Our Kobe Bryant Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Pamela Cox Bryant (Mother), Joe “Jellybean” Bryant (Father), Family background, Death, etc.
More so, other notable events right from the moment he was a child to when he became a HERO & then, NO MORE.
Yes, everyone knows he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. However, only a few consider Kobe Bryant’s biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.
Kobe Bryant Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, Legendary former basketball player whose names were Kobe Bean Bryant was born on the 23rd day of August 1978 in the city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
He was the third of three children born to his mother, Pamela Cox Bryant, and to his father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant (a former basketball player).
The basketball legend – named “Kobe” by his parents after their famous Japanese beef called “Kobe” – was an American national of mixed ethnicity with Afro-American family origins.
Young Kobe was initially raised at his birthplace in Philadelphia for 6 years before Joe Bryant (the breadwinner) moved his family to the city of Rieti in Italy to continue his basketball career at a lower level.
It was at Italy that Kobe had the most days of his childhood growing up alongside his elder sisters Sharia Washington and Shaya Bryant-Tabb.
While at the European country, Kobe loved and enjoyed basketball, a sport he had long started playing in Philadelphia at the age of 3.
The then youngster was also given to playing soccer and supported Italian side AC Milan as his childhood club.
Kobe Bryant Education and Career Buildup:
Bryant’s interests were largely tilted towards basketball which played in earnest when the family began living at the city of Reggio Emilia in Northern Italy.
It wasn’t long before he made up his mind to entirely focus on playing basketball and got the blessings of his supportive family.
Do you know that Bryant often went back to the U.S. during summers to play in a basketball summer league? so great was his passion for the sport that he had his U.S.-based grandfather mail him videos of NBA games for education purposes.
Indeed, the then basketball prodigy learned about his destination (NBA) from a distance and trained hard to live up to fulfil his dreams.
Kobe Bryant Early Career Life:
By the time Bryant family returned to Philadelphia in 1991, he was enrolled at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania where he became a sensation during his Junior year and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year.
What more? Kobe helped Lower Merion High School win a state championship, its first in 53 years and became the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania high school history.
Kobe Bryant Biography – Road To Fame Story:
At the peak of Bryant’s amazing track record in high school basketball, he began attracting interest from colleges such as Duke, North Carolina, Michigan and Villanova.
However, he turned down their offers and decided to try his luck in the 1996 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.
Interestingly, Bryant was drafted into the NBA by Charlotte Hornets which gave him to his childhood favourite team – Los Angeles Lakers in a trade deal.
It wasn’t long before he made his debut in the 1996-97 ‘NBA’ season and entered records as the youngest player to ever play in an ‘NBA’ game.
Kobe Bryant Bio – Rise To Fame Story:
Yes, Bryant didn’t have a very much illustrious debut season. However, he earned the reputation of a high-flyer and became a fan favourite for winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Bryant initially achieved a breakthrough in his second season (1997-98 ‘NBA’) when he worked his way up to become the youngest All-Star in NBA history at the age of 19.
He consolidated his rising fame in the ensuing years and even led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.
Until his retirement in 2016, Bryant was known to be one of the most dangerous scorers in the NBA and often drew comparisons with Micheal Jordan who he modelled his game after.
Kobe Bryant Relationship Life Facts:
Bryant was – for the better part of his illustrious 2-decade career with The Lakers – envied for having girlfriends who were star-struck by his fame.
But a certain girlfriend did succeed in upgrading her relationship status with the then basketball player.
She is no other person but Bryant’s wife Vanessa Laine Bryant. Bryant met Vanessa in 1999 while on set for his music video (yes, he did music too).
They dated afterward and got married in 2001. Their union which stood the test of time was once threatened in 2011 when Vanessa filed for a divorce.
Fortunately, they became husband and wife again in 2013 and lived happily thereafter until Bryant unfortunate demise on the 26th of January 2020.
How Kobe Bryant Died:
Kobe Bryant died in his privately owned helicopter crash at the side of a mountain in Calabasas, after he and 8 others, including his 13-year-old young daughter Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, departed from John Wayne Airport.
It is worthwhile to note that Gianna was an upcoming basketballer who was mentored by no other person but her dad.
Other children born of Bryant and Vanessa’s marriage include; Natalia Diamante Bryant (born 2003), Bianka Bella Bryant (Born 2016) and Capri Kobe Bryant (Born 2019).
The shock of Bryant and Gianna death is so intense that his wife and remaining daughters are yet to pull themselves together at the time of writing.
Meanwhile, it is expected that Vanessa and her daughters issue a public statement at Kobe Bryant’s funeral.
Kobe Bryant Family Life:
Huge talents don’t just start existing. They are like Bryant, raised by a supportive family. We bring you facts about Kobe Bryant’s family life.
About Kobe Bryant’s father:
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant is the father of the late basketball legend. Joe was himself, a former NBA player who left the association during Kobe’s early life to continue his basketball career at a lower level in Italy.
It was out of Joe’s nickname, “Jelly Bean” that Kobe’s middle name “Bean” was formed. The supportive dad of 3 was instrumental to the rise and success of his only son in basketball.
Joe, who works as a basketball coach at the time of writing is devastated by Kobe Bryant Death. Indeed the loss of his only son and granddaughter is too much for him to bear.
About Kobe Bryant’s mother:
Pamela Cox Bryant is Kobe Bryant’s mom. She is well known as the sister of former NBA player Chubby Cox while her marriage to Joe Bryant and rise of Kobe Bryant consolidated her popularity in the world of basketball.
Like her husband, Vanessa had a close relationship with Kobe Bryant from his cradle days to the date of his eventual demise. She joins Joe and the entire Bryant family in mourning the death of their legendary son.
There is no denying the fact that Kobe Bryant was loved by his mom. In fact, the world can’t wait to hear Kobe Bryant’s parents speak about his virtues on the occasion of his funeral.
About Kobe Bryant’s siblings:
Research has it that Kobe Bryant was the only son born to his parents. He grew up in a middle-class family background setting with two older sisters identified as Sharia Washington and Shaya Bryant-Tabb.
Not much is known about Sharia save for the fact that she is married with 2 children. Shaya is also married and has 3 children.
Like their parents, Sharia and Shaya are yet to publicly react to the news of their brothers’ death as well as the loss of their niece Gianna.
Kobe Bryant’s relatives:
Away from Kobe Bryant’s immediate family life, research into his ancestry and family roots reveal that his paternal grandparents were Joseph Washington Bryant and Georgia Marie while his maternal grandfather and grandmother were John Arthur Cox II and Mildred Williams respectively.
The basketball legend’s uncle Chubby Cox and cousin John Cox are professional basketballers at the time of writing. Not much is known about Bryant aunts while his nephews and nieces are yet to be identified at the time of writing this bio.
Kobe Bryant’s Personal Life:
Bryant Fans and associates all over the world hold some truths to be self-evident about his personality. They include his incredible work ethic, likeability, generosity and humourous persona.
The basketball legend who had no problems revealing facts about his private and personal life upheld a number of activities as his interests and hobbies.
They include playing football, travelling and spending time with his family and friends.
Kobe Bryant Lifestyle:
Did you know that Kobe Bryant had an estimated net worth of $500 million up until the time of his demise? Contributing streams to the better part of his wealth were the salaries and wages he received from his 2-decade career.
He also earned considerably well from endorsements and made a good deal of money from his business ventures.
As such, Bryant had no qualms with living a luxurious lifestyle. He even owned two luxurious houses – at Orange County in California – that amounted to over $9 million.
It is general knowledge that Bryant often flew in his private helicopter to games and had awesome cars best suited for his personality, such as the 458 Italia among other cool rides.
Kobe Bryant Untold Facts:
To wrap up our Kobe Bryant childhood story plus biography, here are lesser-known or untold facts about the legend.
Kobe Bryant Smoking and Drinking:
Kobe Bryant was given to smoking and drinking before his death. However, he indulged the habits in moderation and was not known to have had health complications arising from them.
What is Kobe Bryant Religion?
Kobe Bryant’s parents raised him in a Christian home and most of his family members are Catholics.
Bryant lived the catholic faith and even had his wedding officiated by a priest in a catholic church. The outlined facts show Bryant’s regard for catholicism and identity as a Christian.
Kobe Bryant Tattoos:
Bryant, like most successful sportsmen, had tattoos or body arts to complement his impressive height of 6 feet 4 inches. Prominent among the body arts is the Crown and Wings tattoo on his right arm.
Influence:
The life and rise of Kobe Bryant was inspirational to the rise of other basketball geniuses such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Stephen Curry. He is also held in high esteem by LeBron James while rapper Lil Wayne titled a song “Kobe Bryant” after him.
Music:
Bryant’s interest in music date back to his high school days when he was part of a rap group called CHEIZAW. He went on to release the single, “K.O.B.E'”, featuring supermodel Tyra Banks and was also featured in Taiwanese singer Jay Chou’s single, “The Heaven and Earth Challenge”.
Screen Endeavours:
Regarding his screen endeavours, Bryant made appearances on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series “All That in 2000”. He also appeared on MTV’s Ridiculousness in 2019 and won an Academy Award of Best Animated Short Film for his film “Dear Basketball”.
Fact Check:
Thanks for reading our Kobe Bryant Childhood Story, plus untold biography facts.
At childhood biography, we strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you NBA Players’ Biographies. Without a doubt, the Life History of Lamelo Ball and Jayson Tatum will excite you.
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Cole Daxton
Cole Daxton is a talented Childhood Biography Storyteller with a passion for uncovering the untold stories of some of the world's biggest celebrities. With a keen eye for detail, Cole Daxton has spent years delving into the Early Years and Success Stories of some of the most famous people in the world.
