LA LAKERS

Kobe is a star player

is an American shooting guard who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA)

He was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers

Bryant and then-teammate Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002

Bryant was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the 2007–08 season and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference

He won his fourth NBA championship in 2009, leading the Lakers to their fifteenth title. He also won his first Finals MVP award

Although known by several names throughout his career, Bryant's current nickname is Black Mamba

In 2010, Bryant became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers history