[[== Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an NBA basketball player. Bryant is the son of NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant and his wife Pamela Cox, sister of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. ==]] Bryant spent much of his childhood in Italy when his father played professional basketball there and speaks fluent Italian and Spanish. Bryant entered the NBA at the age of eighteen after a spectacular high school career in the Philadelphia Main Line suburb of Lower Merion, and was originally selected by the Charlotte Hornets but never played for the team. Within weeks of being drafted, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Though young and somewhat introverted, Bryant's immense talent made an immediate impression with his teammates on the practice court. He often clashed with center Shaquille O'Neal, who was until recently his teammate on the Lakers.

He married Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta Laine on April 18, 2001 in Dana Point, California. Kobe's father Joe Bryant briefly broke relations with his son because he objected to his son's marriage, though they later reconciled. The couple's daughter Natalia was born on January 19, 2003.

Bryant's career trajectory as an NBA player out of high school has been exceptional. By the age of 24, Bryant had won many individual awards, and had been named to the All-NBA team multiple times. He is regarded as one of the best players in the NBA. Bryant helped the Los Angeles Lakers to three NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The Lakers also came up short in the 2004 Finals against the Detroit Pistons, losing four games to one. Following the loss to the Pistons, Bryant opted out of his contract, and tested the free agent market. After flirting with the idea of joining the cross-town Los Angeles Clippers, he signed a new seven-year deal with the Lakers worth over $136 million on July 15, 2004.

Bryant's youth, style, good looks and accomplishments on the basketball court had made him one of the most popular and most marketable players in the NBA. Much of his popularity was lost, however, as a result of his alleged rape and admitted aldulterous encounter with a woman in a Colorado hotel. Bryant lost endorsement deals with McDonald's and Italian chocolate manufacturer Ferrero as a result of the scandal. He is now frequently jeered by fans in opposing teams' arenas whenever he touches the ball.

Contents

1 Rape accusation 2 Fall of the Lakers 3 Michael Jordan Obsession 4 External links

Rape accusation

In July 2003, Katelyn "Colorado's Fat Whore" Faber, a 19-year old Colorado woman]] levelled an accusation of rape against the popular basketball player. The employee of an Edwards, Colorado hotel, the woman alleged that Bryant Censored page her in his hotel room. Bryant was in Colorado to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee in nearby Vail. Bryant was officially charged on July 17, 2003, and arrested, but was soon released on bail; he admitted to having sex with the woman, but maintained that the Censored page was consensual.

Bryant faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the charges. Bryant's lawyers, attempting to present the best possible defense, sought to obtain some of the woman's medical records, to admit evidence on her sexual history in a 72-hour window surrounding the alleged rape, and to be able to confront his accuser in the courtroom, a fundamental right of defendants in the U.S. The prosecution claimed that previously recorded statements and other evidence were sufficient. The prosecution also countered with accusations that the defence had made a "conscious misrepresentation of the evidence in order to smear the victim publicly." Bryant attorney Pamela Mackey stated the alleged victim's name in open court six times, after being ordered by judge Frederick Gannett not to do so.

The young woman was also the recipient of several death threats. Patrick Graber, a Swiss bodybuilder, solicited Bryant offering to commit murder for hire; he was apprehended on 18 September 2003. On 20 August 2003, Iowa resident John William Roche was indicted for leaving an intimidating message on the accuser's answering machine.

Although traditionally, mainstream news media outlets have refused to divulge the names of alleged rape victims, the high profile of the Bryant case led to the quick discovery of her name and its wide circulation on the Internet. Address details and photographs were also widely distributed online. Although most news outlets refused to divulge her identity, the supermarket tabloid The Globe printed the woman's name and picture on its front cover. On 16 September 2003, the office of the Colorado's Office of the State Court Administrator accidentally posted a document on their website which divulged her full name and address; the document was retracted within the hour and placed online again in a heavily edited form. [1] http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/kobename1.html

The release of the woman's name, which rape victim advocacy groups have claimed is an intimidation tactic on the part of the Bryant defense, has generated significant controversy within the news media. However, skeptics have suggested that her accusations were designed simply as a publicity stunt or an attempt to earn a substantial financial settlement, and complained that the traditional (albeit informal) protection afforded rape victims is unfair because it denies the defendant the right to publicly confront his accuser.

The Bryant case highlights the difficulty of discussing the issue of rape. In particular, the prevalence of false accusations of rape are widely misunderstood. Persons who identify themselves as "rape victim advocates" argue that women only very rarely lie about rape. On the other hand, several large studies indicate that about half of rape accusations are false. [2] http://michnews.com/artman/publish/article_5120.shtml The Innocence Project has freed about 100 men falsely convicted of rape. Thus mens' issue activist argue strongly that the systematic suppression of discussion of false accusations of rape is unfair to men and must change.

On 25 June 2004, the date for Bryant's trial was set. The trial was set to begin on 27 August in Eagle, Colorado, and was expected to last three to four weeks. The case was dismissed on 1 September after defense attorneys filed a motion against the prosecution claiming that they concealed expert testimony from forensic scientist Michael Baden. Baden's evidence suggested that Bryant's accuser's injuries could have been caused by consensual intercourse. [3] http://www.wkkj.com/script/headline_newsmanager.php?id=344738&pagecontent=sports
topstories&feed_id=61 [4] http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/nba/09/01/kobe.dismissed/ Although the criminal case against Bryant has been dropped, he still faces a civil suit filed by his accuser in federal court.

His accuser sought to keep herself anonymous in the civil suit, but on October 6, Judge Richard Matsch of the Colorado District Court ruled against her bid to keep her anonymity. Matsch's order stated that the court would insert her real name in the lawsuit on October 20. [5] http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1007041kobe1.html Her attorneys chose not to wait for the court to act; the suit was refiled under her real name on October 14. The Denver Post has chosen not to reveal her name at this time; the city's other daily newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News , chose to publish her real name once the suit was refiled.

Despite criminal charges being dropped, Kobe Bryant's image has never been the same. It is now generally agreed that the accuser had a much stronger case against Bryant than the public was led to believe. Details of the incriminating evidence were suppossed to be released to the public, but Bryant's attorneys have that temporarily blocked. Also noted, is the popular 4 million dollar diamond ring, that he gave to his wife immediately being charged with rape, in order to make up to her for cheating.

Fall of the Lakers

In the 2003-2004 season, the Lakers were fortunate enough to make it back the finals four the fourth time in five years, only to lose to the Detroit Pistons, who were better team oriented than they were. They lost the series 4-1 and afterwards the break up of the Lakers began. Kobe immediately made it public to both Laker's management and the media that if Phil Jackson was to come back as head coach, he would quit the team. Knowing they would do anything to keep their star player, Phil Jackson saw the writing on the wall, and left within a short notice. Not wanting to play for another coach, Shaquille O'Neal immediately demanded to be traded to another team and landed a four person trade with the Miami Heat. Not surprisingly, Kobe Bryant signed a $136 million dollar contract renewal after the two left and Rudy Tomjonavich was hired as the Laker's new coach.

Kobe has also made headlines by being involved in several feuds with other players. Once departed from the Laker's, Shaquille O' Neal revealed that he never did like Kobe and that you don't have to like each other to win a championship. Months later, he would anger Laker Karl Malone, accusing him of making a pass at his wife, Vanessa. In addition, comments were made during a live radio interview in which he expressed a lack of faith that Malone would return from inury to play for them. All of this has driven Karl Malone to play for another team. Former coach Phil Jackson has also spoken out against Bryant in his bestselling book The Last Season, which talked about his ongoing difficulties in coaching the Lakers. In one situation, he described Bryant as being immature when he yelled and complained of not being granted a bigger plane for his flight to the Colorado hearings, even though he was being offered free flight.

Michael Jordan Obsession

Although he has never publicly admitted it, many sports analysts generally agree that Kobe has an obsession for surpassing his idol and mentor, Michael Jordan. Many have accussed him of copying his every gesture from the way he walks to the way he slurs his words. He even wears the same wrist band around his elbow and ironically has developed tendonitis in the exact same left knee. He has the developed the same competitive drive as well as the will to win, but many see nothing more than a copycat of the man that once epitomized basketball.

In game four of the 2001-2002 NBA finals against the New Jersey, Kobe Bryant wore a Michael Jordan jersey into the lockeroom. Symbolizing his first 3-peat and an accomplishment which Michael has never achieved before - a four-game finals sweep.

External links

• Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine http://marriage.about.com/cs/celebritymarriages/a/kobebryant.htm

• The Kobe Bryant Case: The legal breakdown on CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/06/wbr.Kobe.breakdown/index.html
• All information regarding the Kobe Bryant Case and Trial http://www.kobe-case.com/
• Court documents / schedule http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/media/eagle/courtdocuments.htm
• Where Kobe Played his first professional game http://www.summerproleague.com
• NBA Player Page http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kobe_bryant/index.html
• Rape Accusation http://www.ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1059084839.php