about my idol

His parents named him after a type of steak (kobe) seen on a restaurant menu prior to his birth ... Spent eight years of his childhood in Italy and is fluent in Italian ... Has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya ... His father, Joe "Jelly Bean" Bryant, averaged 8.7 ppg in 606 career games in the NBA ... Lists "Star Wars" as his all-time favorite movie.
Bryant was the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Pennsylvania schoolboy history with 2,883 points, breaking the marks of NBA legend and Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (2,359 points) and former St. Joseph's player Carlin Warley (2,441 points) ... Bryant led his high school team to a 77-13 record in his last three seasons and was a four-year starter ... His father, Joe, played eight NBA seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets, and is a former assistant coach at La Salle ... As a senior at Lower Merion High School, Bryant was selected by USA Today and Parade Magazine as the National High School Player of the Year ... He was also named Naismith Player of the Year, Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year and to the McDonald's All-America Team. Bryant averaged 30.8 ppg, 12 rpg, 6.5 apg, four spg and 3.8 bpg ... He led Lower Merion to Class AAAA state title with a 31-3 record. Bryant scored a career-high 50 points vs. Marple Newtow and scored 34 points to go along with 15 rebounds, six assists and nine blocks to lead Lower Merion to District I Class AAA title over Chester ... He scored 117 points and was named Most Outstanding Player in Prestigious Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.