Kobe Bryant

Biography

Kobe Bryant was an American basketball player who spent his whole 20-season professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Raised partly in Italy, where his father played professionally, he starred at Lower Merion High School near Philadelphia, then entered the 1996 NBA draft and was traded to the Lakers. He made the All-Star team in his second season and, alongside Shaquille O'Neal, helped the Lakers win three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. He later led the team to titles in 2009 and 2010, earning Finals MVP honors both times, and was named the league's MVP in 2008. A five-time champion and 18-time All-Star who also won two Olympic gold medals, he retired in 2016. In 2018 he received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for Dear Basketball (2017).

41years old at death

Born August 23, 1978Philadelphia
Died January 26, 2020Calabasas
Star sign: VirgoFirst day of the sign, on the Leo cusp
Kobe Bean Bryant (birth name)Also credited as Black Mamba, KB24, Kobe and Kobe B. Bryant

Movie Career

Films: 12
Career span: 18 years2008 to 2026

Genres

Documentary67%, 8 films
Sport42%, 5 films
History17%, 2 films
Action8%, 1 film
Animation8%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the award
Bryant's film Dear Basketball won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018. He was the first African-American to take that award and the first former professional athlete nominated for and to win an Academy Award in any category.
A role that slipped away
Spike Lee wanted Bryant for Jesus Shuttlesworth in his 1998 film He Got Game, and Bryant was the first choice, but he pulled out, explaining "this summer is too big for me."
First role
Bryant made his acting debut in 1996 on an episode of Moesha, after meeting the show's star, Brandy, at a Nike All-Star basketball game earlier that year.
A first
Bryant made the All-Defensive First Team nine times and became the first guard to reach 20 seasons. He also took the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997.
A first
Bryant was the only NBA player to have multiple jersey numbers retired by one franchise, with the Lakers retiring both 8 and 24 in 2017.
Behind the camera
In 2013, Bryant started a production company named Granity Studios. It created media that included films, television shows and novels.

Kobe Bryant movies on Netflix

Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom2026IMDb rating 5.8as Self - LA Lakers Player / Attendee at Lamar & Khloe's Wedding
The Redeem Team2022IMDb rating 7.4as Self - USA 2008
Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul2022IMDb rating 6.8as Himself
Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft2021IMDb rating 7.8
LA Originals2020IMDb rating 7.2as Himself
Dear Basketball2017IMDb rating 7.4as Himself (voice)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Kobe Bryant's Muse2015IMDb rating 7.8as Himself
I Am Bruce Lee2012IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
The Black Mamba2011IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6as Himself
Beijing 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremony2008IMDb rating 8.2as Himself

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Redeem Team2022 Documentary, History, Sportas Self - USA 2008
IMDb rating 7.413K votes
Dear Basketball2017 Animation, Biography, Sportas Himselfvoice
IMDb rating 7.46.5K votes
Kobe Bryant's Muse2015as Himself
IMDb rating 7.82.0K votes
Kobe Doin' Work2009as Himself
IMDb rating 6.61.6K votes
I Am Bruce Lee2012as Himself
IMDb rating 7.44.1K votes
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016as Himself
IMDb rating 7.42.7K votes
Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom2026as Self - LA Lakers Player / Attendee at Lamar & Khloe's Wedding
IMDb rating 5.81.1K votes
LA Originals2020as Himself
IMDb rating 7.22.1K votes

Most often with

Spike Lee directed two of these films. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Michael Jordan

Phil Jackson

Derek Fisher

Spike Lee

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Larry Bird

Spike LeeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Michael Jordan3 films together, 2015 to 2022
Michael Jordan's page
- The Redeem Team2022IMDb rating 7.4Bryant as Self - USA 2008Jordan as Himself
- Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul2022IMDb rating 6.8Bryant as HimselfJordan as Himself
- Kobe Bryant's Muse2015IMDb rating 7.8Bryant as HimselfJordan as Himself
Phil Jackson3 films together, 2009 to 2026
Phil Jackson's page
- Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom2026IMDb rating 5.8Bryant as Self - LA Lakers Player / Attendee at Lamar & Khloe's WeddingJackson as Self - LA Lakers Coach / 13x NBA Champion
- Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul2022IMDb rating 6.8Bryant as HimselfJackson as Himself
- Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6Bryant as HimselfJackson as Himself
Derek Fisher3 films together, 2009 to 2021
Derek Fisher's page
- Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft2021IMDb rating 7.8
- Kobe Bryant's Muse2015IMDb rating 7.8Bryant as HimselfFisher as Himself
- Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6Bryant as HimselfFisher as Himself
Spike Lee2 films together, 2009 to 2016
Spike Lee's page
- Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016IMDb rating 7.4Bryant as HimselfLee as Himself
- Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6Bryant as HimselfLee as Himself
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar2 films together, 2009 to 2015
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's page
- Kobe Bryant's Muse2015IMDb rating 7.8Bryant as HimselfAbdul-Jabbar as Himself
- Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6Bryant as HimselfAbdul-Jabbar as Himself
Larry Bird2 films together, 2015 to 2022
Larry Bird's page
- The Redeem Team2022IMDb rating 7.4Bryant as Self - USA 2008Bird as Himself
- Kobe Bryant's Muse2015IMDb rating 7.8Bryant as HimselfBird as Himself
Spike LeeDirector, 2 films, 2009 to 2016
All films by Spike Lee
- Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016IMDb rating 7.4Bryant as Himself
- Kobe Doin' Work2009IMDb rating 6.6Bryant as Himself
Also two films together8 more actors
- Magic JohnsonReady or Not: The 96 NBA Draft (2021) and Kobe Bryant's Muse (2015)
- Stephen A. SmithKobe Bryant's Muse (2015) and Kobe Doin' Work (2009)
- Kevin GarnettReady or Not: The 96 NBA Draft (2021) and Kobe Bryant's Muse (2015)
- Allen IversonUntold: Operation Flagrant Foul (2022) and Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft (2021)
- Joe BryantReady or Not: The 96 NBA Draft (2021) and Kobe Bryant's Muse (2015)
- Lamar OdomUntold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom (2026) and Kobe Doin' Work (2009)
- Pau GasolThe Redeem Team (2022) and Kobe Doin' Work (2009)
- Vanessa BryantUntold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom (2026) and Kobe Bryant's Muse (2015)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 2009 to 2018, one of them major.

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Kobe Bryant's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
2018	Best Animated Short Film	Dear Basketball	Won
Other honors
2013	All-NBA Team		Won
2012	All-NBA Team		Won
2011	All-NBA Team		Won
2011	NBA All-Defensive Team		Won
2011	NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award		Won
2010	All-NBA Team		Won
2010	Best NBA Player ESPY Award		Won
2010	Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award		Won
2010	NBA All-Defensive Team		Won
2009	All-NBA Team		Won
2009	Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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