A Famous Prom Date
After their time in Italy, when Kobe and his family returned to the United States he began attending Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia. He attended the prom with Brandy Norwood, who at the time was starring on her TV show Moesha. He was quite a successful high school senior, having just signed a deal with Adidas and preparing for the 1996 NBA draft.
A Young NBA Star
Kobe Bryant became the youngest guard in the history of the NBA to ever be drafted straight out of high school. He started playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, when he was only 18 years old. Though his initial start led to finishing games with an average of 7.6 points and 15 minutes per game, this drove him to work hard and improve immensely. The next year, his statistics improved dramatically to average 15.4 points and 26 minutes per game.