Bryant led the staff to tie the franchise report 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 eleventh consecutive All-Star Game as a starter, and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the week 3 times. In a recreation in opposition to the Knicks on February 2, 2009, Bryant scored sixty one points, setting a document for the most factors scored at Madison Square Garden. During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant tallied 27 points, four assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals and was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate O'Neal.

Two days from today, he’ll go 2 of 12 towards the Clippers as the Lakers fall 18 half; games out of first place within the Western Conference; two weeks after that, he’ll suffer a rotator-cuff harm that will finish his season completely. This would be the most disheartening campaign of his 19-year career—he simply doesn’t know it yet. I mentally put together myself for a justifiably surly, potentially uncommunicative sociopath. Bryant scored thousands of factors in the NBA, but some individuals might be stunned by simply what number of factors he had and where he stands in the rating of top-scoring players.

In addition to future animation tasks, he had been in talks with animator veteran Bruce Smith for the final six months before his dying about starting his personal animation studio. He carried out at a 1997 concert by Sway & King Tech and recorded a verse for a remix of Brian McKnight's "Hold Me". Bryant even appeared on Lakers teammate O'Neal's Respect, beginning the observe "3 X's Dope", although Bryant's name was not listed on the credits.

The Lakers labored out at Southern Nazarene University, and Vanessa and I arrived close to the top of the L.A. In trade for the extra court docket time, I wore a Southern Nazarene University T-shirt within the clip. In his youthful days, Bryant partied with a few of the greatest and brightest in the league and was associates with quite a few celebs. His time in Italy might have influenced Bryant's love for Italian cars.

The synergy of the campus, facilities and other people created an setting that welcomed him with open arms. He was on first-name basis with college, staff, amenities workers, student-athletes and coaches, all the time shaking palms or fist-bumping as he handed by. He appreciated our neighborhood for allowing him to share the area and to provide him the respect to immerse himself in his craft.

The Bryants' first daughter, Natalia, was born in January 2003. The start resulted in a reconciliation between Bryant and his parents. Due to an ectopic pregnancy, Vanessa suffered a miscarriage in the spring of 2005. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore (also known as "Gigi"), was born in May 2006.

Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, received the Eucharist together simply hours earlier than they died. Before the 1996 NBA draft, Bryant had labored out in Los Angeles, where he scrimmaged against former Lakers gamers Larry Drew and Michael Cooper and, in accordance with then-Laker general manager Jerry West, "marched over these folks". Kobe Bryant had indicated that transitioning from a basketball participant right into a enterprise mogul was a long-term goal that was essential to him, particularly given his goal-orientated mindset. Bryant made $323,312,307 from the Los Angeles Lakers during his enjoying profession, the sixth-highest earnings in NBA history behind LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Garnett.

The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second round and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, the place they confronted Phoenix Suns. In Game 2, Bryant finished the game with 13 assists, setting a brand new playoff career excessive; it was essentially the most assists by a Laker within the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996. The Lakers went on to win the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for a third straight season. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award.