Was Kobe a number 1 draft pick?

Was Kobe a number 1 draft pick?

Shareef Abdur-Rahim was selected 3rd overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies. Stephon Marbury was selected 4th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks (traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves)….Draft selections.

Round 1
Pick 13
Player Kobe Bryant^
Pos. SG
School/Club team Lower Merion HS (Lower Merion, Pennsylvania)

Why did Charlotte Hornets trade Kobe Bryant?

Charlotte Hornets and fans pay tribute to Kobe Bryant. The Hornets drafted Bryant 13th overall in 1996, with the intention of trading his draft rights to the Lakers in return for veteran center Divac. The deal was agreed to prior to the draft, but Divac threatened to retire, rather than move to the Hornets.

How did Kobe end up a Laker?

During the 1996 season, the Lakers acquired 17-year-old Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets for Vlade Divac; Bryant was drafted 13th overall out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania in that year’s draft, by Charlotte. “Jerry West is the reason I came to the Lakers”, O’Neal later said.

How old was Kobe Bryant when he got drafted to the NBA?

17-year-old
In the 1996 NBA Draft, the Hornets selected Kobe Bryant with the 13th overall pick. Before he was chosen by the Hornets, the 17-year-old Bryant had made a lasting impression on then-Lakers general manager Jerry West, who immediately foresaw potential in Bryant’s basketball ability during pre-draft workouts.

What pick was Kobe Bryant?

13th overall pick
Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Lakers.

How long was Kobe on the Hornets?

Kobe Bryant spent 16 days as a Charlotte Hornet. Long enough to develop resentment for the Hornets. Charlotte drafted Bryant No. 13 in 1996 to trade him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac.

Who did Lakers trade for Kobe Bryant?

center Vlade Divac
Bryant fell to 13th in the draft and was taken by the Charlotte Hornets, who then traded the rights to Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for center Vlade Divac.

What nationality was Kobe Bryant?

American
Kobe Bryant/Nationality

Kobe Bryant, in full Kobe Bean Bryant, (born August 23, 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died January 26, 2020, Calabasas, California), American professional basketball player, who helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to five championships (2000–02 and 2009–10).

Who gets #1 pick in NBA draft?

Which prospect will hear his name called first at the 2021 NBA Draft? The Pistons hold the No. 1 overall pick this year, and they are discussing a trio of talented players: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley.

What did Charlotte get for Kobe?

Charlotte selected Bryant with its No. 13 draft pick, and immediately traded him to Los Angeles for Vlade Divac, but while talking to the Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell, Kupchak detailed how Bryant almost never became a Laker.

What did the Hornets get for Kobe Bryant?

Bryant fell to 13th in the draft and was taken by the Charlotte Hornets, who then traded the rights to Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for center Vlade Divac.

When did Kobe Bryant really become a team player?

Bryant was assigned by the Lakers to play in the 1997 NBA Summer League to improve as a team player and learn where to send the ball when he drew double teams. The following season, Bryant was voted as a starter in the 1998 All-Star Game though he was a reserve on the Lakers.

What year did Kobe Bryant win his first NBA championship?

Kobe won his first NBA Championship in 2000 as the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 2. Shaquille O’Neal won the NBA Finals MVP for the Lakers over Kobe. Kobe finished the series with 15.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game.

What year will Kobe Bryant retire from the NBA?

Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016 after winning five championships (falling one short of Michael Jordan’s six NBA titles) and going to 18 All-Star Games with the Lakers. In addition to his career total stats of 33,643 points, Kobe is also famed as a league MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 15-time All-NBA member, and two-time scoring champion.

What year did Kobe Bryant get traded?

On July 1st, 1996, Charlotte Hornets draft pick Kobe Bryant was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac . 18 years later, the five-time NBA champion reminded the Hornets of that decision.