How Many Rings Does Kobe Have? Biography and Achievements

Kobe Bryant had successfully built a reputation for his competitiveness and skills. While he didn’t always win, he succeeded by a considerable rate. Via the article of Scott Fujita, let’s take a look back at his career and find the answer to “How Many Rings Does Kobe Have?”

How Many Rings Does Kobe Have?

Kobe Bryant won 5 rings!

Related: Who has the most rings in the NBA

In other words, Kobe Bryant won 5 championships:

• 1999 – 2000 Los Angeles Lakers.
• 2000 – 2001 Los Angeles Lakers.
• 2001-2002 Los Angeles Lakers.
• 2008 – 2009 Los Angeles Lakers.
• 2009 -2010 Los Angeles Lakers.

How many championships does Kobe have? Bryant has won 5 rings in 20 seasons.

The beginning of Kobe Bryant’s Career

Kobe Bryant is one of the most famous basketball players in history.

Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia. He is the youngest child in a family of 3 siblings. When Bryant was 6 years old, his father took a break from the NBA. Then his family moved to Italy, where Bryant learned Italian.

During the summer, Bryant returned to the United States to play basketball. He started to play at the age of 3.

View more: How many championship rings does Steve Kerr have

In high school, he played for the Lower Merion Varsity team. Kobe Bryant earned the title of “Pennsylvania player of the year.” As a result, he regularly received attractive offers from various college recruiters.

Kobe Bryant also participated in the Adidas ABCD Camp, where he received the Senior MVP award in 1995. Bryant led the Lakers to their first state championship while in his senior year of college.

Kobe Bryant ended his high school career with a number of admirable accolades.

Kobe Bryant signed a three-hash contract with the Lakers worth $3.5 million. He debuted for the Lakers in the Summer Pro League with a great performance. He is the most successful young player starting a career in the NBA.

Personal Life and Marriage 

Bryant first met Vanessa Lainein in November 1999. They then married in April 2001 despite his parents’ objections (they did not attend the wedding).

His third child was born in 2016. In 2019, Kobe and his wife announced the fourth child.

Bryant’s reputation was severely damaged after someone accused him of sexual assault in 2003. But the court dropped the charges in September 2004 when the accuser refused to testify.

Kobe Bryant along with eight other people (including his daughter) died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. This incident happened in Calabasas California.

The Career of Kobe Bryant (1996-2016)

Take a look at his amazing visuals and professional skills in the video.

His highlights: 2008 NBA MVP, 12x All-Defense, 18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, and 2x Finals MVP.

View more: How many rings does Kevin Durant have

Even after 4 years after retiring, Kobe’s achievements are still very high:

• 4th all-time for career points (33,643).
• 8th in minutes played (48,643).
• 16th in career steals (1,944).

Even though Kobe Bryant has only won one MVP award, however, that’s completely understandable. He finished in the top 3 for a four-year MVP vote that included 2003, 2007 and 2010.

He also had an infamous rivalry with his teammate Shaq. That may well have hindered his success.

On the other hand, he has won 5 NBA Championships. He also ranks fourteenth on the all-time list alongside Tim Duncan, Dennis Rodman and Magic Johnson.

In the next part of this article, we take a look at the key stages of his career.

Kobe Bean Bryant: NBA titles

1. In 1999 and 2000: Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers 4-2

2000 was the year both Shaq O’Neal and the Lakers Kobe entered year four of their experiment. 

The Lakers have been successful in the regular season. Especially for O’Neal, who gained the regular-season MVP award. At the age of 21, Kobe Bryant is still rising to superstardom. That’s a very young age for a player. At that time, Kobe Bryant averaged 22.5 PPG.

The 2000 Playoffs weren’t easy for the Los Angeles Lakers. They let the Kings and Trailblazers push them to two elimination games. Kobe’s alley-oop to Shaq in the Blazers series was one of the great moments in both of their careers.

While Shaq was definitely into the 2000 Finals, Kobe had some memorable moments. 

Due to an ankle injury, he had to miss most of Game 2 and Game 3. However, Kobe Bryant came back in the 4th round. He scored 22 points in the 2nd half. 

Thanks to that, the Los Angeles Lakers had a spectacular victory. Kobe Bryant also scored 26 points in Game 6. In the end, he earns his first-ever NBA title at age 21.

Many people think that Kobe Bryant can’t win championships without Shaq.

2. In 2000 and 2001: Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers 4-1

The Lakers went through the regular season and the playoffs in 2001 with a not-so-bad record. Specifically, they only lost one playoff game. Kobe Bryant received the second straight second-team All-NBA award and became a global young talent. Both Shaq O’Neal and the Lakers Kobe are averaging 28 points per game.

In fact, the Lakers’ goal of another ring is entirely possible. The proof is that they only lost once at Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Lakers didn’t have much trouble winning the title. However, Shaq O’Neal and the Lakers Kobe were at odds with each other throughout the season. This has adversely affected both of their careers later on.

3. In 2001 and 2002: Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Jersey Nets 4-0

The Lakers were back in the Finals against the Orlando Magic after a near-miss in 2008. After Shaq moved to Miami in 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers got a new look.

In an uninspiring Finals, the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic in five games with ease. Kobe Bryant has a great track record. Specifically, he averaged 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on his way to winning the MVP of the Finals.

4. In 2009 and 2010: Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 4-3

By this time, Kobe had entered his 14th season in the league. Many people think he may be past his prime.

They have a rematch against the Celtics. The Los Angeles Lakers went down 3-2, returning to LA in a must-win. Kobe scored 26 points, then picked up 11 rebounds in a Game 6 to force Game 7. Kobe was also superb in Game 7, he scored 23 points, 15 rebounds, and a match-deciding assist to Ron Artest.

Final Words

After looking back at Kobe’s career, he could have won titles without Shaq. How many rings did Kobe have? In fact, Kobe has won titles at every stage of his career. He will live forever in the hearts of fans and NBA history.