KobeBeanBryant[2](bornAugust23,1978(1978-08-23))isanAmericanAll-StarshootingguardwhoplaysfortheLosAngelesLakersoftheNationalBasketballAssociation(NBA).BryantenjoyedasuccessfulhighschoolbasketballcareerandmadeinstantheadlineswhenhedecidedtogodirectlyintotheNBAupongraduation.Bryantandthen-teammateShaquilleO'NealledtheLakerstothreeconsecutiveNBAchampionshipsfrom2000to2002.AfterO'Neal'sdeparturefollowingthe2003–04season,BryantbecamethecornerstoneoftheLakersfranchise.HeledtheNBAinscoringduringthe2005–06and2006–07seasons.[3]In2006,Bryantscoredacareerhigh81pointsagainsttheTorontoRaptors,thesecondhighestnumberofpointsscoredinasinglegameinNBAhistory,[4]secondonlytoWiltChamberlain's100pointperformance.