Kobe Bryant Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth & Biography

Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships and becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Nicknamed “the Black Mamba” for his relentless competitiveness, he scored 81 points in a single game, won an Academy Award after retiring and inspired a generation with his “Mamba Mentality”. His death in 2020, at the age of 41, shocked the world. This is his full story.

Quick Facts

Full Name	Kobe Bean Bryant
Age	41 years old at death
Date of Birth	August 23, 1978
Date of Death	January 26, 2020
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional Basketball Player
Wife	Vanessa Bryant (married 2001–2020)
Children	Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri Bryant
Net Worth	Approx. $600 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2020)

Who Is Kobe Bryant?

Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player. Born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he stood 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) tall and was 41 years old when he died on January 26, 2020. His wife was Vanessa Bryant, to whom he was married from 2001 until his death.

Bryant, nicknamed “the Black Mamba”, played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He was a five-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, the 2008 NBA MVP and an 18-time All-Star, and he won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, in 2008 and 2012. He is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and his net worth at the time of his death was estimated at approximately $600 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2020). Like fellow sporting icons Michael Jordan and LeBron James, Bryant’s name is shorthand for basketball greatness.

Early Life & Background

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, was a professional basketball player who played in the NBA and later in Italy, and his mother, Pamela Cox Bryant, was the sister of NBA player Chubby Cox. When Kobe was six, the family moved to Italy, where his father played professionally, and Kobe grew up speaking Italian and playing both basketball and football, the sport he later said taught him footwork and spacing.

The family returned to the United States when Kobe was 13, and he starred at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, leading the school to its first state championship in 53 years. He was drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft and immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, entering the NBA straight from high school at the age of 17. His middle name, Bean, came from his father’s nickname, Jellybean, and his parents named him Kobe after the Japanese city and its famous beef, which they saw on a restaurant menu.

Career

Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, from 1996 to 2016. He won his first three championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and after O’Neal’s departure he became the undisputed leader of the Lakers, winning two more titles in 2009 and 2010 and earning Finals MVP honours in both. He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008, was selected to 18 All-Star teams and scored 33,643 career points, the fourth-highest total in NBA history.

His most famous single performance came on January 22, 2006, when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest total in a single NBA game, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100. He won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and in his final NBA game, on April 13, 2016, he scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz at the age of 37, a farewell no scriptwriter would have dared to write. Both of his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, were retired by the Lakers.

After retiring, Bryant won an Academy Award in 2018 for Best Animated Short Film, for “Dear Basketball”, a film based on the poem he wrote to announce his retirement. He founded the Mamba Sports Academy, wrote the children’s book series “The Wizenard Series” and invested in the sports drink company BodyArmor, a stake his estate later sold for hundreds of millions of dollars. On January 26, 2020, Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, a tragedy that prompted tributes and memorials around the world. His “Mamba Mentality”, the idea of relentless hard work and focus, continues to inspire athletes everywhere. Like Tom Brady, Bryant proved that longevity and greatness are built on an almost obsessive work ethic.

Facts About Kobe Bryant

He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships, and he was the 2008 NBA MVP and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
He scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, the second-highest total in a single NBA game, and he scored 60 points in his final game at the age of 37.
He won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and he was selected to 18 All-Star teams.
He won an Academy Award in 2018 for Best Animated Short Film, for “Dear Basketball”, based on the poem he wrote to announce his retirement.
Both of his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, were retired by the Los Angeles Lakers, and his daughter Gianna, who died with him in 2020, was a promising young basketball player.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old was Kobe Bryant when he died?

Kobe Bryant was 41 years old when he died on January 26, 2020. He was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How tall was Kobe Bryant?

Kobe Bryant was 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) tall.

Who was Kobe Bryant married to?

Kobe Bryant was married to Vanessa Bryant from 2001 until his death in 2020. They had four daughters: Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri.

What was Kobe Bryant’s net worth?

Kobe Bryant’s net worth at the time of his death was estimated at approximately $600 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2020), built from his NBA career, endorsements and investments.