When Kobe Bryant Became The Black Mamba (2024)

FAQs

Why did Kobe become Black Mamba? ›

That's when he introduced the idea of an alter ego and 'Black Mamba' was born. Inspired by the code name of an assassin in the cult favorite film, Kill Bill by Quentin Tarantino, Bryant sought to not only reinvent himself but create a means of deflecting the intense backlash that he had begun to face.

CALABASAS, Calif. —

On Jan. 26, 2020, basketball star Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

He was also the maternal nephew of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. Bryant's parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu. His middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean." Bryant's family was Catholic and he was brought up with this faith.

THE 'BLACK MAMBA' IS NAMED AFTER THE BLACK INSIDE ITS MOUTH. ITS LIGHT UNDERBELLY HELPS IT DISAPPEAR AGAINST THE BRIGHT SKY. WITH LARGE EYES, IT HAS BETTER SIGHT THAN MOST SNAKES. SUDDEN MOVEMENTS WILL CAUSE IT TO STRIKE WITH DEADLY ACCURACY.

Interestingly, Bryant, who filed his trademark application for “Black Mamba” in May 2016, did so under an intent-to-use designation and has not yet modified the application to demonstrate actual use.

12 mph

Black mamba / Speed (Maximum)

Kobe Bryant in 2005 and 2015, with the jersey numbers 8 and 24, used for the date 8/24.

Kobe Bryant (born August 23, 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died January 26, 2020, Calabasas, California) was an American professional basketball player, who helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to five championships (2000–02 and 2009–10).

Pacific View Mortuary & Memorial Park, Newport Beach, CA

Kobe Bryant / Place of burial

Calabasas

2020 Calabasas helicopter crash / Location

Who inherited Kobe Bryant's money? ›

Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant received nearly $29 million as part of her late husband's estate after his death in January 2020. The money was part of a trust set up by Kobe Bryant to provide for Vanessa and their children in the event of his death.

The Black Mamba nickname emerged during a tumultuous period in Kobe's life to help him separate his professional life from his private one. Everybody knows why Kobe Bryant was called The Black Mamba and everybody knows he got the name from a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Shaq was 6'6" at 14. Kobe was 6'3" at 16.

Kobe Bryant's Logo “Sheath,” unveiled in 2004. In 2003, after proving his dominance in the league, Kobe officially became a sponsored Nike Athlete and joined an elite list of Nike Athletes who received their own logo with their signature shoe.

Mongooses, which have some resistance to mamba venom and are often quick enough to evade a bite, will sometimes harass or take a black mamba for prey, and may pursue them in trees. The similarly predatory honey badger also has some resistance to mamba venom.

Black Mambas on patrol

To try and stop rhino's from being hunted to extinction, Balule head warden and founder Craig Spencer created the Black Mambas, specially trained, local women, who often come from the same community as the poachers, to patrol the reserve.

The black mamba can also be a sign of transformation and rebirth. It often symbolizes shedding old patterns and behaviors in order to make room for new ones. It can be a sign that you are ready to let go of something in order to move forward. The black mamba is also associated with the idea of prophecy and divination.

Kobe started his career wearing number 8, but eventually moved to number 24 for the rest of his career. At the time, Kobe explained the move, saying it signified "growth" for him as a player.