Kobe Bryant

At 41 years old, Kobe Bryant has this physical status:

Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player.

He spent his entire 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He came right out of high school and won five NBA championships.

Bryant, an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive team, and the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008.

He was widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, ranked third on the league's all-time regular season scoring list and fourth on the all-time playoff rankings.

Bryant is the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons. Bryant is the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant.

Early life

Bryant was born 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 uncle of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. His parents named him after the popular beef of Kobe, Japan, which they had on a restaurant menu. Bean, his middle name, was derived from his father's name "Jellybean." Bryant's family was Catholic, and he was raised in this faith.

Bryant started playing basketball when he was three years old, and the Los Angeles Lakers were his favorite team when he was growing up. When Bryant was six years old, he and his family moved to Rieti, Italy, to continue playing professional basketball. They moved to Reggio Calabria first, then to Pistoia and Reggio Emilia after two years. Kobe adapted to his new lifestyle and learned to speak fluent Italian. He was particularly fond of Reggio Emilia, which he regarded as a loving place and where some of his best childhood memories were made. While living in Reggio Emilia, Bryant began playing basketball seriously. Bryant's grandfather would send him NBA games for Bryant to study. Animated European films about sports were another source of inspiration, from which he learned more about basketball. His father competed for Olimpia Basket Pistoia from 1987 to 1989, where he partnered with former Detroit Pistons Leon Douglas. "It's always been Kobe at halftime, and I'll be shooting at halftime," Douglas says of Kobe. He'd better get out and get his shot up. We'd come out of the locker room at halftime and had to chase him off the courthouse."

Bryant learned to play soccer, and A.C. Milan was his favorite soccer team. Bryant will return to the United States to compete in a basketball summer league in the summers. Bryant and his family returned to Philadelphia, where he started in eighth grade at Bala Cynwyd Middle School.

During a remarkable high-school career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, a Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion, Bryant gained national attention. As a freshman, he competed on the varsity basketball team. Bryant was the first freshman to get off Lower Merion's varsity team in decades, but the team ended with a 4-20 record. The Aces held a 77–13 record in the three years, with Bryant playing all five positions. He averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, 2.3 blocks, and 2.3 steals during his junior year, winning a fourth-team Parade All-American nomination while still receiving a fourth-team honor. He had ranked Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, and Villanova. However, Bryant did not start considering going directly to the pros after high schooler Kevin Garnett was disqualified in the first round of the 1995 NBA draft.

Bryant earned the 1995 senior MVP award while playing with future NBA teammate Lamar Odom at Adidas ABCD Camp. When Bryant was in high school, 76ers coach John Lucas invited him to work out and scrimmage with the team, where he competed one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse. Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years in his senior year. In leading the Aces to a 31–3 record, he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots during the run. Bryant earned 2,883 points in his high school career, outstripping both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons.

Bryant received several accolades for his outstanding service at Lower Merion's senior year. These included being named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Men's National Basketball Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American, a USA Today All-USA First Team member, and a USA Today All-USA First Team member. Greg Downer, Bryant's varsity coach, said he was "a complete player who dominates" and praised his work ethic, even as the team's top player. Bryant took R&B singer Brandy to his senior prom in 1996. In the end, Bryant, the 17-year-old Bryant, made the decision to step straight into the NBA, becoming the sixth player to do so in NBA history. Bryant's story gained a lot of buzz at a time when prep-to-pro NBA players were not common (Garnett being the only exception in 20 years). His basketball skills and SAT rank of 1080 would have guaranteed admission to any college he wanted, but he did not officially visit any campuses. Bryant was named one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans in 2012 for his high-school play as well as his later accomplishments.

Source

Professional career

Bryant had worked out in Los Angeles, where he scrimmaged former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper before the 1996 NBA draft, and "marched over these people," according to then-Lakers general manager Jerry West.

To make an offer to free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers were trying to trade Vlade Divac for a player's draft right to free up salary cap space. Bill Branch, the Charlotte Hornets' head scout at the time, said that the Hornets decided to trade their No. 77. The Lakers' 13 pick was chosen the day before the draft. The Hornets never considered draft Bryant until the trade deal was reached. The Lakers told the Hornets who should pick minutes before the pick was made during the draft. Bryant was the first guard to be drafted straight out of high school. The trade was in jeopardy after the draft was completed, not to be transferred from Los Angeles, when Divac threatened to retire rather than being sent from Los Angeles. However, Divac reacted to his challenge on June 30, and the offer was made final on July 9, 1996, when the league's off-season moratorium came to an end. Since Bryant was only 17 years old at the time, his parents had to cosign his Lakers deal until he was able to sign his own when he turned 18 before the season began. Bryant's three-year rookie deal brought him $3.5 million.

Bryant made his Summer Pro League debut in Long Beach, California, scoring 25 points in front of a standing-room-only audience. Defenders were unable to get in front of him, and West and Lakers coach Del Harris was thrilled. In four games, he scored 36 points in the championship and finished with averages of 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Bryant was mostly out on the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel as a rookie in 1996-97. At the time, he was the second-youngest player to play in an NBA game (18 years, 72 days) and then became the youngest NBA starter (18 years, 158 days). Bryant saw limited minutes in the beginning of the season, but as the season progressed, he began to get more playing time.

He played 15.5 minutes per game by the end of the season. Bryant competed in the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and emerged as the youngest dunk champion at the age of 18. Bryant's success throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with fellow benchmate Travis Knight.

When Bryant was forced into a lead role after Game 5, the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. Byron Scott was forced to leave the game due to a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was suspended for combat with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bryant fired four air balls at the end of the game; the Jazz beat the Lakers 4–1. In the fourth quarter, he missed a game-winning two-point jump shot in the fourth quarter and then missed 3 three-point field goals in overtime, including two tying shots in the final minute. "Bryant] was the only guy with the nerves at the time to shoot like that," O'Neal said.

In Bryant's second season, he gained more playing time and demonstrated more of his skills as a good young guard. As a result, Bryant's point average has increased by more than doubled, from 7.6 to 15.4 points per game. When the Lakers "played small," Bryant's minutes would rise, and the guards would normally back up. Bryant was the nominee for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, and he was also the youngest NBA All-Star starter in NBA history, thanks to fan votes. He was joined by colleagues O'Neal, Van Exel, and Jones for the first time since 1983, four players on the same team were chosen to compete in the same All-Star Game. Bryant's 15.4 points per game was the most non-starter in the season.

Bryant's emergence as a premier guard in the league came during the 1998-99 season. Bryant played every game for the lockout-shortened 50-game season, with starting guards Van Exel and Jones swapped. Bryant signed a six-year contract extension worth $70 million during the season. He remained with the Lakers until the 2003–04 season. Sportswriters were already comparing his abilities to those of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson at an early stage in his career. The playoff results, on the other hand, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals.

When Phil Jackson took over as the Lakers' coach in 1999, Bryant's fortunes will rise. Bryant became one of the best shooting guards in the league after years of steady improvement, appearing on the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams. The Lakers' center-guard pairing of Bryant and O'Neal made them championship candidates. In six championships with the Chicago Bulls, Jackson exploited the triangle strategy; this offense could help Bryant and O'Neal advance to the top class of the NBA. In 2000, 2001, and 2002, three championships were won for the third time in a row, solidifying this belief.

Bryant was forced to miss six weeks during the 1999–2000 season due to a hand injury he sustained during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards. During the 1999–2000 season, Bryant had an increase in all statistical categories. This included leading the team in assists per game and steals per game. The Lakers won 67 games, tied for fifth-most in NBA history, with a strong bench. For the first time in his career, O'Neal and Bryant were named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team, as the youngest player to receive All-Defensive awards. Bryant had some good games against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7, from second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs, including a 25-point, 11-rebound, 4-block game. To clinch the game and the series, he also gave O'Neal an alley-oop pass. Bryant sustained his ankle in the second quarter of Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers after landing on the Pacers' Jalen Rose's foot. Rose later confessed to intentionally placing his foot under Bryant. Bryant did not return to the game, and he also missed Game 3 due to his injury. Bryant scored 22 points in the second half and led the team to an OT victory as O'Neal fouled out of the game. Bryant put the Lakers up 120-118 on the winning shot. The Lakers won their first championship since 1988 with a 116–111 victory in Game 6.

Bryant's 2000-2001 season saw him perform roughly identical to the previous year, but he only gained six more points per game (28.5). It was also the year when controversies between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface. Bryant led the team in assists once more, with five per game. However, the Lakers won 56 games, an 11-game dropoff from last year. In the playoffs, the Lakers will respond by going 15-1. In the first round, the Portland Trail Blazers were a landslide. The Lakers thrashed the Sacramento Kings in the semifinals round. Bryant led the Kings to victory in Game 4 with 48 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Finals before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. The lions will win the next four games and their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. Bryant had a good game during the playoffs, with his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. Bryant was proclaimed the best player in the league by teammate O'Neal in the playoffs. For the second year in a row, Bryant was selected to play for the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team. In addition,, he was chosen to begin playing in the NBA All-Star Game for the third year in a row (no game in 1999).

Bryant appeared in 80 games in the 2001–02 season for the first time in his career. Bryant scored a career-high 56 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in a 120-81 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on January 14, 2002. He continued his all-round play by scoring 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Bryant fired to a career-high 46 percent and led his team in assists once more. After a 31-point victory in Philadelphia, he claimed his first All-Star MVP trophy, prompting fans to boo him throughout the game, beginning with a vow from his earlier remark to a 76ers heckler during the playoffs that the Lakers were "going to break your hearts out." Bryant was also selected to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career while making the All-NBA Defensive Team for the second time in his career. The Lakers played 58 games and finished second in the Pacific Division, behind Sacramento Kings in in-state. After the Lakers' victory over the Pacers on March 1, 2002, Bryant was suspended one game after he punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers.

The road to the Finals will be a lot more difficult than the Lakers' recent record. Although the Lakers swept the Blazers and defeated the Spurs 4–1 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Lakers did not have a home-court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers will play seven games, the first time this has occurred to them since the 2000 Western Conference Finals. The Lakers were able to defeat their division rivals in their third straight NBA Finals appearance, however, they were able to make their third consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 50.4 shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game in the 2002 Finals, against the New Jersey Nets, who scored a quarter of the team's points. Bryant was the youngest player to win three championships at the age of 23. Bryant's play was notable and praised for his play in the fourth quarter of games, specifically the last two rounds of the playoffs. Bryant's fame as a "clutch player" was sathing.

Bryant lost 87-82 to the visiting Spurs in the first game of the 2002–03 season. In a 108–93 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Bryant had a triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. In a game against the Seattle SuperSonics on January 7, 2003, he set a new NBA record for three-pointers. Bryant averaged 30 points per game and began a historic run, scoring 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while average 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he had 6.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, the highest single game ever recorded. Bryant was nominated for both the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams, as well as third place in polling for the MVP award. The Lakers failed in the Western Conference semi-finals to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs after finishing 50-32 on the regular season.

The Lakers were able to sign NBA All-Star Karl Malone and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA championship in the coming season. Before the season, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault. Bryant had to miss certain games due to court appearances or attendance earlier in the day and travel to play games later that day. The Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers in their last game of the regular season. Bryant won the game and the Pacific Division title after two buzzer-beaters. Bryant made a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to send it into overtime at the end of the fourth quarter. The game eventually deteriorated to a second overtime, in which Bryant made another three-pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers over the Blazers 105-104.

The Lakers' starting lineup included O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, and Bryant was able to make it to the NBA Finals. The Detroit Pistons, on the other hand, were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons, who won their first championship since 1990. Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists in a series where shooting 35.9% from the field. Jackson's deal as coach was not renewed, and Rudy Tomjanovich took over. O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant. Bryant turned down a six-year, $100 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed with the Lakers on a seven-year, $136.4 million deal.

During the 2004–05 season, Bryant's fame was seriously scrutinized and chastised, with his image tarnished as a result of all that had happened in the previous year. When Jackson wrote The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, it was a particularly affecting salvo. The book reveals the laments of the Lakers' turbulent 2003–04 season, as well as some of Bryant's skepticisms. Bryant was "uncoachable" in the book, according to Jackson. Tomjanovich resigned as Lakers coach midway through the season, citing the recurrence of health issues and exhaustion. Without Tomjanovich, the Lakers' stewardship for the remainder of the season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen. Bryant was the league's second-leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, but he was surrounded by a subpar supporting cast, and the Lakers went 34-48 and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Bryant's overall success in the NBA dropped last year as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was later demoted to the All-NBA Third Team. Bryant was also involved in public feuds with Malone and Ray Allen during the season.

Bryant's basketball career came to a crossroads in 2005-06's basketball career. Despite past inconsistencies with Bryant, Jackson returned to the Lakers to coach. Bryant endorsed the change, and the two guys appeared to be strong together the second time around, leading the Lakers back to the playoffs. Bryant's individual scoring achievements resulted in the best statistical season of his career. Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks on December 20, 2005. Bryant defeated the entire Mavericks team 62-61, the first time a player has done this since the introduction of the shot clock. Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made news by playing in handshakes and hugs before the game on January 16, 2006, marking a change in the feud that had existed between them. The two were seen laughing together at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game a month later.

Bryant won by 122–104 over the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, a career-high 81 points. Bryant's 81-point game was the second-highest point total in NBA history, surpassing only Chamberlain's 100-point record set in 1962. In a game where the Lakers trailed for halftime by 14 yards and didn't pull away until the fourth quarter, whereas Chamberlain was repeatedly fed by teammates for inside shots in a blowout victory. Chamberlain, who was playing in a tense period where scoring opportunities were more available, accounted for 59% of his team's points in Philadelphia's 169–147 victory, relative to Bryant's scoring 66 percent of the Lakers' 122 points. Bryant made history by winning 45 points or more in four straight games in the same month, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players to do so. Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game in January, his eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for the most 40-point games (27) and the most points scored (2,832) by the end of the 2005–06 season. He won the league's scoring crown for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game, his fifth player in league history to reach at least 35 points per game. Bryant finished fourth in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes, second only to winner Steve Nash.

Bryant will change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006–07 season, according to a news later in the season. Before he switched to 33, Bryant's first high-school number was 24. Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie but that it was out of stock as it was worn by George McCloud, who was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp and chose 8 by increasing those numbers. The Lakers' overtime-forcing and game-winning shots in Game 4 helped them to a 3–1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. In Game 6, they came within six seconds of destroying the second-seeded Suns, but they lost 126-118 in overtime. Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down and eventually fell to the Suns in seven games. Bryant was chastised for shooting only three times in the second half of the 121-90 Game 7 loss to Phoenix after scoring 50 points on 20 of 35 shots in Game 6's loss.

Bryant earned his ninth All-Star Game appearance during his 2006–07 season, with 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals on February 18, his second straight All-Star Game MVP award. Bryant became involved in a number of on-court incidents over the course of the season. He flailed his arm on January 28 while attempting to make eye contact on a potential game-winning jump shot, slapping San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili in the chest with his elbow. Bryant was suspended for the upcoming game against the New York Knicks after a league investigation. Bryant had "unnatural conduct" in swinging his arm backward, according to the suspension's explanation. Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the process, this time securing Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jari. Bryant received his second one-game suspension on March 7. Kyle Korver was elbowed by him in his first game back on March 9 in the face of a Type 1 flagrant foul retroactively classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul.

In a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points, snaping the Lakers' 7-game losing streak. This was his second-best scoring effort of his 11-year career. Bryant's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which culminated in him scoring 60 points in a road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, his second straight 50-point games since Jordan last did it in 1987. Baylor was the only other Laker to do so in three consecutive contests in December 1962. Bryant scored 50 points in the following day, making him the second player in NBA history to have four straight 50-point games behind Chamberlain, who won it twice with streaks of five and seven. Bryant's total number of ten 50-plus point games ended the year, second only by Chamberlain. Bryant also claimed his second straight scoring title of the season. His jersey was the best-selling NBA jersey in the United States and China during the 2006–07 season. A number of journalists have attributed Bryant's heightened success to him, as well as his continuing All-Star appearance on the court. The Lakers were recently disqualified in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, 4–1.

Bryant said on May 27, 2007, ESPN announced that if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority, he would trade him. Bryant expressed his excitement for West's return to the franchise later this year, but denied that if that did not happen, he would want to be traded. However, three days later, Bryant expressed disappointment over a Lakers "insider" who said Bryant was to blame for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and he announced specifically, "I want to be fired." Bryant said in another interview that he had reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request three hours after making that claim. Bryant was later shown in a well-known amateur film arguing that center Andrew Bynum should have been traded for All-Star Jason Kidd.

Bryant made 20,000 points in a game against the New York Knicks on December 23, 2007, after scoring 39 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 8 assists. LeBron James has since broken this record. In a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on March 28, Bryant scored a season-high 53 points to go with ten rebounds.

Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season rather than opting for surgery due to an injury to his shooting hand's tiny finger. "I would like to postpone any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season and the Olympic Games this summer," Bush said of his injury. However, this is an accident that both the Lakers' medical staff and myself will have to monitor on a day-to-day basis.

Bryant, who was aided by the trade for All-Star Pau Gasol, led his team to a record-breaking 57–25 record in West Africa. In the first round, the Lakers defeated the Nuggets in the first round, and Bryant was named league MVP on May 6, 2008. "It's been a long ride," he said. "I'm very proud to represent this group and represent this city." West, who was in charge of bringing Bryant to the Lakers, was on hand at the press conference to watch Bryant receive his MVP award from NBA commissioner David Stern. "Kobe deserved it," Stern said. He's had a great season so far. Doesn't surprise me one bit." Bryant was the only unanimous pick to the All-NBA team on May 8, 2008, his third straight season and sixth time in his career, in addition to winning his MVP award. Kevin Garnett will then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team, receiving 52 points in total, including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth pick.

The Lakers ended the 2007–08 regular season with a 57–25 record, ranked first in the Western Conference, and preparing for a first-round match against the Nuggets. Bryant, who said he made himself a decoy for the majority of the game, scored 18 of his 32 points in Game 1 to keep Los Angeles safely ahead. Denver made the Houston Grizzlies the first 50-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs after the Memphis Grizzlies lost in four games to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004. Bryant had 38 points as the Lakers defeated the Jazz in Game 1 in the first round of the next round. The Lakers won the next game as well, but Games 3 and 4 were also out of reach, despite Bryant's average of 33.5 points per game. The Lakers then advanced to the semifinals after winning the next two games. The San Antonio Spurs qualified for their first appearance in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in five games, progressing to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. This was his fifth appearance in Bryant's career, and the first time without O'Neal that he made the NBA Finals. In six games, the Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics.

Bryant decided not to have surgery to fix his right pinkie in early September 2008. The Lakers began the 2008–09 season by winning their first seven games. Bryant led the team to a new franchise record for most victories this season, starting with 172-175, and the team hit a 21–3 record in December. He was invited to his 11th consecutive All-Star Game as a starter and was voted Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January, in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the Week three times. Bryant scored 61 points in a game against the Knicks on February 2, 2009, a new record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden. Bryant tallied 27 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals in the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, winning him All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate O'Neal. The Lakers had their best record in the West during the regular season (65–17). For the seventh time in his career, Bryant was runner-up in MVP voting behind James.

The Lakers and the Utah Jazz defeated the Utah Jazz in five games and the Houston Rockets in seven games in the first two rounds in the playoffs. The Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals by defeating the Denver Nuggets in six games. In five games, the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic. After winning his fourth championship, Bryant was given his first NBA MVP award, 7.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks. He was the first player to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists in a Finals series since West, with the first since Jordan to average 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists for a championship-winning team in the Finals. Bryant was the league's top scorer during the 2000s decade, scoring 21,065 points in regular season play between 1999-00 and 2008-09 seasons.

Bryant made six game-winning shots, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against the Miami Heat on December 4, 2009. Bryant regarded the shot as "one of the finest he's made." In a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves a week later, Bryant sustained an avulsion fracture in his right index finger. Despite the injury, Bryant decided to keep playing rather than taking time off to rest the injury. He made another game-winning shot against the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime, five days after his finger surgery. During his career, Bryant was the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 points, beating Chamberlain. He continued his impressive clutch performances against the Sacramento Kings in yet another game-winning three-pointer, as well as the Boston Celtics' game-winning field goal. He surpassed West in the Lakers' all-time leading scorer the following day. Bryant returned and made another good three-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies after being sidelined for five games due to an ankle injury. Against the Toronto Raptors, he shot his sixth game-winning goal of the season.

Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87 million on April 2, 2010. Bryant missed four of the final five games due to knee and finger injuries. Bryant sustained multiple injuries over the season, and as a result, he missed nine games. The Lakers debuted in the Western Conference as the top seed in the Western Conference against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ultimately losing in six games. In the second round, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in the second round and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they met the Phoenix Suns. Bryant finished the game with 13 assists, the highest figure in the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996; it was the most assists by a Laker in the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996. The Lakers won the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for the third straight season in a row. Bryant, who shot 6 for 24 from the field, led the Lakers back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit to win the championship in Game 7; he scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and ended the game with 15 rebounds. Bryant won his fifth championship and was named second in a row for his second straight NBA Finals MVP award. This was the first time the Lakers had won a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bryant said that this was the most rewarding of all of his five championships.

Bryant wanted a sixth championship to be equal to Jordan's total. The Lakers began the 2010–11 season by winning their first eight games. Bryant made his ninth game of the season and played against the Denver Nuggets, becoming the youngest NBA player to reach 26,000 points in his career. Bryant also achieved his first triple-double since January 21, 2009. He became the youngest player to score 27,000 points against the Celtics on January 30. Bryant made history by becoming one of seven players with at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists on February 1, 2011. The Lakers won 92–86 over the Celtics after Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half. It was the Lakers' first victory of the season against one of the league's top four teams, who had started the game 0–5 in previous matchups and were outscored by an average of 11 points. Bryant, who was named in his 13th straight All-Star game after being the top vote-getter in the 2011 All-Star Game, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. Bryant went from 12th to sixth place on the NBA all-time scoring list, surpassing John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone. Bryant averaged less than 20 shots per game on the season, his fewest since the 2003-2004 season.

In the previous day's match, Bryant was fined $100,000 for directing a racist slur at referee Bennie Adams. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation lauded Bryant's decision to fine Bryant, while the Human Rights Campaign said Bryant's language was "disgrace" and "distasteful." Bryant said he was open to discussing the issue with gay rights organizations and he appealed his fine. He later apologised for the word's use. Bryant and other Lakers appeared in a Lakers public service announcement denouncing his conduct. In the second round of the playoffs, the team's quest for another three-peat was put to a halt.

Bryant underwent experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy in Germany to relieve his left knee and ankle pain, and Mike Brown was fired from the Lakers as coach in the off-season. Bryant began the season playing with an injured wrist. Bryant scored 48 points against the Suns on January 10, 2012. Bryant said, "Not bad for the seventh best player in the league," said Bryant, referring to a preseason ESPN ranking of the NBA's top players. In his next three games, he scored 40, 42, and 42. It was the sixth time in his career that he scored 40 or more points in four straight games, a feat that only Chamberlain (19 times). Bryant scored 27 points to over Jordan as the career scoring leader in the All-Star Game at the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. In the third quarter of the All-Star Game, he sustained a broken nose and a concussion. Bryant missed seven games due to a bruised left shin in April. He played three games before the regular season ended. He stayed out of the season finale against Sacramento, foregoing the hunt for his third NBA scoring crown after needing 38 points to defeat Kevin Durant. Durant and Oklahoma City knocked the Lakers out of the playoffs by the second round of the playoffs, losing in five games in what would be Bryant's last playoff appearance.

In 2012–13, the Lakers acquired center Dwight Howard and point guard Steve Nash. Bryant scored 40 points with two steals on November 2, 2012, defeating Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers' career steals leader. The Lakers lost the game to the Clippers for the first time in 34 years, and just fourth time in franchise history. Coach Brown was fired after starting the season 1–4. Mike D'Antoni, who Bryant knew as a child, was brought to Italy, and D'Antoni was also a celebrity there. During their time with Team USA, Bryant had a close friendship with D'Antoni. Bryant became the youngest player (34 years and 104 days) in league history to score 30,000 points against New Orleans on December 5, becoming the first four players to reach that milestone. Bryant scored 30+ points in his seventh game in a row after turning 34 years old, on December 18, his longest streak in his career. In a 104–87 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, he scored 27 points, cutting out the entire fourth quarter. D'Antoni began with Bryant as the opponent's best perimeter player, and Bryant was the primary defender on the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving, who was limited to 15 points. Bryant said he was more effective defensive player when he had a difficult defensive job as opposed to when he was playing off the ball against younger players. His defense stifled opponents and released Nash from unfavorable matches.

Throughout much of the first 42 games, Bryant was leading the league in scoring. D'Antoni got off the field and became more of a spot-up shooter after a rough start to the season. Bryant had at least ten assists in three games in the next three games, the most in his career. With nine rebounds twice and eight in the other, he missed a triple-double in each game. In back-to-back games, he scored at least 40 points and had at least 10 assists, becoming the first Laker to do so since West in 1970.

Bryant started playing almost every game as the Lakers attempt to earn their eighth and final playoff appearance in the Western Conference, as well as injuries on the staff. Bryant made history by winning 47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in an NBA game on April 10, 2013. Bryant sustained a torn Achilles tendon injury against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, snapping him off the season. He suffered while playing seven quarters and at least 40 minutes in seven consecutive games. Bryant, 34, was averaging his most minutes (38.6) in six years, and only Portland rookie Damian Lillard was averaging more minutes. Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers' general manager, had spoken to Bryant about his extensive playing time ten days earlier, but Bryant insisted that the minutes must continue given the Lakers' playoff push. Bryant underwent surgery on April 13 to patch the tear, and it was estimated that he would be out in six to nine months. He finished the season with an average of 27.3 points, 46.3 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds, and 6 assists. However, the New York Times called his Lakers' leadership "some of his finest work of his career" back to playoff contention. He scored eight times during the season and eleven times in his role as distributor, dubbed "Magic Mamba" after Magic Johnson's passing skills. Bryant's assists were the second-highest of his career, and his field goal percentage hit his highest level since 2008–09. The Lakers finished the season at 43–37, good for seventh in the West. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

Bryant returned to practice in November 2013, only after the 2013–14 season had just begun. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Lakers on November 25, at a price of $48.5 million. Despite being the league's highest-paid player, he nevertheless agreed to a reduced contract; he was still eligible for a contract extension that began at $32 million per year. Bryant's contract became polarizing topic, with detractors arguing that actors should earn less money to give their squad more financial independence, and proponents argued that the NBA's top stars were earning less money than their true value. After missing the season's first 19 games, Bryant returned to action on December 8. In a 96–92 victory over Memphis, Bryant matched his season high of 21 points, but he had a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left leg, which was expected to sideline him for six weeks. Since recovering from his Achilles injury, he had played six games, including time as the point guard after injuries to Nash, Steve Blake, and Jordan Farmar. Bryant was averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds. Despite being marginalized, he was voted by fans to begin his 16th All-Star game. Bryant said he was deserving of the selection, but others liked it as a career achievement award for his previous work. However, he didn't participate in the game due to his knee injury, but he was still hampered by it. Bryant will be out for the remainder of the season after being ruled out of practice and limited time. The team was 22-42, tied for the lowest record in the Western Conference at the time, and tied for the lowest record in the Western Conference. For the first time since 2005, the Lakers finished 27–55 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

Bryant rejoined the Lakers for 19th season, his 19th season with the team, who had swapped D'Antoni with Bryant's former Lakers teammate, Byron Scott. Bryant scored 31 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds in overtime over the Toronto Raptors on November 30, 2014. He made history by becoming the first NBA player to score 30 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists in a game at age 36. In a 100-94 victory over Minnesota, Bryant became the NBA's third all-time leading scorer, beating Jordan (32,292). He appeared in the first 27 games of the season, averaging team-highs with 26.4 points and 35.4 minutes per game while leading the league with 22.4 shots per game. In a 108–101 loss to Sacramento, Scott held him out for three straight games to recover after one of his worst performances of the season, when Bryant had nine turnovers and scored 25 points on just 8-for-30 shooting. He was suffering from soreness in his knees, feet, back, and Achilles tendons, and Scott decided to minimize his workload going forward. Bryant had more than 40 minutes in a game, and the coach chastised him for overburding him after he began the season in such good shape. Bryant had been shooting just 37 percent from the field for the season, and the team's record was only 8-19. In his second game back from resting, he had 23 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 111-103 victory over Denver, becoming only the third player in league history to reach multiple triple-doubles in a season at least 36 years old. Bryant sustained a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder while driving base against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 21, 2015. Despite being right-handed, he returned to play in the game and ran the offense when shooting, dribbling, and passing almost exclusively with his left hand. Bryant had been suspended in 8 of 16 games before his injury. He underwent season-ending surgery for the injury, but the season ended with 22.3 points but shooting a career-low 37.3 percent, much below his career average of 45.4 percent to start the season. He was forecast to be out for nine months with a return date set for the 2015–16 season. The Lakers ended the season with a record of 21-61, the highest loss in a season since they had set the previous record for the most losses in a season.

Bryant missed the final two weeks of exhibition games after recovering from a calf injury. Nevertheless, he appeared in the season opener to start his 20th season with the Lakers, surpassing John Stockton's record of 19 for the most seasons with the same team. After losing 111–77 to the Warriors on November 24, 2015, the Lakers fell to 2–12. Bryant scored just four points in 25 minutes on 1-for-14 shooting, his lowest-shooting game of his career in which he attempted at least five shots. Bryant played his last game against his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on December 1, 2015, where the Lakers lost 103–91.

Bryant revealed via The Players' Tribune on November 29, 2015, that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Bryant wrote "Dear Basketball" in his poem "Dear Basketball" at age six: "A passion so deep I gave you my all/From my mind and body/To my spirit & soul" "I have nothing to lose" in the 2015-2016 season./My heart will take the beating/My mind will say goodbye./I'm happy to let you go." Bryant wrote a letter sent to Lakers' fans ahead of their game against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday evening, saying, "what you've done for me is much more valuable than anything I've done for you." ... My passion for this place, this crew, and for each of you will never fade. "Thank you so much for this incredible journey."

At the time of his announcement, he was second on the team in minutes (30.8) behind Jordan Clarkson and leading the team with 16.7 field goal attempts per game, despite shooting a career-low 31.5 percent. His free throw attempts had dropped from his career peak, and his game had become over-reliant on pump fakes and long-range shots, resulting in a league-worst 19.5 percent from three-point range in a game that saw almost double his career average. He confessed to his fading expertise in his press conference following the announcement. "Even if I play like shit, I've tried really hard not to play like crap and do everything I can." And I'm happy about it," he said.

Bryant requested that opposing teams on the road not hold any on-court ceremonies in his honour or give him any money in public. Before announcing his resignation, he had been steadfast about not wanting the drama of a staged farewell tour, preferring to hear boos rather than cheers. Despite that, he was honoured around the league with video tributes and fan ovations, including arenas that had traditionally mocked him, such as TD Garden in Boston, Wells Fargo Center in Sacramento, Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, and Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. Bryant had been respected but not beloved, and he was astonished at the applause he was getting now.

Bryant won 119-115 over the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 3, with seven three-pointers and scored a then-high 38 points, including 14 of the team's 18 points, including 14 of the team's 14 points. The victory snapped a 10-game losing streak, and the Lakers averted establishing the longest losing streak in franchise history. He was only the fourth NBA player over the age of 37 to score at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a game. Bryant received 1.9 million votes in the 2016 All-Star Game, ahead of Stephen Curry's 1.6 million. Bryant was selected as a frontcourt starter for the first time after moving to a small forward last season. Bryant had 10 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in his first All-Star game since 2013. In an attempt to get him another All-Star MVP, West teammates offered to feed him the ball but he declined.

In the Lakers' 101–96 win, Bryant scored a career-high 60 points against Utah in his last NBA game, defeating the entire Jazz team 23-21. In a game that was 37 years old and 234 days old, he became the oldest player to score 60 or more points. The Lakers ended the season with a 17–65 record, their lowest level in franchise history.

National team career

Bryant decided not to participate in the 2000 Olympics because he was getting married in the off-season. He also decided not to participate in the 2002 FIBA World Championships. Bryant was originally chosen for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003 but he had to cancel after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery. He had to withdraw from the Olympic team in the summer because of a sexual harassment lawsuit. He was one of the first two players to be officially named to the 2006–2008 U.S. preliminary roster by Jerry Colangelo, along with LeBron James. However, he was once more injured after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Bryant's national team career with the United States began in 2007. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men's Senior National Team and USAFIBA Americas Championship Team, which won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympic Games. In all ten of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games, he started. In the tournament, Bryant averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.

On June 23, 2008, he was selected to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. This was his first time attending the Olympics. Team USA defeated Spain 118-107 in the gold medal game since the 2000 Olympics, with Bryant scoring 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, as well as six assists. In eight Olympic games, he averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, while shooting.462 from the field.

Bryant renamed the national team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Bryant resigned from the team after winning another gold medal. He finished his national team career with a record of 26–0 across three tournaments, with three of them winning a gold medal each time.

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