... Originally called Backyard Posse, Triple 6 Mafia were a group of US rap musicians from Memphis, TN. The group had many members (including Gangsta Blac, Gangsta Boo, Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca & chief producers Juicy J and DJ Paul) and are best known for their gruesome lyrics, extolling drugs, pornography, and... Promotional poster for Hustle & Flow Hustle & Flow is a movie directed by Craig Brewer. ... Be Cool is a 2005 movie which was adapted from a 1999 novel. ... John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor, singer, scientologist, entertainer and aviator. ... Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an Oscar-nominated American film actress. ... The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team which is based in Sacramento, California. ... John Arthur Chubby Cox III (born December 29, 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American former professional basketball player. ...

See also

• List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season
• List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game
• List of active NBA players who have spent their entire career with one team

NBA scoring champions were decided on total points scored through the 1968-69 season, after which points per game was used to determine the champion. ... List of National Basketball Association players who have scored 60 or more points in a single game. ... It is a rarity that current, recent, or retired National Basketball Association players spend more than six or seven seasons with their initial team. ...

Notes

Larry King Live is a nightly CNN interview program hosted by broadcaster and writer Larry King. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Kobe Bryant

• Official Site
• NBA.com Profile at NBA.com
• ESPN.com Profile at ESPN.com
• Career Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
• Profile at the IMDb.com
• Court TV's complete coverage of the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case