Kobe Bryant was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for his entire 20-year career. Selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft, Bryant was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac a month later. He and then-teammate Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. After O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat following the 2003–04 season, Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the and seasons. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the third-highest number of points scored in a game in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance and Bam Adebayo's 83 points. It was the highest output for a guard ever. Bryant was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the 2007–08 season and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. As a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, Bryant was a two-time Olympic gold medalist starting with the 2008 Summer Olympics ("The Redeem Team") and following with the 2012 Summer Olympics team. He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions.
Bryant currently ranks fourth both on the league's all-time post-season scoring and all-time regular-season scoring lists. He has been selected to 15 All-NBA Team (eleven times to the All-NBA First Team) and 12 All-Defensive Team (nine times to the All-Defensive First Team). He was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game on 18 occasions, winning All-Star MVP Awards in 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011 (he shared the 2009 award with Shaquille O'Neal). The award would be named after him in 2020. He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as well as the Rookie Game scoring title in 1997. He has had 1 eighty-point game, 6 sixty-point games (including his final game), 26 fifty-point games, and 134 forty-point games in his career. Kobe had been also in a three-way tie with Stephen Curry and Donyell Marshall for most three-pointers with 12 in a game until November 8, 2016, when Curry set a new record with 13. In his final game on April 13, 2016, at 37 years old, he became the oldest player to score 60 points in a single game and set the highest point total in the 2015–16 regular season.
NBA career statistics Denotes seasons in which the Lakers won an NBA Championship*Denotes seasons in which the Lakers reached the NBA Finals^Denotes seasons in which Bryant led the leagueBoldDenotes career-highs
Regular season Season Team Gamesplayed Gamesstarted Minutesper game Field goalpercentage 3-point field goalpercentage Free throwpercentage Reboundsper game Assistsper game Stealsper game Blocksper game Pointsper game L.A. Lakers 71615.5.417.375.8191.91.3.7.37.9 L.A. Lakers 79126.0.428.341.7943.12.5.9.515.4 L.A. Lakers 50^ 5037.9.465.267.8395.33.81.41.019.9 L.A. Lakers 666238.2.468.319.8216.34.91.6.922.5 L.A. Lakers 686840.9.464.305.8535.95.01.7.628.5 L.A. Lakers 808038.3.469.250.8295.55.51.5.425.2 L.A. Lakers 82^ 8241.5.451.383.8436.95.92.2.830.0 * L.A. Lakers* 656437.6.438.327.8525.55.11.7.424.0 L.A. Lakers 666640.7.433.339.8165.96.01.3.827.6 L.A. Lakers 808041.0.450.347.8505.34.51.8.4 35.4^ L.A. Lakers 777740.8.463.344.8685.75.41.4.5 31.6^ * L.A. Lakers* 82^ 8238.9.459.361.8406.35.41.8.528.3 L.A. Lakers 82^ 8236.1.467.351.8565.24.91.5.526.8 L.A. Lakers 737338.8.456.329.8115.45.01.5.327.0 L.A. Lakers 828233.9.451.323.8285.14.71.2.125.3 L.A. Lakers 585838.5.430.303.8455.44.61.2.327.9 L.A. Lakers 787838.6.463.324.8395.66.01.4.327.3 L.A. Lakers 6629.5.425.188.8574.36.31.2.213.8 L.A. Lakers 353534.5.373.293.8135.75.61.3.222.3 L.A. Lakers 666628.2.358.285.8263.72.8.9.217.6 Career 1,3461,19836.1.447.329.8375.24.71.4.525.0 All-Star 141427.8.507.333.8064.94.52.6.420.0
Source:
Playoffs Season Team Gamesplayed Gamesstarted Minutesper g Field goalpercentage 3-point field goalpercentage Free throwpercentage Reboundsper game Assistsper game Stealsper game Blocksper game Pointsper game 1996–97 L.A. Lakers 9014.8.382.261.8671.21.2.3.28.2 1997–98 L.A. Lakers 11020.0.408.214.6891.91.5.3.78.7 1998–99 L.A. Lakers 8839.4.430.348.8006.94.61.91.219.8 1999–2000 L.A. Lakers 222239.0.442.344.7544.54.41.51.521.1 2000–01 L.A. Lakers 161643.4.469.324.8217.36.11.6.829.4 2001–02 L.A. Lakers 191943.8.434.379.7595.84.61.4.926.6 2002–03 L.A. Lakers 121244.3.432.403.8275.15.21.2.1 32.1^ 2003–04* L.A. Lakers* 222244.2.413.247.8134.75.51.9.324.5 2005–06 L.A. Lakers 7744.9.497.400.7716.35.11.1.427.9 2006–07 L.A. Lakers 5543.0.462.357.9195.24.41.0.4 32.8^ 2007–08* L.A. Lakers* 212141.1.479.302.8095.75.61.7.4 30.1^ 2008–09 L.A. Lakers 232340.9.457.349.8835.35.51.7.930.2 2009–10 L.A. Lakers 232340.1.458.374.8426.05.51.4.729.2 2010–11 L.A. Lakers 101035.4.446.293.8203.43.31.6.322.8 2011–12 L.A. Lakers 121239.7.439.283.8324.84.31.3.230.0 Career 22020039.3.448.331.8165.14.71.4.625.6
Source:
Career ranking Career – season
Points – 4th (33,643) Field goal attempts – 3rd (26,200) Field goals made – 5th (11,719) Field goals missed – 2nd (14,481) Free throws made – 3rd (8,378) Free throw attempts – 5th (10,011) Points per game – 12th (25.00) 3-point field goal attempts – 6th (5,546) Turnovers – 3rd (4,010) 40-point games - 3rd (135) 50-point games - 3rd (26) 60-point games - 2nd (6)
3-point field goals made – 12th (1,827) Steals – 14th (1,944) Minutes played – 6th (48,637) Steals per game – 92nd (1.44) Minutes per game – 41st (36.13) Games played – 11th – (1,346) Assists – 29th (6,306) Free throw % – 84th (.8369)
Personal fouls – 39th (3,353) Defensive rebounds – 46th (5,548) Assists per game – 134th (4.69) Rebounds – 100th (7,047) Blocks – 180th (640) Offensive rebounds – 190th (1,499)
Career – playoffs
3-point field goal attempts – 3rd (882) 3-point field goals made – 6th (292) Field goal attempts – 3rd (4,499) Free throws made – 3rd (1,320) Points – 4th (5,640) Minutes played – 3rd (8,641) Turnovers – 3rd (647) Field goals made – 5th (66,014)
NBA awards and accomplishments
5-time NBA champion: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 7 NBA Finals appearances: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 2-time NBA Finals MVP: 2009, 2010 NBA Most Valuable Player: 2008 2-time scoring champion: 2006, 2007 18-time NBA All-Star: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 18 consecutive selections, 13 consecutive appearances (No All-Star game in 1999 due to a league-wide lockout) Missed the 2010, 2014 and 2015 games due to injury 4-time NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011 (shared the 2009 award with Shaquille O'Neal) 15-time All-NBA Team selection: First team: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Second team: 2000, 2001 Third team: 1999, 2005 12-time All-Defensive Team selection: First team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Second team: 2001, 2002, 2012 NBA All-Rookie Team selection: Second team: 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion: 1997 17-time Player of the Month: December 2000, November 2001, January 2003, March 2004, January 2006, April 2006, December 2006, March 2007, April 2007, February 2008, April 2008, December 2008, January 2009, December 2009, March 2011, December/January 2012, February 2013 Player of the Month was awarded separately to Eastern and Western Conference starting from the . NBA regular season leader: games played: 1998–99 (50), 2007–08 (82), 2008–09 (82) usage percentage: 2005–06 (38.7), 2010–11 (35.1), 2011–12 (35.7) points: 2002–03 (2,461), 2005–06 (2,832, 7th in NBA history), 2006–07 (2,430), 2007–08 (2,323) points per game: 2005–06 (35.4, 8th in NBA history), 2006–07 (31.6) field goals attempted: 2005–06 (2,173), 2006–07 (1,757), 2007–08 (1,690), 2010–11 (1,639), 2011–12 (1336) field goals made: 2002–03 (868), 2005–06 (978), 2006–07 (813)
free throws attempted: 2006–07 (768) free throws made: 2005–06 (696), 2006–07 (667) 3rd most points in a game: 81 (on January 22, 2006, vs. the Toronto Raptors) 2nd most points in a half: 55 (On January 22, 2006, vs. the Toronto Raptors) 3rd most 40 point games: 135 3rd most 50 point games: 26 2nd most 60 point games: 6 2× Best NBA Player ESPY Award winner: 2008, 2010 NBA playoffs leader: win shares: 2001 (3.8) points: 2004 (539), 2008 (633), 2009 (695), 2010 (671) points per game: 2003 (32.1), 2007 (32.8), 2008 (30.1) minutes played: 2002 (833), 2004 (973) field goals made: 2004 (190), 2008 (222), 2009 (242), 2010 (234) field goals attempted: 2002 (431), 2004 (460), 2008 (463), 2009 (530), 2010 (511) free throws made: 2004 (135), 2008 (157), 2009 (174), 2010 (154) free throws attempted: 2008 (194), 2010 (183) steals: 2000 (32), 2009 (38) turnovers: 2010 (79) personal fouls: 2000 (89)
Game-winning shots Number Time left (seconds) Score Opponent Date1 (Playoffs)0.0101–100Houston Rockets 210.0108–106Dallas Mavericks 3 (Playoffs)2.697–95Indiana Pacers4 (Finals)5.9120–118Indiana Pacers 5(Reg) 2.3, (OT) 24.1112–110Sacramento Kings62.885–83Phoenix Suns 74.8113–110New Jersey Nets 85.587–86Denver Nuggets 90.096–94Charlotte Hornets 105.187–85San Antonio Spurs 118.4105–103Dallas Mavericks 120.092–91Denver Nuggets 130.0102–101Memphis Grizzlies 142.5108–107Denver Nuggets 1531.0101–100Houston Rockets 160.0105–104Portland Trail Blazers 170.999–98Memphis Grizzlies 1811.4100–99Los Angeles Clippers 198.699–98Cleveland Cavaliers 20 (Playoffs)0.099–98Phoenix Suns 211.0103–101Seattle SuperSonics 22 (Playoffs)23.991–85San Antonio Spurs 233.0121–119Indiana Pacers 2427.0105–100Houston Rockets 250.0108–107Miami Heat 260.0107–106Milwaukee Bucks 270.0109–108Sacramento Kings 287.390–89Boston Celtics 294.399–98Memphis Grizzlies 301.9109–107Toronto Raptors 314.4103–101Portland Trail Blazers 3212.488–87Indiana Pacers335.0102–100New Orleans Hornets 344.294–92Toronto Raptors 351.091–90New Orleans Hornets 3620.288–85New Orleans Hornets 379.099–98Atlanta Hawks 3810.6118–116Toronto Raptors 3912.488–87Indiana Pacers 4031.0101–96Utah Jazz
NBA records
Currently holds
Bryant holds or shares numerous NBA records:
Most All-Star Game MVP awards won, career: 4 (tied with Bob Pettit) Most offensive rebounds in an All-Star Game: 10 2nd most All-NBA Team honors won, career: 15 2nd most All-NBA First Team honors won, career: 11 (tied with Karl Malone) Most All-NBA Team honors won by a guard, career: 15 Most All-NBA First Team honors won by a guard, career: 11 2nd most All-Defensive Team honors won, career: 12 Most All-Defensive First Team honors won, career: 9 (tied with Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, and Kevin Garnett) Most free throws made, four-game playoff series: 51 (second round vs. Sacramento Kings, 2001) 3rd most points scored in a game in NBA history (81 points) 2nd most points scored in a game in modern era of basketball (81 points) 3rd most points scored as an opponent at Madison Square Garden (61 points) Most points scored as an opponent at the current Madison Square Garden (61 points) Most points scored in one arena, career: 16,161 (as of April 14, 2016, at Staples Center, Los Angeles) Most games played at one arena, career: 599 (as of April 14, 2016, at Staples Center, Los Angeles Most career points for a guard: 33,643 Highest Score against rest of teams in the league above 40 (share with Bob Pettit) Surpassed Hakeem Olajuwon, the previous holder of the record
Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team: () 2nd youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Team: () Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team Youngest player to start a game: () Youngest player to win the NBA Slam Dunk Championship: (18 years, 169 days) Youngest player to start an All-Star game: () Youngest player to score in an All-Star game Youngest player to score in a Playoff game Youngest player to score a 3-pointer in a Playoff game