17 Year Old Kobe Bryant's 1st Pro Game as a Los Angeles Laker (www.thebasketballchannel.net)

Visit The Basketball Channel @ www.thebasketballchannel.net to view other exclusive Kobe Bryant summer league games from 1996.

Congratulations to the 2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. In honor of the back to back 2009/2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and their victory over their hated rival, the Boston Celtics, and NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, we thought we'd bring you not just Kobe's first 2 points as a Laker, but video of all 27 points he scored in his first pro game on July 13, 1996 against the Detroit Pistons in the LA Summer Pro League. This was the 4th game played by the Lakers summer league team and Kobe's first as a Laker. Wearing #32 and adidas shoes, Kobe joined the team in Long Beach after he and his parents Joe and Pam signed his pro contract (Kobe was only 17). Just a few weeks earlier he attended his high school prom with singer Brandy at Lower Merion HS. Saying he was nervous with butterflies in his stomach before playing in front of a sellout crowd of 4000 at the Pyramid, Kobe showed several flashes of what was to come along side fellow rookies Derek Fisher and George Lynch. Kobe finished with 27 points, most of them from the free throw line where he went 18 for 20. He grabbed 5 boards and commited 5 turnovers in 27 minutes of action for Laker SPL coach Larry Drew. ENJOY!

1996 Summer Pro League (Lakers -113 vs Pistons - 123)
Kobe Bryant
Points - 27
Rebounds - 2
Assists - 0
Minutes - 26
Turnovers - 5

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[James Song]

damn he really gives hard high-fives

[DouglasJBender]

So, my takeaway from this video is that Kobe's been bald from the beginning.

[Andres Gomez]

i like that part when kobe goes to the free throw line

[OmgWtfGtf0]

My takeaway from this video is that the refs used to wear extremely small and tight shorts back in the day.

[DeanGl]

You mean after ShowTime.

[reign80]

This was before ShowTime. When the crowd is dead as hell and noone card about the Lakers.

[Supersonicsfan12]

Creator of this video is incorrect. Kobe's first game as a Laker was at the age of 18 years 72 days. NOT 17

[yacustommadehiphop]

some of yall are some cornballs on here!!! smh....fila summer pro league at uc irvine his rookie year...moved to the pyramid at long beach in the 2000s and now is in vegas... actually attended the game....

[acange167]

It is a TEAM game. Nobody can win a title by themselve. LeBron cant. That showed in the 2007 finals. Even Michael Jordan couldn't win a title by himself. So shut up.

[Sevnfurdy]

If you look closely, you'll see that Lebron has been traveling since Kobe was 17.

Too late?

[teejate]

As an Angeleno I've watched his whole pro career. He was a gunner from day one. And it was always, "What the fuck are you....awesome shot!"

[A Saud]

left and right knee problem since 17 :))