The late, great Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. His peers would agree that his success is possible because of the work and determination he had throughout his career.

Kobe Bean Bryant changed the game of basketball. His determination inspired the NBA as a whole. Some look at him as the ultimate role model and even a father figure. One thing about him was that he never was stingy with the knowledge he acquired throughout his past experiences in the league.

I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot. — Kobe Bryant

Bryant’s career has been very successful; he won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an 2-time NBA Finals MVP, 18× NBA All-Star, and a NBA Most Valuable Player and the list goes on. 

Kobe was never a stranger to the game since his father was also a professional basketball player. He spent most of his childhood in Italy after his father retired from the NBA and moved his family to Rieti to continue his career, but at a lower level.

Kobe was also very intelligent and had many other skills. He learned two languages — Spanish and Italian. He also takes parts in other sports such as soccer. When he was younger and lived in Philadelphia, soccer was popular for kids in his neighborhood.

Bryant was a man of work. He made a choice in his life that he would never meet failure. He believed that failure was only possible if you quit; if you never quit and keep going you will only receive lessons. This gave him the willpower to push through adversity. The nickname “Black Mamba” represents a killer mentality. 

Kobe Bryant is also a family guy. He met his wife Vanessa when he was only 19 years old. Mr Bryant met her on a music video set where he was blown away by her looks. He loved her uniqueness and culture. He then proceeded to have four daughters with her — Capri, Giannia, Bianca, and Natalia.

Kobe and Vanessa were married for 19 years until his passing. She loved him very much and their family had many memories together. She explained that he was the best thing that ever happened to her and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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