Which team drafted Kobe Bryant?
Quick answer
The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe Bryant with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. Shortly afterward, they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers for center Vlade Divac, in a deal arranged in advance by Lakers executive Jerry West. Bryant played his entire 20-season career with the Lakers.
Key facts
- Drafted
- 1996, 13th pick, Charlotte Hornets
- Traded to
- Los Angeles Lakers, for Vlade Divac
- NBA championships
- 5 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
- Career
- 1996–2016, all with the Lakers
Straight from high school
Bryant entered the NBA directly from Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania, aged 17. Few players had made that jump at the time. The Lakers were so impressed by his workouts that West worked out a trade before the draft; Charlotte agreed to pick Bryant for them.
Career highlights
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| NBA titles | 5: three with Shaquille O’Neal (2000–2002), two more in 2009 and 2010 |
| Finals MVP | 2009, 2010 |
| League MVP | 2008 |
| 81 points | Against Toronto in 2006, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history |
| All-Star selections | 18 |
| Olympic gold | 2008 and 2012 with Team USA |
| Final game | Scored 60 points in 2016 |
The Lakers retired both of his jersey numbers, 8 and 24.
The “Mamba Mentality”
Bryant gave himself the nickname “Black Mamba” and became known for his intense work ethic, which he called the “Mamba Mentality.” After retiring, he won an Oscar for the animated short Dear Basketball (2018), based on his retirement poem.
A tragic death
On January 26, 2020, Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The NBA All-Star Game MVP award is now named the Kobe Bryant MVP Award.
Other famous draft-day trades
Bryant isn’t the only star traded on draft night. Dirk Nowitzki (1998) was drafted by Milwaukee and traded to Dallas, where he played his entire career.
For one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history, see who has the most Olympic gold medals.
Still curious?
Jump to a random question from the archive.