Kobe Bryant Height, Age, Death, Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Full Name	Kobe Bean Bryant
Nickname(s)	• Black Mamba [1]INQUISITR • Vino [2]ESPN
Profession	Basketball Player
Physical Stats & More
Height (listed) [3]nba.com	in centimeters- 198 cm in meters- 1.98 m in feet inches- 6’ 6”
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Black
Basketball
Playing Career	1996-2016
NBA Draft	1996: Round 1; Pick: 13th overall; selected by the Charlotte Hornets for Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California
Last NBA Game	April 13, 2016, at Staples Center. Bryant scored 60 points in that farewell game. [4]Los Angeles Times
Coach/Trainer	• John Lucas (high school coach) • Greg Downer (varsity coach) • Phil Jackson (Lakers coach)
Position	Shooting Guard
NBA Team	Los Angeles Lakers
Jersey Number	# 10 (International; United States) # 24 (NBA; Los Angeles Lakers)
Career Stats	Points: 33,643 (25.0 ppg) Rebounds: 7,047 (5.2 rpg) Assists: 6,306 (4.7 apg)
Awards, Honors, Achievements	Olympic Games • Gold (2008 Beijing) • Gold (2012 London) Other Career Highlights • Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996) • NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997) • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) • Five-time NBA champion (2000–2002, 2009, 2010) • Two-time NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010) • NBA Most Valuable Player (2008) • Eighteen-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016) • Four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011) • Eleven-time All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013) • Two-time All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001) • Two-time All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005) • Nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011) • Three-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012) • Two-time NBA scoring champion (2006, 2007) • NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997) • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	August 23, 1978 (Wednesday)
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Death	January 26, 2020 (Sunday); 9:45 am
Place of Death	Calabasas, California
Age (at the time of death)	41 Years
Death Cause	Killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California Note: According to the medical examiner's office, the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, and the manner of death was certified as an accident. [5]CNN
Resting Place	Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Del Mar, California [6]CNN
Zodiac sign	Virgo
Signature/Autograph
Nationality	American
Hometown	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
School	Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Philadelphia
College/University	Did not attend
Educational Qualification	High School Graduate
Religion	Roman Catholic [7]The Jerusalem Post Note: in an interview, he said, "I wouldn't mind being Jewish."
Family Church	Our Lady Queen of Angels, Newport Beach, California [8]CNN
Ethnicity/Race	African-American [9]nbcwashington.com
Food Habit	Non-Vegetarian [10]Los Angeles Times
Hobbies	Listening to Music, Traveling, Watching Soccer Matches
Tattoos	• Some sort of crown, his wife Vanessa's name, Angel Wings, and a butterfly on his right arm • Names of his three daughters on his arm
Controversies	• In 2003, Bryant faced a sexual assault allegation by a 19-year old hotel employee who accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room. Following the complaint of the girl, the sheriff's office of Eagle (Colorado), arrested Bryant. The incident significantly tarnished the image of the basketball star, and his popularity witnessed a sharp drop among his fans; following the incident. However, in 2004, Bryant apologized to the girl in public and settled the matter out of the court. [11]New York Post • On April 13, 2011, he was fined $100,000 by the NBA for directing a gay slur at referee Bennie Adams; during a previous day game. Later, he apologized for his actions. [12]WebCite
Relationships & More
Sexual Orientation	Straight
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Married
Affairs/Girlfriends	Vanessa Laine (1999-2001)
Marriage Date	April 18, 2001 (Wednesday)
Marriage Place	St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California
Family
Wife/Spouse	Vanessa Laine (born as "Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta"); former background dancer
Children	Son- None Daughter(s)- 4 • Natalia Diamante (born in January 2003) • Gianna Maria-Onore (born in May 2006) • Bianka Bella (born in December 2016) • Capri Kobe (born in June 2019)
Parents	Father- Joe Bryant (former NBA player) Mother- Pamela Cox Bryant
Siblings	Brother- None Sister(s)- 2 • Sharia Bryant • Shaya Bryant
Favorite Things
Sport	Soccer
Football Club(s)	A.C. Milan, Barcelona, Manchester City
NFL Team	Philadelphia Eagles
Restaurant	El Camino Real, Fullerton, CA [13]Los Angeles Times
Cuisines	Mexican, Italian
Food	Carnitas, Flan
Style Quotient
Car Collection	Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini, Bentley, Range Rover
Jet/Helicopter Collection	Sikorsky S-76 helicopter (the same one that crashed on January 26, 2020)
Assets/Properties	Kolbe owned three houses (worth $18.8 million; as in 2012)- all in Orange County, California [14]Business Insider
Money Factor
Net Worth (approx.)	$600 million (as in 2019) [15]INQUISITR

Some Lesser Known Facts About Kobe Bryant

• Did Kobe Bryant smoke?: Yes 

• Did Kobe Bryant drink alcohol?: Yes 

• Kobe Bryant was an American basketball player who is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

• Bryant was, in fact, the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons.

• He was born as the youngest of the three children to a former NBA player, Joe Bryant.
  

  A childhood photo of Kobe Bryant with one of his sisters

• Kobe was the maternal nephew of John “Chubby” Cox, a veteran American basketball player.

• He was named after the famous beef of Japan- Kobe Beef. Prior to his birth, his parents had seen a type of steak (Kobe) on a restaurant menu. ^[16]nba.com

• Kobe derived his middle name “Bean” from his father’s nickname “Jellybean.”

• Although Bryant was born in Philadelphia, he spent most of his childhood in Italy.

• After his father’s retirement from the NBA, the Bryant Family moved to Rieti in Italy, where his father had planned to continue his professional basketball career at a lower level. At that time, Kobe was six. However, after staying for almost two years in Reiti, the family moved first to Reggio Calabria and then to Pistoia, and Reggio Emilia- all in Italy. 

• Soon, Kobe became accustomed to the Italian lifestyle. Among all the Italian places he had lived, Reggio Emilia was special to him; as he considered it a loving place where most of his childhood memories were framed.
  

  The 11-year-old Kobe Bryant while in Italy

• Reportedly, by the age of 3, Kobe had started playing basketball, and his favorite basketball team was the “Lakers.”

• Kobe’s grandfather played a great role in arousing his interest in basketball; as he would often mail Bryant videos of NBA games to analyze the game’s tactics.

• Before becoming a professional basketball player, Kobe learned to play soccer, and he would often cheer for A. C. Milan.

• Kobe’s spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia earned him national recognition, and he became the first freshman in decades to start for Lower Merion’s varsity team.

• During his junior years, Kobe carved a niche for himself in the game and in 1995, he was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year; turning the eyeballs of college recruiters towards Kobe.

• When Bryant ended his high school career, he had surpassed both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons to become Southeastern Pennsylvania’s all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points.

• Before his NBA draft, Kobe gave a surprise to his high school mates by bringing a very special date to his prom- singer Brandy.
  

  Kobe Bryant with singer Brandy

• In 1996, the 17-year-old Kobe Bryant decided to go directly into the NBA, and with that, he became only the sixth player in NBA history to do so.

• When Bryant debuted in the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California in 1996, he became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (18 years, 72 days).

• By participating and winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, Bryant had become the youngest dunk champion ever at the age of 18.

• Bryant emerged as a premier guard in the league in the 1998-99 season.

• His prolific skills in the game led the sportswriters to compare his skills to those of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

• Soon after Phil Jackson’s entry as the coach of Lakers in 1999, Kobe became one of the premier shooting guards in the league.
  

• Kobe’s basketball career was full of injuries, and he often played through injuries to sideline his contemporaries for weeks. His first major injury was a wrist injury in 1999-2000 when he missed the first 15 games of Phil Jackson’s first season with the team. Then, Kolbe suffered an ankle sprain in Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, and so on.
  

• In November 1999, the 21-year-old Kobe met a 17-year-old background dancer, Vanessa Laine who was working on the Tha Eastsidaz music video “G’d Up.” After six months of dating, they got engaged in May 2000. After getting married on April 18, 2001, the couple went on to have four daughters together.
  

  An old photo of Kolbe Bryant and Vanessa

• On December 16, 2011, Kobe’s wife, Vanessa filed for divorce; citing incompatibility issues. However, on January 11, 2013, both Kobe and his wife took to social media to announce that they had called off their divorce. ^[17]CBC News
  

  Kobe Bryant walking with his wife and daughters

• Apart from being fluent in Italian, Bryant was often seen giving interviews in Spanish.

• While most people receive their nicknames from their friends and fans, Kobe had himself given a nickname “Black Mamba” during the time of a sexual assault allegation against him by a 19-year-old Colorado girl. In his 2015 documentary, Muse, Kobe hinted about it and said,
  

  I went from a person who was at the top of his game, had everything coming, to a year later, having absolutely no idea where life is going or if you are even going to be a part of life as we all know it. I had to separate myself.”

• Apart from his game, Bryant had made billions through endorsements. His first major contract was with Adidas (worth $48 million); before the start of the 1996-97 season. His other major endorsements include- Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.
  

  Kobe Bryant in a Sprite commercial

• He also appeared as a cover athlete for many video games including Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside, NBA Courtside 2: Featuring Kobe Bryant, NBA 2K10, NBA 2K17, and more.

• In September 2012, he appeared with FC Barcelona star Leonel Messi in a commercial for Turkish Airlines.
  

  Kobe Bryant and Messi in Turkish Airlines Commercial

• Since his childhood, Bryant had an interest in music and in high school, he was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW. Sony Entertainment capitalized Bryant’s fame and transformed him from an underground hip hop into a radio-friendly voice. His first single, “K.O.B.E;” featuring supermodel Tyra Banks, came in January 2000. However, the song was not well received and later, Sony broke ties with Bryant. Later, Kobe formed his own record label “Heads High Entertainment,” but it also got wrapped within a year of its launch.

• Kobe Bryant also appeared in a few television shows including a comedy series “All That” in 2000 and MTV’s “Ridiculousness” in 2019.

• Kobe’s philanthropic activities included his association with a non-profit organization “After-School All-Stars” (ASAS), which provides comprehensive after-school programs to children in thirteen US cities. He also started a charity organization called “Kobe Bryant China Fund” for education and health programs.

• Bryant also had business interests and had established Kobe Inc. to grow his own sports brands. In August 2018, his stakes in the company were valued at approximately $200 million.

• In 2018, Kobe Bryant became the first former professional athlete to get nominated and win an Academy Award, when he won the award for Best Animated Short Film for “Dear Basketball” (2017). He was also the first African-American to achieve the feat. 

• On the morning of January 26, 2020, Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Reportedly, he was accompanied by eight other people (including one of his daughters, Gianna) who died when the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76, owned by Kobe, crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas, at around 9:45 am.
  

  The Crash Site of the helicopter in which Kobe Bryant was flying