PRINTER'S NO. 3267
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
724
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, BRIGGS, DALEY, KIRKLAND AND McCARTER,
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Honoring and expressing condolences for the life and
accomplishments of Kobe Bryant.
WHEREAS, Kobe Bean Bryant, one of the most prominent names in
professional basketball, died on January 26, 2020, alongside his
13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant, following a helicopter
accident in Calabasas, California; and
WHEREAS, Kobe was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia,
the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant;
and
WHEREAS, The youngest of three children, Kobe began playing
basketball at three years of age; and
WHEREAS, At six years of age, Kobe's father moved his family
to Rieti, Italy, where Kobe became more accustomed to basketball
and learned to speak fluent Italian; and
WHEREAS, Upon moving back to the United States, Kobe played
basketball for four years at Lower Merion High School in
Ardmore, Pennsylvania, breaking countless records, winning the
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school's first State title and being named Pennsylvania Player
of the Year; and
WHEREAS, Following his senior year of high school, Kobe
declared for the 50th NBA Draft in 1996; and
WHEREAS, With the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the
Charlotte Hornets selected Kobe, but promptly traded him to the
Los Angeles Lakers; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his career, Kobe played a total
of 20 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers and held the record for
most seasons played for a single NBA franchise; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant achieved multiple accomplishments such
as becoming a five-time NBA Champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP,
a two-time scoring champion, an 18-time NBA All-Star, a two-time
Best NBA Player ESPY Award winner and a two-time Olympic gold
medalist during his 20-year career; and
WHEREAS, In April 2016, Kobe retired from the NBA and was
honored by the Los Angeles Lakers by retiring his No. 8 and No.
24 jerseys in the Staples Center in December 2017; and
WHEREAS, After retirement, Kobe continued to incorporate his
"Mamba Mentality," an adequate summation of his intensity and
focus, into other pursuits; and
WHEREAS, Kobe became an Academy Award winner when his film,
"Dear Basketball," won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at
the 2018 Academy Awards; and
WHEREAS, Kobe was a published author whose book, "Mamba
Mentality: How I Play," has become one of the best selling books
in sports literature; and
WHEREAS, As a dedicated philanthropist, Kobe was deeply
involved with various organizations, charities and causes around
the world; and
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WHEREAS, Kobe was the official ambassador for After-School
All-Stars, a national children's charity that serves more than
90,000 children by providing comprehensive after-school programs
to keep children safe and achieve success in life and in school;
and
WHEREAS, Alongside his wife, Vanessa Bryant, the couple
founded the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, an
organization which provides financial resources and various
programs that help strengthen communities; and
WHEREAS, Kobe established the Kobe Bryant China Fund which
helped raise money for sports and cultural programs in China,
and provided opportunities for American youths to learn the
Mandarin language and the culture and traditions of the Chinese
people; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Kobe made countless donations
and volunteered time to important causes, some of the most
notable include his donation to the Smithsonian's National
Museum for African American History and Culture, his countless
hours volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his many
donations and volunteerism toward multiple youth basketball
teams; and
WHEREAS, Kobe often considered his family his greatest
achievement and worked diligently to be the best husband and
father possible to his wife and his four daughters; and
WHEREAS, Kobe served as a coach to his daughter Gianna and
her basketball team following his retirement; and
WHEREAS, His passing is a solemn moment for the sports
industry and the world as a whole; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania honor and express condolences for
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the life and accomplishments of Kobe Bryant; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the family of Kobe and Gianna Bryant as an expression of
condolence for their loss.
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