In 20 seasons in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, Kobe Bryant ascended from teenaged rookie to 18-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion. The superstar known as the Black Mamba left his mark on basketball and popular culture as a fierce competitor who inspired those around him and never settled for less than the best. To commemorate the life and career of the most beloved Laker of his generation, these moments and memories are collected in Kobe A Tribute to a Basketball Legend. Featuring more than 100 photographs and written coverage from the pages of Sports Illustrated this new volume provides readers a complete portrait of the international basketball superstar who transcended his sport to become a cultural icon. Relive every moment including Bryant entering the NBA draft directly out of high school, winning consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards in 2009 and 2010, the unforgettable 60-point farewell game, and the poignant tributes that followed his death in 2020.This lavish keepsake also features the best written coverage of Bryant's career from Sports Illustrated, including pieces by Chris Ballard, Jack McCallum, Lee Jenkins, and more.
Kobe Bryant: A Tribute to a Basketball Legend is a compilation of Sports Illustrated content about one of basketball’s GOATs — The book includes select articles, all SI magazine covers featuring Kobe, and iconic photos of Bryant, playing, preparing, celebrating, embracing the Mamba Mentality, and more.
Come for the motivation, stay for the photography.
Too short to say the least but a well lived life is what this man had. Without a doubt a true inspiration for this generation and for the ones that will follow. The best all around player in the NBA who proved time after time that there are no limits. This tribute definitely commemorates the life of a true legend. May his legacy live on forever and may we always remember to live our lives with the mamba mentality. Black mamba forever.
Wonderful illustrations that highlight his short but well-lived life.
While I grew up around basketball and knew a lot about the game itself, I was surprised to learn that Kobe Bryant moved to Rieti, Italy, at the age of six when his father signed a contract with Olimpia Basket Pistoia. He spent several years there before returning to Pennsylvania at 13. During his time in Italy, Kobe became fluent in Italian—a skill that stayed with him throughout his life.