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Kobe was born on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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After his father retired from the NBA, they moved to Italy where his father continued playing basketball in the Italian league.
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In 1991 the family moved back to Philadelphia, and Kobe joined the Lower Merion High School basketball team.
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After leading the high school team to 4 straight championships, Kobe decided to skip college and declare for the NBA draft at just 17 years old -
In 1996, Kobe was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, but during a draft night trade, he was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers -
In just his second season in the NBA, Kobe became the youngest NBA All Star ever at just 19 years old -
During the 1999-2000 season, Kobe wins his first of 5 NBA championships.
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On January 22, 2006 against the Toronto Raptors, Kobe scored an outrageous 81 points, the second most scored in an NBA game to this day. -
Kobe is added to the roster for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and wins his first of 2 gold medals. -
After bringing his team the NBA championship again where they lost to the Boston Celtics, Kobe wins his first of four Most Valuable Player awards.
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In 2010 Kobe ends the season by winning his fifth of five NBA championships.
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In his final NBA game, Kobe scored 60 points on 50 shots, leaving the league with a fantastic performance. -
In 2018, Kobe received the award for Best Animated Short film. This film was an adaptation of his poem "Dear Basketball", which he used to announce his retirement during the 2015-2016 season.
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In 2018, Kobe received the award for Best Animated Short film. This film was an adaptation of his poem "Dear Basketball", which he used to announce his retirement during the 2015-2016 season.
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On January 26, 2020 Kobe died in a helicopter crash that left the NBA and entire basketball world in shock.