Kobe came straight out of high school to the NBA. As soon as he came to the NBA, he quickly made a name for himself. He can do everything on the court: score, pass, and play defense.  In 2000, 2001, and 2002, he helped the Lakers to three Championships. He entered the Slam Dunk Contest and he got his name "Kobe Bryant.. Slam Dunk Giant" because he won the contest.  He also was named MVP of the finals in 2001 because he did a good job holding Allen Iverson to 5 points in one game.  He averaged 31 points to lead all scorers.  Kobe is one of the top two or three players in the NBA right now, and he’s only 23 years old!