Kobe: The Story of the NBA's Rising Young Star Kobe Bryant – A Pro Player's Son Becomes the Lakers Force: Drive, Passion, and Hustle

by Joe Layden

A must for every Lakers fan, here is the story of Kobe Bryant's early years - his journey to becoming a force in the NBA and the  drive, passion, and hustle that it took to get there. Meet Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers' young basketball prodigy and the heir apparent to the great Michael Jordan himself. IFollow Kobe's life from growing up as the son of an NBA player through his decision to turn pro at 17, his rookie season, the All-Star Game, and his amazing second year in the pros.
Kobe  includes eight pages of color photos, personal stats, and the rising star's career records.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Biography

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Lindsay Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick lil book to pad my stats so I can get to the 12 book mark for the year!!

I do enjoy a sports book from the 90s that I think was written for a sports nut child! Lots of NBA history in here to learn that I just really think you guys would enjoy! Jk you don’t need it read it! Anyway though... I have never was a huge Kobe fan because even when I was young, I knew he had done something bad. And even though he was never charged and ended up being a really great dad and guy and whatnot recently, idk if I’ll ever get over the weird feelings about him. Oh if things were as simple as they were in 1998 when this was written.

[Aurélien Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short biography of Kobe Bryant, from his childhood to his first two seasons playing for the Lakers. Since it's mostly about his then young (very young!) career, it also has a strong emphasis on when he skipped College to go straight into the NBA. It's interesting, mostly because it shows how immature he was back then as a player (a selfish play that caused unnecessary injuries...) yet that didn't prevent him, over time, to learn and grow as the legend he turned into.

Pretty cool, especially if you want to travel back in time, when Kobe was just barely starting to make his marks...

[Pres. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Kobe.

[Samantha C · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why would you ever play if you don’t want to be the best player who ever lived?” ( Bryant 1). For this book review I rate it five stars. I greatly enjoy this book because on how the author describes the confidence Kobe had for basketball especially when he quoted “ I’m going to play in the NBA” (Layden 6). This quote shows that Kobe would do anything to his ability at a young age to become a NBA star. Also, I enjoy this book because besides Kobe believing in himself he had a great support group there for him. Third, i enjoyed this book because on how the author engaged the readers to it. For example, the author quotes, “ Everyone is talented. Everyone is athletic. The player who stays mentally sharp and physically healthy is the one most likely to thrive” ( Layden 154). The author is expressing to the readers that athletes are more stronger when they take care of themselves mentally and physically. Lastly, the climax of this book was my favorite part. It’s tell us how about Kobe first round of NBA playoffs and in a tied fourth quarter, he lead his team to victory with scoring 11 of his 15 points in the final.

[Dylan Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. This was a great book that included many elements of kobes life that not everyone on social media hears. This book was very interesting for a basketball fan like me and had me hooked all the way through. Im not a big reader at all, in fact I hate reading in general, but this book was actually really good and I enjoyed reading it, and that never happens. I give this book a 5 star rating because of how it keeps the reader hooked through cliff hangers and includes key details of kobes life that most people dont talk about.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great biography of Kobe. Finished it in 3 days to be honest but you need to love Kobe Bryant and appreciate him as a basketball player to really enjoy this book. Very informative, a lot of times I felt like I was in the games watching him play while reading. This book kind of does end very early in his career since he still hasn't met his wife so just know this is child to rookie Kobe. Great book nonetheless.

[Seth Weigum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to see what people thought about Kobe in 2001, but a short book without many insightful points or quotes. It was kind of boring.

[Kyle Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

As most sports fans know, Kobe Bryant is a basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. The book "The Air Apparent" by Joe Layden tells a great bit about the young Kobe Bryant’s childhood. This story tells how he went from being a little boy watching his professional father play the sport, to this day that he is now a pro.
The young legend himself, Kobe Bryant is a character in the world today, setting examples for his young athletes that play basketball. As Kobe Bryan was growing up, he was always traveling with his family, always going out of town to his father’s basketball games, or just staying home and watching them on television. He always had a mentality like no other, he had motivation to work, and to become better and better on and off the court.
This nonfiction story tells about Kobe Bryant’s mentality to get in the position he is today. Kobe doesn’t believe only in getting better in his sport, he loves spending quality time with his family and friends. Kobe had grown up around the Philadelphia area playing pick-up games and other things. I love how Kobe Bryant’s mentality and motivation was expressed by Joe Layden in this story. He teaches out his character and what it means to be a good person, as Kobe was.
As a certain mind-set Kobe had, he was always getting better, he believed that no matter how good someone can become, there is always room for improvement. Joe expresses how Kobe spent his time, doing good in school and always putting in effort in all his activities, but still having a good time. I believe Kobe Bryant is a great basketball player and person in life and his sport. This is a great story and I highly recommend it.

[Jeff Lyons]

The book that I read was called Kobe The Story of the NBA'S Rising Young Star Bryant. It was about how Kobe grew up watching his father play basketball for the 76er's. Most of the book took place in Kobe's home town and Las Angles where he played basketball for the Lakers. Kobe did not have to play basketball for a high school team. The Lakers drafted him 1st round to go to the NBA. Kobe had no siblings he was the only child. He would play basketball on he free time and play as he would watch his dad play on t.v.. Now he is playing for a really good team and he is one of the best players in the NBA today. That is the book that I read for the 1st quarter.

[Randy Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good because he talks about when Kobe Bryant played since high school, to becoming an all star. Kobe Bryant got drafted straight out of High school in 1996 and was number 13th pick to the Charlotte Hornets than got trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1st round. What i learn about this book is never quick and never betray your team because Kobe stayed with the Lakers his whole life. Also never skip practice because the coach wont relay on you might not even get playing time. I recommend this book to young adults who hate on him and for them to read the struggle he goes through.

[Semaj Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

to help me out with knowing more things about kobe knowing the game in how would help people to be like him or better. The best player in the nba he would tell you how he got that good. Joe Layden its really about when he wasd rising star that everybody liked. Then star kobe maid himself the best player by working hard like the author did to make this book he work hard to do it.
The theme of this book is sports sports is something that people play if they ar week at it or they are good at it in they would like to go pro at the sport they play.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kobe is about Kobe Bryant and how he had to move to Europe when he was younger, because his dad went to go play for a European basketball league. He mostley played ball by him self then he moved back to the U.S. where he became a great basketball player and got drafted by the L.A. Lakers. I really liked it because it was a good biography about Kobe Bryant.

[Mario Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was like going back in time. I remember almost everything they talked about in this book. But things I didn't know was the things before that happened before Kobe was on the Lakers. Like his time in Italy and his high school years. I learned a few new things about Kobe and now I have a little more respect for Kobe as a Basketball player.

[Icee · Rating 5 out of 5]

umm i learned that if you are child of a pro athlete you can live to be better them as well as share a legacy.but as well as not to slack off cuz your dad is a superstar that you get treated good and respected.you have to earn respect

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is about how he made it to the nba. i learned to be pacient.

[Xavier(Xpac/Beast mode) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book iz the best

[De'vari Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

because how hard kobe work in the book and how the author describe his life

[Marc-Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid book in regard to Kobe's start of his career. Ends at year 2 of his NBA career. I would love a good book that would document his whole career.

[Addison Knighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting with a lot of information.

[Taran · Rating 3 out of 5]

seems like a good book

[Max Pisacreta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a great book and I learned alot