Kobe Bryant has a phenomenal basketball career in the NBA, which lasted for 20 years. During his time in the league, Kobe amassed almost every accolade an NBA player can imagine having. Be it individual accolades or winning NBA Championships, the Mamba did it all.
But today, our focus is not on Bryant’s time in the NBA. Instead, let’s shed some light on the Mamba’s career for Team USA. Considering Kobe was one of the best players in the league, it’s a surprise that his national team career began in 2007.
In the 2000 Olympics, Kobe declined to play due to getting married in the same offseason. Following that, Bryant also declined to feature in the 2002 FIBA World Championship.
Many expected Kobe to finally make his Team USA debut in the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship, but injuries sidelined him this time. The following year, he had to step back from featuring in the Olympics due to his infamous court case. His chances of playing for the 2006 FIBA World Championship were once again ruined due to a knee surgery.
Kobe Bryant Went Undefeated During His Tenure With Team USA
In 2007, Kobe finally got a chance to represent Team USA in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. Kobe helped the team finish with a 10-0 record and qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics while averaging 15.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 2.9 APG.
In the 2008 Olympics, Kobe spearheaded The Redeem Team and led them to a gold medal while having a record of 8-0 and averaging 15.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 2.1 APG. Bryant truly displayed his talents in the final game against Spain, where he managed to score 13 points in the fourth quarter and helped Team USA win the gold medal.
Bryant also played for the 2012 Team USA and once again helped them go undefeated in the Olympics, winning another gold medal and putting up 12.1 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.3 APG. Combining his wins in two Olympics and the FIBA Americas Championships, Kobe had a 26-0 record.
But wait, there’s more. He also appeared in 10 exhibition games for Team USA and won all 10 of them. With a record of 36-0, Kobe Bryant remains in the elite company of players who have never been defeated when donning a Team USA jersey.
He decided to retire from Team USA after 2012. After all, there was nothing left for the Mamba to conquer on the national level.
Stats via USA Basketball
