In 2020, the NBA renamed which award in Kobe's honor?

The Defensive Player of the Year Award

Kobe Bryant Quiz: Black Mamba, 81 Points and Five Rings

This Kobe Bryant quiz honors the Black Mamba, from his childhood in Italy and Lower Merion High School to 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, three titles with Shaquille O'Neal and two more with Pau Gasol, his 81-point game, his 60-point farewell, his Oscar for Dear Basketball and his lasting legacy. Fifteen questions.

Start Kobe Bryant Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 15 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 15 Time: 150s

Childhood
In which European country did Kobe Bryant spend much of his childhood?
Draft
Which team drafted Kobe in 1996 before trading him to the Lakers?
High school
Kobe went straight to the NBA from which Pennsylvania high school?
Titles
How many NBA championships did Kobe win with the Lakers?
Records
How many points did Kobe score against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006?
Farewell
How many points did Kobe score in his final NBA game in 2016?
Numbers
Which two jersey numbers did Kobe wear for the Lakers, both now retired?
Nickname
What nickname did Kobe give himself, inspired by a deadly snake?
Film
What is the title of the short film that won Kobe an Academy Award in 2018?
Teammates
Who was Kobe's famous center partner during the Lakers' first three straight titles?
Awards
In which season did Kobe win his only regular-season MVP award?
Olympics
How many Olympic gold medals did Kobe win with Team USA?
Loss
On which date did Kobe and his daughter Gianna die in a helicopter crash?
Honors
In 2020, the NBA renamed which award in Kobe's honor?
Career
How many seasons did Kobe spend with the Lakers, the most by a player with one team at the time?

Explanations: answer key for all 15 questions

Q1: In which European country did Kobe Bryant spend much of his childhood?
Answer: Italy
His father, Joe Jellybean Bryant, played professional basketball in Italy. Kobe learned to speak fluent Italian.
Q2: Which team drafted Kobe in 1996 before trading him to the Lakers?
Answer: The Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets picked him 13th and traded him to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. He went straight from high school to the NBA.
Q3: Kobe went straight to the NBA from which Pennsylvania high school?
Answer: Lower Merion High School
Lower Merion is near Philadelphia. Kobe led the team to a state title in 1996 and famously took singer Brandy to his prom.
Q4: How many NBA championships did Kobe win with the Lakers?
Answer: Five
He won three straight from 2000 to 2002 with Shaquille O'Neal, then two more in 2009 and 2010 with Pau Gasol.
Q5: How many points did Kobe score against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006?
Answer: 81
His 81 points are the second-highest total in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100. He scored 55 of them in the second half.
Q6: How many points did Kobe score in his final NBA game in 2016?
Answer: 60
At 37, he scored 60 against the Utah Jazz in an emotional farewell. It was the most points in a game that season.
Q7: Which two jersey numbers did Kobe wear for the Lakers, both now retired?
Answer: 8 and 24
He wore 8 for his first ten seasons and 24 for the last ten. The Lakers retired both numbers in 2017.
Q8: What nickname did Kobe give himself, inspired by a deadly snake?
Answer: The Black Mamba
He said the Black Mamba alter ego helped him handle the pressures of fame. Mamba Mentality became his philosophy of hard work.
Q9: What is the title of the short film that won Kobe an Academy Award in 2018?
Answer: Dear Basketball
The animated film was based on the poem he wrote to announce his retirement. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
Q10: Who was Kobe's famous center partner during the Lakers' first three straight titles?
Answer: Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq and Kobe formed one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. Their partnership ended in 2004 when Shaq was traded to Miami.
Q11: In which season did Kobe win his only regular-season MVP award?
Answer: 2007-08
He won MVP in 2008 and led the Lakers to the Finals that year. He was later Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010.
Q12: How many Olympic gold medals did Kobe win with Team USA?
Answer: Two
He won gold at Beijing 2008 with the so-called Redeem Team and again at London 2012. He was a key closer in the 2008 final against Spain.
Q13: On which date did Kobe and his daughter Gianna die in a helicopter crash?
Answer: January 26, 2020
The crash in Calabasas, California, killed all nine people on board. Fans around the world held vigils and tributes.
Q14: In 2020, the NBA renamed which award in Kobe's honor?
Answer: The All-Star Game MVP Award
The All-Star Game MVP trophy is now the Kobe Bryant Award. He had won the award four times.
Q15: How many seasons did Kobe spend with the Lakers, the most by a player with one team at the time?
Answer: 20
He played all 20 of his NBA seasons in Los Angeles, from 1996 to 2016. He is the Lakers' all-time leading scorer.

Kobe Bryant Quiz – The Mamba Mentality

Kobe Bryant was one of the most driven and skillful players in NBA history. Born in Philadelphia in 1978, he spent much of his childhood in Italy, where his father Joe played professionally. He returned to star at Lower Merion High School and jumped straight to the NBA in 1996, when the Charlotte Hornets drafted him and traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kobe spent all 20 of his seasons with the Lakers. With Shaquille O'Neal he won three straight titles from 2000 to 2002, and with Pau Gasol he won two more in 2009 and 2010, earning Finals MVP both times. His 81-point game against Toronto in 2006 is the second-highest total ever, and he scored 60 points in his final game in 2016.

After retiring, Kobe won an Oscar for the animated short Dear Basketball and coached young players, including his daughter Gianna. Their deaths in a helicopter crash in January 2020 shocked the world. His Mamba Mentality, a philosophy of relentless practice, still inspires athletes everywhere. Murals of Kobe and Gianna appear across Los Angeles, and many players still wear his signature shoes on court as a tribute.

What This Quiz Teaches

His childhood in Italy
Lower Merion and the 1996 draft
Five titles with Shaq and Pau Gasol
His 81-point and 60-point games
Dear Basketball and the Oscar
His legacy and honors

Quick Facts About Kobe Bryant

Born August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia.
He was named after a type of Japanese beef.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
He made 18 All-Star teams.
He spoke Italian and some Spanish.
He wrote a book called The Mamba Mentality.