(as of 7/20/2003) NBA NOTES: • Has appeared in 85 career NBA Playoff games (prior to the 2003 Playoffs), averaging 20.8 ppg.., 4.8 rpg., 4.1 apg. • Currently ranks as the second all-time leader in scoring average for NBA All-star Games (minimum 3 games) averaging 21.0 ppg. • Became the youngest player ever named to an NBA All-Defensive Team when he earned All-Defensive First Team in 1999-2000. • Named in 2002-03 All-NBA First Team for the the second straight year (2002, 2003). • Finished third in the 2002-03 MVP voting, compiled 496 points and had eight first place votes. Placed eighth in voting for 2003 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. • Named 2002-03 NBA All-Defensive First Team, his second First Team selection. • Finished in 2002-03 finished ranked first in the NBA in field goals made (868), second in scoring (30.0 ppg.), second in field goals attempted (1924), second in minutes played (3401), second in free throws made (601), fourth in minutes averaged (41.5 mpg.), fifth in free throws attempted (713), fifth in efficiency ranking (28.02), sixth in steals (2.21 spg.), 14th in assists (5.9 apg.), 18th in 3-point field goals made (124), 25th in free throw percentage (.843) and 27th in 3-point percentage (.383). • In 2003 for the first time in his career he received the most votes (1,474,386) in NBA All-star balloting. • Earned a fifth consecutive All-Star appearance, recorded 22 points, seven rebpounds, six assists, three steals and two blocked shots in 36 minutes of action in the 2003 All-Star game. • Assembled in February 2003 one of the greatest individual scoring streaks the NBA has ever seen. Scored 40 or more in nine straight games (41 pts. versus Seattle, 2/23; 40 vs. Portland, 2/21; 40 versus Utah, 2/19; 52 versus Houston, 2/18; 40 versus New York, 2/16; 44 versus San Antonio, 2/14; 51 versus Denver, 2/12; 42 versus Denver, 2/11; and 46 versus New York, 2/6). The all-time record belongs to Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 40-plus in 14-straight games twice during the 1961-62 season. Michael Jordan also scored 40-plus in nine straight in the 1986-87 season. • Made a record-breaking 12 3-pointers in a single game on Jan. 7, 2003, against the Seattle SuperSonics. • With 3:57 left in the third quarter of the Lakers game against Indiana on March 5, 2003, he reached 10,000 points for his career, making him the youngest player (24 years, 193 days) in NBA history to reach that plateau, outpacing Bob McAdoo (25 years, 148 days), Laker teammate Shaquille O'Neal (25 yrs., 341 days), Michael Jordan (25 years, 343 days) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25 years, 344 days). • A member of the 2002 Laker championship team and averaged 26.6 ppg., 5.8 apg. and 4.6 apg. in 19 postseason games. • Selected to the 2001-2002 All-NBA First Team after averaging 25.2 ppg. (sixth in the NBA), 5.5 rpg. and 5.5 apg. (19th in the NBA), while shooting 46.9 percent (34th in the NBA) from the floor. • Selected to the 2001-02 All-Defensive Second Team. • Named MVP of the 2002 All-Star Game in his hometown of Philadelphia after tallying 31 points, five rebounds and five assists. • A member of the 2001 Laker championship team and averaged 29.4 ppg., 7.3 rpg. And 6.1 apg. In 16 postseason games. • Selected to the 2000-01 All-NBA Second Team after averaging 28.5 ppg. (fourth in the NBA), 5.9 rpg., 5.0 apg., 40.9 minutes played (seventh in the NBA), while shooting 85.3 percent (18th in the NBA) from the foul line and 46.4 percent (37th in the NBA) from the field. • A member of the 2000 Laker
championship team, played in 22 of 23 postseason games and averaged 21.1
ppg., 4.5 rpg., and 4.4 apg. • Selected to the 1999-2000 All-NBA Second Team and averaged 22.5 ppg. (12th in the NBA), 6.3 rpg., 4.9 apg., 38.2 minutes a game (16th in the NBA), and shot 46.8 percent (39th in the NBA) from the field overall and 82.1 percent (33rd in the NBA) from the free throw line. • Selected to the 1999-2000 NBA All-Defensive First Team and named to the 1999-2000 NBA All-Interview Second Team. • Netted 15 points as a starter in the 2000 NBA All-Star Game. • Named to the 1998-99 All-NBA Third Team after averaging a team second best 19.9 ppg. (15th in the NBA), 5.3 rpg., 3.8 assists and leading the Lakers in steals (1.44 spg.), while shooting 83.9 percent (20th in the NBA) from the free throw stripe. • Became the youngest player to start an All-Star Game in 1998 and posted a team-high 18 points and added six rebounds. • Named to the 1996-97 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, averaging 7.6 ppg., 1.9 rpg., 1.3 apg. and 15.5 mpg in 71 games. • Won the Nestle Crunch Slam Dunk during the 1997 NBA All-star Weekend in Cleveland. • Participated in the Schick Rookie Game and posted a rookie game-record 31 points and eight rebounds. • Made his first career start, scoring 12 points, against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 28, 1997. • Made his NBA debut (against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 3, 1996) at the age of 18 years, 2 months and 11 days old to become the youngest player in Los Angeles franchise history to appear in an NBA game, and became the second youngest player ever in an NBA game (only Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal, who was 18 years, one month and 22 days old when he made his NBA debut, was younger). • Selected out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round (13th pick overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft. His draft rights were traded by the Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996. HIGH SCHOOL NOTES: • Concluded his high school career as the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania history with 2,883 points, surpassing the mark established by Wilt Chamberlain (2,359). • Named the 1996 Naismith High School Player of the Year and Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year senior year. • Selected by USA Today and Parade Magazine as the 1996 National High School Player of the Year as a senior at Lower Merion High School (Pa.) after averaging 30.8 ppg., 12.0 rpg., 6.5 apg., 4.0 spg. and 3.8 bpg. • Led Lower Merion H.S. to a 31-3 record and Class AAAA state title as a senior. PERSONAL NOTES: • His parents named him after a type of steak (Kobe) seen on a restaurant menu prior to his birth. • Spent eight years of his childhood in Italy and is fluent in Italian. • Has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya. • His father, Joe "Jelly Bean" Bryant, averaged 8.7 ppg. in 606 career games in the NBA. | ||||||||||||||