American basketball player (1978–2020) Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Black Mamba", he played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant was a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, the 2008 NBA MVP, and two-time gold medal recipient on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. He is often regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. 799,909 views on April 14, 2016 — Wikipedia's most-read article that day. Also most read: Stephen Curry, Doctor Strange, B. R. Ambedkar, Captain America: Civil War. Wiki link