Happy Heavenly Birthday Kobe Bryant
105.9 Kiss fm would like to wish the late great Kobe Bryant a Happy Heavenly Birthday. Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on this day in 1978. Throughout his 20-year playing career, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA talent, and a 5-time NBA champion. It is easy to find one or two NBA legends that dominated their generation when you look back at NBA history. Magic, Bird, Kareem, Bill, Wilt, Michael and of course Kobe. Kobe Bryant was more than just a basketball player. He was one of the greatest scorers, a great leader, and one of the reasons many of today’s stars play basketball.
When Bryant was 13 years old, his family moved back to Philadelphia from Italy, where he had spent the vast majority of his life growing up. While attending Lower Merion High School, unbeknownst to Bryant, his journey to basketball immortality had begun. Originally drafted 13th overall out of high school, Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night, as part of a deal involving center Vlade Divac, who Charlotte believed could not only help them win games, but also increase attendance.
Bryant’s spent all 20 years of his NBA playing career with the Los Angles Lakers. Besides ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring, Bryant is also eighth in career minutes played, sixth in total field goals made, and one of only three players in NBA history to make the All-Star game 18 times, along with fellow Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.
105.9 Kiss morning show host and Detroit Piston announcer John Mason had the pleasure of announcing Bryant one final time in Detroit before Bryant ultimately retired from the game of basketball. After Bryant’s untimely death. Mason shared his thoughts on Bryant and what he meant to not only the game of basketball, but the entire world. A basketball legend, a Los Angeles Lakers legend, and a true symbol of living life to the fullest, Bryant won both on and off the court. Join us in wishing Kobe “Bean” Bryant a Happy Heavenly Birthday. Bryant would’ve been 44.
