Kobe Bryant: Black Mamba sports influence many people around the world, whether they play sports, watch sports, or even both. People can also be influenced by professional athletes. These same athletes may have done bad things in their professional careers and/or personal lives, but fans still look up to them. A great example of an athlete like this is Kobe “The Black Mamba” Bryant, a professional basketball player. He is well known for his actions on and off the field. While Kobe may not have done great things, he is still a respected and admirable basketball player. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Now who is Kobe Bryant? Well, Kobe was born on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is originally from Lower Merion, Pennsylvania. At one point in Kobe's life, he lived with his older sisters, Shaya and Sharia in Italy. Kobe Bryant nicknamed himself "Black Mamba" after watching the movie Kill Bill. He was initially selected in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets (now known as the New Orleans Pelicans) and then was traded on draft day to the Los Angeles Lakers. He has played for this organization for his entire professional career, which is 18 years. He went to the NBA (National Basketball Association) right after high school. "In his second season as a guard, with the Lakers, Bryant was voted a starter for the 1998 All-Star Game, becoming at 19 the youngest All-Star in NBA history" (Biography). According to Biography, “Kobe Bryant is an NBA athlete who is one of the top players in terms of career points, having earned multiple championship rings. He also won two Olympic gold medals with the US basketball team.” Kobe won a total of 5 NBA championships. "Kobe Bryant is the son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant" (Biography). In high school, Kobe led his high school team to the state championships four consecutive years. Since his goal was to be able to play in the NBA, he began training with the Philadelphia 76ers. All the hard work Kobe Bryant has done and continues to do has paid off and that may be one of the reasons why fans look up to him. Kobe Bryant is known for being one of the hardest working players to ever play in the NBA. Nine years ago (January 22, 2006), Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors. This achievement made Kobe's points scored in a game the second highest points scored in a game behind famed player Wilt Chamberlin with 100 points. Kobe also knows what it takes to be an NBA champion with five championship rings under his belt. In “Champion of the World” by the famous poet Maya Angelou, she states that “he was the strongest man in the world,” referring to the famous boxer Joe Louis (394). This quote refers to Kobe Bryant as he is considered one of the greatest scorers of all time, with a career total of 32,484 points, making him third in scoring. He recently surpassed Michael Jordan on that list. With hard work and dedication, people can achieve anything they want in life. Another thing that makes Kobe Bryant such an inspiring player is that he plays even through injury. He had a messed up finger with little to no cartilage left in one season and also competed in the Olympics that year. Although people admire and respect Kobe Bryant as a player, he has done some things that have put him in a negative light. In 2004, Kobe Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Colorado. According to CBS News. "The night after he was accused of rape, NBA star Kobe Bryant told investigators.