PRINTER'S NO. 1476

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

No.

285

Session of

2020

INTRODUCED BY LEACH, DINNIMAN, IOVINO, A. WILLIAMS, BROWNE,

BOSCOLA, SCARNATI, CORMAN, FONTANA, LANGERHOLC, HUGHES,

J. WARD AND MENSCH, JANUARY 28, 2020

passed away on January 26, 2020, at 41 years of age; and

WHEREAS, A global icon recognizable and popularly referred to

by only his first name, Kobe's fierce competitiveness, singular

focus and unmatched work ethic on the basketball court inspired

millions of people around the world; and

WHEREAS, Kobe's spectacular talent and commitment to winning

were evident even when he was a freshman basketball player at

Lower Merion High School in 1992; and

WHEREAS, The Lower Merion Aces compiled an 81-33 record

during Kobe's four years as a member of the squad, during which

12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals and 3.8 blocked shots per

game; and

WHEREAS, Kobe was named the Naismith High School Player of

the Year, the Gatorade Men's National Basketball Player of the

Year, a USA Today All-USA First Team player and a McDonald's

All-American; and

WHEREAS, Kobe declared for the 1996 NBA Draft as a high

school senior and was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the

13th overall pick before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers;

and

Valuable Player award in 2008; and

WHEREAS, During Kobe's tenure with the team, the Lakers won

five NBA Championships, including three in a row from 2000 to

2002, one of the rarest achievements in professional sports and

won back-to-back NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards in 2009

and 2010; and

WHEREAS, The Lakers retired Kobe's number 8 and number 24

jerseys, making Kobe the only player to have two jerseys retired

by the same NBA team; and

WHEREAS, Kobe's 81-point game in 2006 ranks as the second

which is tied for the most in NBA history; and

WHEREAS, Kobe is expected to be inducted into the Naismith

Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020; and

WHEREAS, Kobe was a member of 2008 and 2012 U.S. men's

Olympic basketball teams, both of which won gold medals; and

WHEREAS, During his career and after his retirement, Kobe was

an active member of the Lower Merion community; and

WHEREAS, Kobe's number 33 Aces jersey was retired by the team

in 2002, and the school's basketball facility was renamed

"Bryant Gymnasium" after he made a sizeable donation; and

WHEREAS, Kobe's contributions to the game of basketball and

to sports in general are vast and immeasurable; and

WHEREAS, On basketball courts all around the world, it is not

unusual for players to shout "Kobe" as they launch a jump shot;

and

WHEREAS, Kobe Bean Bryant, born in Philadelphia in 1978,

passed away on January 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in

California at the age of 41; and

WHEREAS, Gianna Bryant, 13, the second oldest of his four

children with his wife, Vanessa, also perished in the crash,

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

Lower Merion High School, 315 E. Montgomery Ave, Ardmore, PA

19003.