Oller, Rob (February 12, 2007). "A star is reborn: Bryant's stats, dunks have made him marketable again". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014.

Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, January 14, 2002". Basketball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021 . Retrieved October 28, 2019. Pak, SuChin. "Brandy On Growing Up: A Candid Chat". MTV. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012 . Retrieved January 15, 2009.Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006–07 season. Bryant's first high-school number was 24 before he switched to 33. [131] [132] After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable as it was worn by George McCloud, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp and chose 8 by adding those numbers. [132] In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough to reach a 3–1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns, culminating with Bryant's overtime-forcing and game-winning shots in Game 4. They came within six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Suns in Game 6, however, they lost that game 126–118 in overtime. [133] Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games. [133] After scoring 50 points on 20 of 35 shooting in the Game 6 loss, Bryant was criticized for only taking three shots in the second half of the 121–90 Game 7 loss to Phoenix. [134] [135] Bryant driving towards the basket Magic doesn’t seem possible for the West Bottom Badgers. They’re the lowest-ranked basketball team in the league, and they live in the poorest neighborhood in Dren. Nobody expects them to succeed. Plus, every kid on the team has secret struggles of his own. Springer, Steve (March 3, 2002). "Bryant Fight Remains a No Decision". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021 . Retrieved April 24, 2011. At 9:45a.m., the helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas, about 30 miles (48km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and began burning. Bryant, his daughter, and the other seven occupants were all killed on impact. [518] Initial reports indicated that the helicopter crashed in the hills above Calabasas in heavy fog. [520] [521] Witnesses reported hearing a helicopter struggling before crashing. [512] Investigations

Bryant requested that opposing teams on the road not hold any on-court ceremonies in his honor or present him any gifts in public. [299] Prior to announcing his retirement, he had been steadfast about not wanting the fuss of a staged farewell tour, preferring to hear boos instead of cheers. [300] [301] Still, he was honored around the league with video tributes and fan ovations, [299] including arenas that historically jeered him such as TD Garden in Boston, Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Moda Center in Portland, Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, and Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. [302] [303] [304] [305] Previously, Bryant was respected but not beloved, [306] [307] and he was astonished at the cheers he was now receiving. [307] In The Rise, readers will travel from the neighborhood streets of Southwest Philadelphia – where Kobe’s father, Joe, became a local basketball standout – to the Bryant family’s isolation in Italy, where Kobe spent his formative years, to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe’s legend was born. The story will trace his career and life at Lower Merion – he led the Aces to the 1995-96 Pennsylvania state championship, a dramatic underdog run for a team with just one star player – and the run-up to the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe’s dream of playing pro basketball culminated in his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA Playoffs; A Dilemma for Kobe; NBA playoffs: The Lakers can still go small with Bryant in the frontcourt, but it could come at a price against the bigger Schrempf". Los Angeles Times. May 4, 1998. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013 . Retrieved December 5, 2009.To the great fortune of LeBron, the NBA, and basketball itself, the mission didn’t work out as planned. Veteran NBA writer Ian Thomsen portrays the NBA as a self-correcting society in which young LeBron is forced to absorb hard truths inflicted by his rivals Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers, and Dirk Nowitzki, in addition to lessons set forth by Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Larry Bird, David Stern, Joey Crawford and many more. Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, which ranks second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's and LeBron James' 19. [390] He was chosen a then-record 18 straight times, each time as a starter. [283] [387] [390] On four occasions (2003, 2011, 2013, 2016) he was the leading vote-getter. [390] Four times Bryant was named the All-Star MVP, a record he shares with Bob Pettit. [387] He was selected to the All-NBA Team on 15 occasions, tied for the most with Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan, [391] and his 11 first-team honors are tied for the second-most with Karl Malone. [392] Bryant was also a 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, trailing only Duncan's 15, and nine times he was named to the All-Defensive First Team, tied with Jordan, Garnett, and Gary Payton for the most all time. [377] [387] He was the first guard to play 20 seasons in the NBA. [377] He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997 and was its youngest winner. [393] In his career, Bryant scored 40-plus points in 121 games, and 21 times he recorded a triple-double. [295] Larry Bird held the previous record; he was 35 when he had 49 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists on March 15, 1992, against Portland. [271]

The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz, when Bryant was pressed into a lead role at the end of Game 5. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bryant shot four air balls at the end of the game; the Jazz won 98–93 in overtime to eliminate the Lakers 4–1. He first missed a game-winning two-point jump shot in the fourth quarter, and then misfired 3 three-point field goals in overtime, including two tying shots in the final minute. [60] O'Neal commented that "[Bryant] was the only guy who had the guts at the time to take shots like that." [61] Article: No doubt: It's Bryant's team.(Chicago Tribune)". AccessMyLibrary. May 22, 2002. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012 . Retrieved June 8, 2010. a b c "Bryant assessed flagrant foul for elbow in Philly". ESPN. March 12, 2007. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021 . Retrieved February 27, 2020. After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals, O'Neal was traded and Bryant became the cornerstone of the franchise. He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons and was named league MVP in 2008. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points, the second most points scored in a single NBA game behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Bryant led the team to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, being named NBA Finals MVP on both occasions. He continued to be among the premier players in the league through the 2012–13 season when he suffered a torn achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. Citing physical decline, Bryant retired after the 2015–16 season. In 2017, the Lakers retired both his Nos. 8 and 24, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple numbers retired by the same franchise. a b Schwartz, Dana (March 4, 2018). "Kobe Bryant is officially an Oscar winner". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 3, 2023.Eighty-One! Bryant Erupts as Lakers Roll". NBA.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012 . Retrieved December 26, 2021.