Friday, April 3, 2009

Kobe Bryant

Born: August 23, 1978 Philadelphia, PA
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
HT: / Wt: 6'6 "/ 205 lbs
Event (s): Men's basketball
Position: Guard
In defense of Kobe

The reigning NBA Most valuable Player, Kobe Bryant will make his Olympic debut in Beijing. Though he was named to the U.S. men's senior national team in March 2006, Bryant did not suit up for Team USA until 2007; surgery on his right knee in July 2006 kept him sidelined. But in his first event, the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament in which the U.S. went 10-0 and qualified for the 2008 Games, his performance was exactly what USA Basketball had hoped for: someone who can score if he needs to but puts extra emphasis on defense. Bryant started in each game and was third on the team with 15.3 points per game, but he boasted a team-best 1.6 steals and regularly guarded the opponent's best player. "If they have a great guard, whoever the head of the snake is over there, it's my responsibility to try to take him out," Bryant says.

Representing the country

A 12-year NBA veteran, Bryant has been invited to play on previous Olympic teams but declined. In 2004, he did not play for the team as he was facing rape charges that were later dropped. The timing is right for 2008 - even though he's been playing with a Torn ligament in his right pinkie since February. He opted to put off surgery until after Beijing. "It's a chance to represent your country," Bryant says of the Olympics. "This is our way of being soldiers. This is what we do, is play basketball. It's like our way of representing our country - on a small scale." Playing for Team USA is something he's always wanted to do. About his first opportunity in the red, white and blue, Bryant said, "I stayed in my uniform all night long the first night I got it. Just because I always wanted to play for the U.S. since I was a kid; was my chance finally here. I was just extremely excited. "


NBA's finest

The 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team will be rich with talent, but few boast the professional accolades of Bryant. The Los Angeles locker and three-time NBA champion earned his first NBA MVP award this season after averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.84 steals while playing all 82 games in the 2007-08 season. Additionally, Bryant has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last 10 Seasons (first team six times), has been named to the NBA's All-Defensive eight times (first team six times) and was voted by the fans as a starter for the Western Conference All-Star Team in each of the last 10 games, leading all NBA players in voting for the 2003 All-Star Game.

Leading laker

The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, Kobe was drafted in 1996 straight out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets and No. 13, but traded within weeks to Los Angeles, with whom he has played his entire career. He was the first player in Los Angeles franchise history to make the transition from high school to the pros. At 18 years, two months and 11 days when he made his NBA debut, Bryant was the youngest locker to appear in a regular season game (Andrew Bynum has since eclipsed that mark), and the second-youngest in NBA history (behind Jermaine O 'Neal and now Bynum). In just his second season, the 19-year-old Bryant became the youngest All-Star in NBA history when he was voted a starter for the 1998 game - despite starting just one game all year for the Lakers.


Big man on campus

At Lower Merion High in Ardmore, Pa., Bryant became the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania history (2,883 points), exceeded the marks of Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (2359). As a senior, Bryant was named USA Today's National High School Player of the Year after averaging 30.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.8 blocked shots and leading Lower Merion to the Class 4A state title. He was also awarded the Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year and named to the McDonald's All-American Team.


Married man
Bryant spent eight years of his childhood in Italy and speaks Italian fluently. His parents, Joe and Pam, named him after a type of steak (Kobe) seen on a restaurant menu prior to his birth. He has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya. Bryant was married to his wife Vanessa in April 2001, and they have two daughters, Natalia Gems and Gianna Maria Onore.

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