Entertainment Sports Incredible Kobe Bryant Throwback Photos that Highlight the Legendary Laker's 20-Year Career From being the first round draft pick straight out of high school, to retiring both of his Los Angeles Lakers jerseys at the Staples Center, relive the greatest moments from the late basketball player's incomparable career By Diane J. Cho Diane J. Cho Diane J. Cho is the former features editor of PEOPLE, covering news, features, human interest and more. She left PEOPLE in 2022 People Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 26, 2021 07:55AM EST Close 01 of 14 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Bryant shook hands with then-NBA Commissioner David Stern (who died on Jan. 1, 2020) after being selected in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft on June 26, 1996, at Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C. 02 of 14 Jon SooHoo/NBAE/Getty After earning his No. 8 Lakers number, Bryant posed with a basketball outside the Forum in Inglewood, California, in 1997. 03 of 14 Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 1997. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Bryant and longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal stopped for a snap during the national anthem before a game back in the '90s. 04 of 14 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty The smiling Laker accepted his trophy for winning the 1997 Nestle Crunch Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland. 05 of 14 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Bryant had many famous fans during his two-decade career, including golf icon Tiger Woods. 06 of 14 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty The lifelong Laker also snagged a photo with another legendary athlete and fan, Muhammad Ali. 07 of 14 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty The father of four went head-to-head against the NBA's best players, including Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers. 08 of 14 VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Another basketball foe included Michael Jordan, though off the court, the Bulls legend was a mentor of sorts to the up-and-comer. 09 of 14 Andy Hayt/NBAE/Getty Bryant was a part of the 1998 Western Conference All-Star team, along with Jason Kidd, Mitch Richmond, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, Vin Baker, Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Gary Payton, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Tim Duncan. 10 of 14 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty The New York Knicks' Patrick Ewing was no match for Bryant in this photo taken back in 2000 at Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C. 11 of 14 From left: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Bryant and O'Neal with another Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, after they won the 2000 NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers at the Staples Center in L.A. 12 of 14 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty No. 8 went for the dunk during 2002's game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings. 13 of 14 Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty The five-time NBA champion celebrated his 2002 NBA finals win against the New Jersey Nets. 14 of 14 Maxx Wolfson/Getty The historic player proudly posed with his family after both of his No. 8 and No. 24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys were retired at the Staples Center in L.A. on Dec. 18, 2017. After welcoming his fourth child, daughter Capri, with his wife Vanessa in the summer of 2019, Bryant tragically lost his life on Jan. 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 41.