Kobe Bryant Day 2023: Date, History, How to Participate

On August 24 of this year, we celebrate Kobe Bryant Day for the first time. Kobe Bryant was more than a basketball player; he was an inspiration and cultural icon to many aspiring athletes and children growing up in Los Angeles and around the globe. On the day that his numbers (8 and 24) coincide, we honour the life and talent of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, whose life was cut short.

The background of Kobe Bryant Day

Kobe Bean Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1978, to former NBA player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant, his parents. Bryant began practising basketball when he was three years old. At the age of six, his father retired from the NBA and relocated the family to Italy, where he continued to play professional basketball at a lower level. Bryant quickly adapted to his new lifestyle and mastered fluent Italian. Growing up, Bryant’s favourite team was the Lakers, and his grandfather would send him NBA game recordings to study. Bryant would return to the United States each summer to compete in a basketball summer league.

Bryant played varsity basketball as a novice at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia after his family returned to the United States. During his high school basketball career, he attracted the attention of numerous college recruiters, with Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, and Villanova at the top of his list. However, after Kevin Garnett was drafted by the NBA in 1995 out of high school, Bryant considered skipping college and heading straight to the pros. Kobe Bryant, then 17 years old, decided to enter the NBA directly in 1996, becoming only the sixth athlete in history to do so. This decision received a great deal of attention, not only because it was uncommon, but also because his basketball skills and high SAT scores made it possible for him to attend any institution he desired. Instead, he pursued his childhood ambition and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after the Charlotte Hornets acquired and traded him.

Bryant made his Summer Pro League début in Long Beach, California, scoring 25 points in front of a packed house. In four games, he averaged 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while scoring 36 points in the final contest. He was the youngest player to ever appear in an NBA game and the youngest player to ever start an NBA game. The ’98-’99 season marked Bryant’s emergence as a league-leading point guard. Bryant started every game of the lockout-shortened 50-game season after starting guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones were traded away. Even at this early stage in his career, sportswriters were drawing comparisons to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

Kobe played a total of 20 seasons during his tenure with the Lakers. In 1,346 regular season games, his career averages were 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. He won one Most Valuable Player Award and participated in 18 All-Star Games. In the summers of 2008 and 2012, Bryant represented the United States in basketball at the Olympic Games in Beijing and London, respectively, and won gold in both instances. Kobe Bryant announced on November 29, 2015 that he would be retiring from the NBA after the 2015-2016 season, acknowledging that his talents had deteriorated after years of playing and numerous injuries.

Bryant was an ardent benefactor. Kobe granted over 250 wishes to terminally ill children through the Make A Wish Foundation, raised over $81 million for cancer research through Stand Up to Cancer, was named an honorary ambassador of After-School All-Stars, co-founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation with his wife to provide comprehensive services to homeless children in Los Angeles, and gave at least $1 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

At 9:06 a.m. PST on January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna embarked on a helicopter ride with six family members and a pilot. The party was travelling to a basketball game in Thousand Oaks at Bryant’s Mamba Academy. Light rain and fog grounded LAPD helicopters and most other air traffic. At 9:45 a.m., the helicopter crashed into a Calabasas mountainside and caught flames.

Once, Kobe Bryant referred to his daughter Gianna as his basketball legacy. She aspired to participate in the WNBA due to her passion for the sport. Kobe was his daughter’s basketball coach and mentor, and when asked why he and his wife never had a son to continue on his legacy, he frequently deferred to the incredibly capable Gianna. It is essential to remember not only Kobe Bryant’s passing, but also his daughter and the promise she once held that will sadly go unfulfilled.

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN KOBE BRYANT DAY

Utilise the numbers 8 and 24

Kobe began his NBA career donning the number 8, but as he transitioned from rookie to leader, he chose the number 24. On Kobe Bryant Memorial Day, honour him by donning his legendary numbers.

Rewatch Kobe Bryant’s best moments.

Find your favourite compilation of Kobe Bryant’s groundbreaking basketball career on YouTube, or even just the goofy moments that made him a likeable and humorous man.

Donate to the causes he championed.

Bryant was ardent about philanthropy and has always given back to those in need. Consider donating to After-School All-Stars, Stand Up to Cancer, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation on Kobe Bryant Remembrance Day.

KOBE BRYANT DAY DATES