Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were a match made in heaven. Although it may seem that a young Kobe was talented from the get-go, the Black Mamba had to push through a lot of adversities to attain his greatness. Nevertheless, one can always enjoy witnessing a young Kobe showing signs of what he was about to produce in the future. The Black Mamba was lethal and incredibly talented, which was a major reason why he started for the Lakers at age 20. In a resurfaced video, a teenager Bryant can be seen dunking and playfully dancing during a high school competition.
The video was recorded quite a few years before he started destroying NBA teams. Kobe Bryant at 15 years old, successfully attempted outrageous dunks only to boast his skills with even better dance moves.
Video shows Kobe Bryant’s dunking and dancing abilities at 15
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Back when the Black Mamba was far from securing three-peats with Shaquille O’Neal, he was still a force to be dealt with. In a video posted on Twitter by a Lakers fan page, the future five-time NBA Champion can be seen dunking in his school’s dunk contest. At 15, Bryant dunked with an incredible wind-mill before showing off his cool dance moves. The Los Angeles Lakers legend was proud of himself and he had ample reason to be.
15 year-old Kobe in his school’s dunk contest 🐍♾️ pic.twitter.com/U6XEXcLBXv
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) January 22, 2023
The Black Mamba jumped into the NBA straight from high school just because of his quality. Bryant played basketball at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. He had a knack for breaking records since the beginning. For example, he broke Wilt Chamberlain’s high school scoring record with 2,883 points.
Maybe that was enough for Bryant to realize his potential, as he decided to forego college for the NBA draft. Bryant was the 13th pick for the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft, before being traded to the Lakers a short time after.
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Following that, he created a legacy for himself at LA as he joined hands with Shaq to destroy opponents. The two became the one of the most iconic duos that the NBA ever produced.
Shaq and Kobe Bryant destroying opponents for the Lakers
Friendship, and rivalry, Shaq and Kobe saw it all together wearing purple and gold. Together they completed the only three-peat of the 21st century before Shaq moved on to greener pastures in the NBA.
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They could’ve won a fourth consecutive one in 2004, but the Detroit Pistons snatched that opportunity from them. Despite their public feud and infamous fallouts towards the end of their partnership, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had great respect for each other.
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