Welcome To The League
Kobe Bryant is regarded by many as one of the most talented and successful players to come out of the NBA. How did he come to earn this esteem do you ask? Well, for starters he was the first guard ever to be drafted right out of high school. The LA Lakers saw this young kid’s talent and took him straight from Lower Merion High School in Philly in the 1996 Draft and brought him to Los Angeles at the young age of 18. As a rookie, you either rise to the occasion or you crack under pressure. Surprisingly, Kobe was the latter, struggling during his first season and finishing with a mere 7.6 points and 15 minutes per game. But, we have to remind ourselves that Kobe skipped college, so he therefore didn’t have that crucial stepping stone between high school and the pros to mature. Kobe wasn’t one to quit, he trained tirelessly, increased his workouts and made sure to improve his skill during the off-season. The 1997-98 season was a different ballgame entirely for Kobe, his stats increased to 15.4 points and 26 minutes per game…and they only kept getting better, season after season!
Welcome To The League
His Number Was Taken
Kobe began his high school days with the number 24, before finishing his last three years with the number 33. He wanted to be no. 33 in the NBA, except it was already taken…by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of course! The League had the number retired upon Kareem’s retirement in 1989, a legend deserves to be honored! Upon entering the NBA, Kobe took the number 8, and it continued to be his number for his entire career. The photo on the right is of Kobe and Kareem, the two are good friends to this day, as Kobe has always looked up to the legend.
His Number Was Taken
