During the season, Bryant signed a six-year contract extension value $70 million. The all-time main scorer in Lakers history, Bryant was the first guard in NBA historical past to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star designations are the second most all time, and he has the second most consecutive appearances as a starter.

Bryant's varsity coach, Greg Downer, commented that he was "an entire player who dominates" and praised his work ethic, even because the group's high player. In 1996, Bryant took R&B singer Brandy to her Hollywood High senior promenade. Ultimately, the 17-year-old Bryant determined to go immediately into the NBA, changing into only the sixth player in NBA historical past to do so. Bryant's information was met with a lot of publicity at a time when prep-to-pro NBA gamers weren't very common . His basketball skills and SAT rating of 1080 would have ensured admission to any college he chose, but he didn't formally go to any campuses. In 2012, Bryant was honored as one of many 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans for his high-school play in addition to his later accomplishments.

I even have good relationships with players across the league. But by way of having one of those nice, bonding friendships—that’s something I will in all probability by no means have. This self-perpetuating image of Bryant as an unyielding workaholic has turn out to be so integral to his ethos that it reflexively informs each other detail about his life. He has turn into The Last Hard Man, the realest of the true, the lone remnant from a Precambrian NBA era when players still hated one another and the one individuals who cared about AAU basketball had been actual eighth graders.

But he never left his American roots behind, returning to the U.S. every summer to play in developmental basketball leagues. The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, was more than a basketball player. He was a symbol of motivation and an image of commitment and greatness.

But still filling the sports world, the world, with deep objective. The August 2023 problem of Sports Illustrated features The Power List, the definitive index of the 50 most influential figures and forces who drive the sports world, on and off the sector and courtroom. For more on The Power List’s Icons and Leaders, like Kobe Bryant, click here.

In 2013, Bryant launched a production firm called Granity Studios, which developed different media, starting from films to television exhibits and novels. Bryant was the topic of Spike Lee's 2009 documentary film Kobe Doin' Work, which chronicled Bryant in the course of the 2007–08 NBA season. In 2009, American rapper Lil Wayne released a music known as "Kobe Bryant". Similarly, in 2010, American rapper Sho Baraka released a music known as "Kobe Bryant On'em", which was featured on his album Lions and Liars. In 2012, American rapper Chief Keef released a track paying tribute to Bryant called "Kobe".

Bryant led the group to tie the franchise record for most wins to start out the season going 17–2, and by the center of December they compiled a 21–3 document. He was selected to his 11th consecutive All-Star Game as a starter, and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January along with being named Western Conference Player of the week 3 times. In a game in opposition to the Knicks on February 2, 2009, Bryant scored sixty one points, setting a document for essentially the most points scored at Madison Square Garden. During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant tallied 27 points, four assists, 4 rebounds, and four steals and was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate O'Neal.

The team's quest for one more three-peat was ended once they had been swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. The Mavericks would go on to win the 2011 NBA Finals. On May 27, 2007, ESPN reported that Bryant said that he wished to be traded if Jerry West didn't return to the staff with full authority.