Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant joined the Los Angeles Lakers straight out of high school in 1996 and never wore another jersey. Over twenty seasons he won five NBA championships, scored 81 points in a single game, and turned obsessive dedication into a philosophy that reached far beyond basketball.

After retiring, he won an Academy Award for his animated short Dear Basketball and poured himself into coaching his daughter Gianna's team — the second act of a life built on love of the game.

Kobe and Gianna died in a helicopter accident on 26 January 2020, along with seven others. The city of Los Angeles painted its walls with their names. Mamba forever.

Five NBA championships, twenty seasons, one city. Kobe's relentless devotion to his craft became a language of its own — the Mamba Mentality.