Sports Nicknames - The Black Mamba

Kobe Bryant is widely considered one of the best basketball players of all time; one that was taken too soon from us. He was not only a legend of the game, but one of those players who was dedicated to 1 team.



Kobe went straight from Lower Merion High School to the NBA, picking up the attention of the LA Lakers during the scrimmages beforehand. Such performances led to him being picked 13th in the draft. In Bryant's first season he took some time adjusting to the league, but it wouldn't last long.

1999 started Bryant's first period of success, winning 3 back-to-back NBA titles. This was the first 3-peat of any team since Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their multiple titles in the 90s.

This period of success was followed by a period of decline for Bryant, although he still managed to set records between 2005-07. However, after 2007, Bryant saw a little resurgence, helping the Lakers win another 2 titles between 2008-10. This was the end of Bryant's title exploits, but not his personal success.

Kobe "The Black Mamba" Bryant finished his career with 1 NBA MVP award, 2 NBA Finals MVP, 18 NBA All-Star appearances, 11 All-NBA First Team appearances and even more smaller awards. He also helped the USA win a gold medal at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Kobe retired in 2016, scoring and NBA season-high 60 points.

Unfortunately, Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, leaving behind a legacy of work ethic and brilliant basketball achievements. The man of many nicknames ("Kobe", "KB8", "Izzo", "Mr. 81" and more) was taken far too soon, but left a legacy that can only be envied.


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