Kobe grew up around basketball. His dad Joe "Jellybean" Bryant played in the NBA for eight seasons, then got moved to Italy. His family then moved back to the U.S. after Joe retired.

    They lived in Philadelphia where Kobe was born before they had been to Italy. Kobe then went to Lower Marion High where he averaged 30.8 points the last season he played there. During his last season at LMHS he broke Wilt Chamberlin's record of total points scored in a high school career 2,883. Then Kobe announced he was going to be elidgible for the 96 NBA Draft.

    He was picked number thirteen in the first round going to the Charrolett Hornetts. On 6/26/96 Jerry West made a move that sent Kobe Bryant to the Lakers for Vlade Divacs. The press wondered why West traded a veteran for a young inexeperinced high school kid. Kobe then showed the press why at All-Star weekend in Cleveland, where he scored a record 31 points in the Rookie Game, but wasn't the MVP for some unknown reason, instead Allen Iverson won it.

    Kobe then participated in the Slam Dunk contest. Just barely getting in to the second round Kobe then brought out a dunk that only few could do, the between the legs dunk. Michale Finley then tried that lame excuse for a cartwheel dunk and missed it.

    Kobe won and when asked what one of his biggest thrills was of that weekend he simply said "Getting Dr.J out of his seat." Kobe had a fine regular season, but it was now time for the playoffs. Kobe played in all nine playoff games, and he was doing great until the final game against the Jazz. Kobe was not having a good day he shot three airballs, as a result the Lakers lost the game and were out of the playoffs. Kobe has learned alot from that exeperince, and hopes to be even better in this 97-98 season.