5 Reasons TCK Kobe Bryant is one of the World’s Most Famous Athletes
Kobe Bryant is a recently retired National Basketball Association (NBA) all-star whose name is known worldwide. While he holds numerous records in the NBA, it isn’t the talent that makes his name so recognizable. Here are 5 reasons why Kobe Bryant’s name is familiar to the world.
1. KOBE! Sports fans throughout the world are familiar with the term “Kobe” which is usually said after a shot of a ball-like object into a hoop-like object (a bundled up piece of trash into a trash can for example). In the video below you’ll see examples of what it means to “Kobe” but it isn’t just the adults that know the term. This simple term, which turns throwing something into a trash, cup, etc.… is one of the reasons Kobe Bryant’s name is known around the world for both adults and
2. He is a third cultured kid. Bryant connects with his fans on a level they can understand…. Literally. In many post-game conferences, the NBA player will speak to his fans in Spanish when he is asked a question in the Spanish language. Connecting to his fans in a language they speak increases his name to be more familiar in other countries due to him showing he genuinely cares to have a conversation with different cultures. He also lived in Italy in his early years while his father for an Italian basketball league. When moving back to America, Kobe said, “It was kind of strange because, being away, I didn’t know a lot of the slang that kids used. Kids would come up to me and say whatever, and I’d just nod.”
3. He breaks records. The all-star scored over half of the points in his retirement game to go out with a bang. Bryant scored a total of 60 points in his last game against the Utah Jazz, which is the highest scoring number in the 2015-2016 seasons for any player in the NBA.
4. The L.A. Lakers and Kobe Bryant are a brand. Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are ultimately a brand together. If someone knows the L.A. Lakers they most likely know Kobe Bryant and vice versa. Byrant is currently holding the record for the highest number of seasons played with one franchise. The retired player was in the league for 20 seasons, and unlike most, stayed loyal to one singular team.
5.His numbers show how good he really is. Bryant is compared to another well-known NBA athlete… Michael Jordan. While Michael Jordan is well known for many similar reasons… and others such as his shoe brand, Space Jam, etc.… a constant comparison is made between the two. While people are arguing on which athlete is better and compare records between the two… numbers show it is ultimately a favor game of who a person likes better.
(photo source: landofbasketball.com)
Also he doesn’t age, you will aways recognize him. The picture on the left is from his first NBA game, on the right… his last. Enough said.
These five reasons are just some of why Kobe Bryant is known around the world. His talent and outstanding records appeal to the sports fans, but his diverse background and relatable personality make his name recognized to people everywhere.