Legendary Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers when he was just 17 years old. By the time he retired, 20 years later, apart from his game, another thing had evolved and that's his hairstyle.
His different hairstyles help fans identity certain milestones in his career and that's what we will show you today!
Kobe sporting a bald look in his rookie season highlighted his confidence but this season wasn't as eventful, with him playing about 15 minutes per game. However, what we do remember most from his time as a bald man, him winning the Slam Dunk Contest.
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The Frobe was very lucky for Kobe and marks the key transition from being an 18-year-old fan favorite to a bonafide NBA superstar. Not only did he become a starter after 2 years in the Lakers, he also became an All-Star for the first time. And let's not forget the Lakers' incredible three-peat.
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At this time, Kobe had plenty of struggle on and off the court. His relationship with teammate Shaquille O'Neal kept turning bitter. And after their 2004 Finals defeat, Shaq was shipped and questions around Kobe succeeding on his own were surrounding him. It was also now that Kobe landed himself on the wrong side of the law.
Credit: YouTube/Nobody Touches Jordan
A little close to his buzzcut but far from his afro, Kobe was back to his bald days in his final few years. During this time, he could only lead the Lakers to three playoff appearances, with two of them ending at the WCSF. However, he was also dealing with plenty of injuries by this time, signaling that it was time to say his goodbyes to basketball.
Credit: YouTube/Mark Anthony Garrett