Here is Kobe's Timeline
- 1978 - Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1992 - Starts at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high-school basketball player in the country
- 1996 - Bryant, 17, is selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick in the first round of the NBA draft. The Hornets agree to trade his draft rights to the Lakers in exchange for center Vlade Divac.
- 1997 – Bryant becomes the youngest player in NBA history as he begins his pro career at 18 years, 2 months and 11 days. He is named to the NBA All-Rookie second team after averaging 7.6 points in 15.5 minutes per game off the bench.
- 2000-2002, 2009, 2010 - 5 time NBA champion
- 2008 - Bryant wins a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics as a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team.
- 2012 - Bryant wins his second Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team at the 2012 Games in London.
- 2013 – Bryant makes his 15th All-Star team during a season in which he passes Wilt Chamberlain for fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He averages 27.3 points in 38.6 minutes per game for the season before rupturing his left Achilles’ tendon in an April 12, 2013 game against the Golden State Warriors. Successful surgery to repair the injury will leave him unable to play for six to nine months.
- 2014 – Bryant surpasses Michael Jordan to become third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, with 32,310 career points.
- 2016 - He scores 60 points in his final game, helping the Lakers defeat the Utah Jazz 101-96.
- 2017 - The Lakers retire both of Bryant’s jersey numbers, No. 8 and No. 24, during a halftime ceremony.
- 2018 - Bryant wins an Academy Award for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball.”
- 2020 - Kobe, 41, is among nine people who die in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. One of his daughters, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, was among those to perish in the crash as well.
*NBA - National Basketball Assosiation
"The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do."
- Kobe Bryant