1997-98 Topps #171 Kobe Bryant BGS 9

Description

Kobe Bryant was originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft with the 13th overall pick but was traded to the LA Lakers in a trade that involved Vlade Divac.  He would become the youngest player in the NBA to become a starter at 18 years and 158 days old, he would also be the second youngest player in the league at 18 years 72 days old.  He would win the 1997 NBA All-Star Slam dunk title.  He would spend his entire 20-year career with the LA Lakers.  He is the son of journeyman basketball player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant.  He was a stud for Lower Merion High School in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.  Kobe would help lead the Lakers to 5 NBA titles during his career.  He would win 2 Finals MVP Awards, 4 NBA All-Star MVP awards, the 2008 NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, 15 All-NBA Team selections, 12 All-NBA Defensive Team selections.  He was a member of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Teams that won gold medals, he also was a member of the 2007 FIBA Americas team that won gold to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.  He retired after the 2015-16 season and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2021 posthumously after his death in 2020.  He would wear two numbers during his career #8, which he wore when he was drafted until the end of the 2005-06 season, he then began wearing #24 with the star of the 2006-07 season until his retirement.  Both numbers have been retired by the LA Lakers.  The Lakers had “Black Mamba” jerseys designed to honor Kobe during the 2020 NBA Playoffs.  Kobe dubbed himself the “Black Mamba” in the mid-2000s.  He will always be remembered as one of the best players in the NBA to have never played college basketball.