This Day In Lakers History: Kobe Bryant Makes NBA Debut Against Timberwolves In 1996 (2024)

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This Day In Lakers History: Kobe Bryant Makes NBA Debut Against Timberwolves In 1996? ›

On November 3, 1996, Kobe Bryant would make his NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers at just 18 years and 72 days old, making him the youngest player to ever appear in an NBA game at that time.

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3, 1996 against the Timberwolves, and made his first NBA start on Jan. 28, 1997, becoming the youngest player to start an NBA game at 18 years, 158 days old — a record he still holds today. Over a 20-season career with the Lakers, Bryant built one of the greatest basketball resumes ever: 5x NBA champion.

Though he boasted good grades and high SAT scores, Bryant decided to go straight to the NBA from high school. He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

This Day In Lakers History: Kobe Bryant Officially Acquired From Hornets. On July 11, 1996, the Los Angeles Lakers officially completed a trade with the Charlotte Hornets to acquire the late great Kobe Bryant.

Kobe was 6'3" at 16. Bron was 6'7". The idea is they're almost full grown during their HS or Freshman year. We could have an average height for all the NBA players but doesn't make sense because they all play different positions and size could end up as either advantage/disadvantage.

Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, the youngest of three children and the only son of Pamela Cox Bryant and former NBA player Joe Bryant. He was also the maternal nephew of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu.

Kobe Bryant 2000 Championship Ring Bids

This ring was from the first of Bryant's five championships with the Lakers during his 20-year career with the franchise that acquired him via a draft day trade in 1996. Bryant died along with his 13-year-old daughter Gigi and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

The NFL Hall of Famer connected the dots between Bryant being someone who idolized Michael Jordan, then emulated him and had the gall to believe he could surpass the legend almost universally recognized as the greatest NBA player ever.

The burial occurred at Pacific View Memorial Park, which is near the family's home in Orange County. Burial originally was planned for Westwood Village Memorial Park but was changed. Bryant and his daughter, 13, were killed along with seven other people in a helicopter crash Jan. 26 near Calabasas, California.

How old was Kobe in 1996? ›

On November 3, 1996, Kobe Bryant would make his NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers at just 18 years and 72 days old, making him the youngest player to ever appear in an NBA game at that time.

Kobe has a geometric logo design that has been around since the beginning of his partnership with Nike in 2003. The abstract illustration is composed of six shapes that form an image of a sword sheath. Kobe explained in an interview that his talent is the sword and his life experiences stand as the sheath.

It was an alter-ego he created to get through the lowest point of his career. In his 2015 auto-documentary "Muse," Bryant revealed that he created The Black Mamba to deal with the struggles he was going through off the court in 2003 and 2004.

As announced by Nike CEO John Donahoe, the Nike Kobe line will return on August 24, Kobe Day 2023. Since Kobe Bryant's death in January 2020, the ultra-popular line has had something of a tumultuous run: Bryant's partnership with Nike expired in 2021 and his estate reportedly had no plans to renew the deal at the time.

The youngest player ever to play in the NBA was Andrew Bynum, who played his first game only six days after his 18th birthday. The oldest active player is LeBron James, who is currently 39 years, 151 days old.

As a rookie in 1996–97, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.

Kobe Bryant is the youngest in an All-Star Game. He was 19 years and 169 days old versus the East on February 8, 1998.

The NBA's rival, the ABA, had already instituted a hardship exemption in 1969. Moses Malone was the first to play professionally directly out of high school in 1974, though with an ABA team before the merger of that association with the NBA.