Greg Thomas, the president of Visual Concepts, which developed the sport, mentioned in a statement that the decision was made to honor Bryant's "influence" on the game of basketball. The Kobe Bryant Edition will feature the Lakers legend leaping via the air in his No. eight jersey. The Black Mamba Edition will function Bryant in his No. 24 uniform. Both versions of the game shall be available for purchase later this 12 months.

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In addition to future animation tasks, he had been in talks with animator veteran Bruce Smith for the last six months earlier than his death about starting his own animation studio. He carried out at a 1997 concert by Sway & King Tech and recorded a verse for a remix of Brian McKnight's "Hold Me". Bryant even appeared on Lakers teammate O'Neal's Respect, beginning the track "3 X's Dope", although Bryant's name was not listed on the credit.

This adopted with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the primary time in his profession (the youngest player to receive All-Defensive honors). While playing second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs, Bryant had some clutch performances, together with a 25-point, 11-rebound, 7-assist, 4-block game in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals towards the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 2000 Finals, against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the second quarter of Game 2 after touchdown on the Pacers' Jalen Rose's foot. In Game 4, Bryant scored 22 factors within the second half and led the group to an OT victory as O'Neal fouled out of the sport. With a 116–111 victory in Game 6, the Lakers won their first championship since 1988.

Since his second year within the league, Bryant has been selected to begin out every NBA All-Star Game that has been held within the last fourteen years. He has won the All-Star MVP Award 4 occasions , tying him for the most All Star MVP Awards in NBA history. He is a 14-time member of the All-NBA staff and an 12-time member of the All-Defensive team; he's also the youngest participant ever to obtain defensive honors. At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, he won gold medals as a member of the USA nationwide team. In 2009, Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the highest NBA player of the 2000s . Tragedy struck the world of basketball and sport generally on 26 January 2020 when Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in California at the age of 41.

Bryant additionally had a career-high 46.9% capturing and as quickly as once more led his staff in assists. While making the All-NBA Defensive Team again, Bryant was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career. The Lakers gained fifty eight video games that year and finished second in the Pacific Division behind in-state rival Sacramento Kings. Bryant was suspended one recreation after he punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers after the Lakers' March 1, 2002 victory over the Pacers. Bryant debuted within the Summer Pro League in Long Beach, California, scoring 25 factors in entrance of a standing-room-only crowd. Defenders struggled to get in entrance of him, and his efficiency excited West and Lakers coach Del Harris.

Kobe Bryant was a 20-year Los Angeles Lakers player who won 5 NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, and 18 NBA All-Star alternatives throughout his time there. He grew to become a job mannequin for aspiring athletes around the world because of his unwavering work ethic and his never-ending quest for greatness. Amanda Gordon and her husband, Philip, mourn the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant near the site of a helicopter crash Calabasas that claimed the lives of the Lakers legend, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. Fans gather outside Staples Center in Los Angeles to mourn the demise of Kobe Bryant after news spread that Bryant and his daughter Gianna have been among the nine killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. A couple pay their respects at a memorial at home plate in honor of Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, who perished with wife Keri, and daughter, Alyssa, in Sunday’s helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant. Magic Johnson called him “a totally different cat,” and he was.

The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second spherical and superior to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced Phoenix Suns. In Game 2, Bryant completed the sport with 13 assists, setting a model new playoff profession high; it was the most assists by a Laker within the playoffs since Magic Johnson had thirteen in 1996. The Lakers went on to win the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for a third straight season. Bryant received his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award.