“Kobe was dubbed The Black Mamba because of his tenacious, dominating and disciplined nature. The nickname has since become a philosophy and way of life for those needing inspiration to accomplish their own dreams.”
Kobe Bryant 1978-2020
Beyond the realm of athletics, past the Mount Olympus of sports entertainment and pop culture iconic accolades, Kobe Bean Bryant is a legend for much more than basketball. Of course, we would be remiss to neglect to acknowledge his prowess on the court, as one of the greatest of all time. Bryant started his career at eighteen years of age, as a shooting guard, entering the NBA directly from high school – a feat only 45 draftees have accomplished. As every NBA fan knows, Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick of the 1996 draft, and then immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran center Vlade Divac. Through his sports career, Bryant accumulated a long and impressive list of career accolades and accomplishments, cumulating to his 5 championship rings over the span of his 20-year tenure with the Lakers. (Related: Shoot for Showing Up)
From the time he arrived in the NBA at the age of eighteen, the awards continued to pile up. The foundation of Kobe's most noteworthy basketball accomplishments are based on the remarkable fact that he played his entire 20-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Los Angeles Lakers. He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships. Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranks fourth on the league's all-time regular season scoring, and ranks fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list. Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons. According to Forbes, Bryant's net worth was estimated at $500 million.
To most, the long list of accomplishments which were obtained by Kobe may be surprising, but to him, and those that understand the Mamba Mentality, it was due to happen. Kobe was nicknamed the Black Mamba because of his tenacious, dominating and disciplined nature. The nickname has since become a philosophy and way of life for those needing inspiration to accomplish their own dreams. Once retired from the league, The Mamba discovered storytelling as a second act to his wonderful career and won an Oscar for his animated short “Dear Basketball” on March 4, 2018. Furthermore, Bryant formed Granity Studios, an award-winning multimedia original content company focused on creating new ways to tell stories around sports. Bryant focused on stories that were – and still are - crafted to entertain, by bringing education and inspiration together. In complement to his push for education, he also was a big advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women’s sports.
In retrospect Kobe Bryant lived a short life – but a full one. He accomplishment things that most only dream of. Yet, his biggest accomplishment is his ability to share his consciousness to the new generation of dreamers. Though he, his daughter alongside seven wonderful souls have left this earth in a tragic helicopter accident, his legacy will live on forever.
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