Remembering Kobe Bryant three years after his passing
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KION-TV)- It has been three years since NBA legend Kobe Bryant was killed along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia on August 23, 1978. He grew up in Italy, where his father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, played professional basketball after his own NBA career.
At 17 years old, Bryant was drafted out of high school in 1996, becoming the youngest player in NBA history. The 6-foot-6 swingman gave himself the nickname "Black Mamba," a testament to his fierce, competitive nature.
Bryant, considered one of the greatest basketball players in history, played all 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002. He went on to win two more in 2009 and 2010.
In addition to his five titles, Bryant is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history. He was selected to the all-star 18 times and earned an MVP award in 2008. He was a 12-time member of the all-defensive team and made the all-NBA team 15 times. Bryant retired in 2016 and was among several high-profile nominees for the NBA's 2020 Hall of Fame class.
CBS National contributed to this report.
