Skip to content

Top Navigation

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • News
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Coronavirus
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Real Estate
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Shopping
    • Tech
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping
    • Coupons

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Logout
Subscribe

Explore PEOPLE.com

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Every Tiara Worn at a Royal Wedding

      From Princess Beatrice to Meghan Markle Read More Next
    • Engineer Creates App To Translate Your Cat

      Find out what your cat is trying to tell you with a new cat app Read More Next
    • The Sweetest Photos of Princes Harry with Diana

      Princess Diana died when Harry was just 12 years old Read More Next
  • News

    News

    See All News

    Sean Connery's Cause of Death Revealed Weeks After He Dies at Age 90

    Sean Connery died on Oct. 31 at age 90
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
  • Entertainment

    Entertainment

    See All Entertainment

    Coyote Ugly Turns 20: Where Is the Cast Now?

    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Coronavirus
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See All Lifestyle

    Introducing ... PEOPLE's Products Worth the Hype

    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Real Estate
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Shopping
    • Tech
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping

    Shopping

    • Coupons

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

People is on Community!
Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more.
Text: 212-479-1704
  1. People.com
  2. Sports
  3. Incredible Kobe Bryant Throwback Photos that Highlight the Legendary Laker's 20-Year Career

Incredible Kobe Bryant Throwback Photos that Highlight the Legendary Laker's 20-Year Career

From being the first round draft pick straight out of high school, to retiring both of his Los Angeles Lakers jerseys at the Staples Center, relive the greatest moments from the late basketball player's incomparable career

By Diane J. Cho
February 02, 2020 05:30 PM
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet

1 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

Bryant shakes hands with then-NBA Commissioner David Stern (who died on Jan. 1, 2020) after being selected in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft on June 26, 1996, at Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C.

1 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Jon SooHoo/NBAE/Getty

After earning his No. 8 Lakers number, Bryant is seen grinning while posing with a basketball outside the Forum in Inglewood, California, in 1997.

2 of 14

3 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

Bryant and longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal pose for a shot during the national anthem before a game back in the '90s.

3 of 14

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

The smiling Laker accepts his trophy for winning the 1997 Nestle Crunch Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland.

4 of 14

Advertisement

5 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

Bryant had many famous fans during his two-decade career, including golf icon Tiger Woods.

5 of 14

6 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

The lifelong Laker also snagged a photo with another legendary athlete and fan, Muhammad Ali.

6 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

The father of four went head-to-head against the NBA's best players, including Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers.

7 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty

Another basketball foe (on the court) included Michael Jordan.

8 of 14

Advertisement

9 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andy Hayt/NBAE/Getty

Bryant was a part of the 1998 Western Conference All-Star team, along with Jason Kidd, Mitch Richmond, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, Vin Baker, Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Gary Payton, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Tim Duncan.

9 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

The New York Knicks' Patrick Ewing was no match for Bryant in this photo taken back in 2000 at Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C.

10 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

Bryant and O'Neal pose with another Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, after they won the 2000 NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers at the Staples Center in L.A.

11 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

No. 8 goes for the dunk during 2002's game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings.

12 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

13 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty

The five-time NBA champion is seen celebrating his 2002 NBA finals win against the New Jersey Nets.

13 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

14 of 14

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Maxx Wolfson/Getty

The historic player proudly poses with his family after both of his No. 8 and No. 24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys are retired at the Staples Center in L.A. on Dec. 18, 2017.

After welcoming his fourth child with his wife, daughter Capri, in the summer of 2019, Bryant tragically lost his life on Jan. 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 41.

14 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Diane J. Cho

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 14
2 of 14
3 of 14
4 of 14
5 of 14
6 of 14
7 of 14
8 of 14
9 of 14
10 of 14
11 of 14
12 of 14
13 of 14
14 of 14

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

PEOPLE.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap
  • Student Offer this link opens in a new tab

Connect

People is on Community!
Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more.
Text: 212-479-1704
Newsletter Sign Up
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
© Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. People is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Manage Push Notificationsthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab

Manage Push Notifications

If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Google Chrome and Android, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://people.com

View image

Incredible Kobe Bryant Throwback Photos that Highlight the Legendary Laker's 20-Year Career
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.