<Tr> <Th_colspan="3"> FIBA Americas Championship </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2007 Las Vegas </Td> <Td> Team </Td> </Tr> <P> Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American retired professional basketball player and businessman . He played his entire 20 - year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers . Bryant is an 18 - time All - Star, 15 - time member of the All - NBA Team, and 12 - time member of the All - Defensive team . He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, and ranks third on the league's all - time regular season scoring and fourth on the all - time postseason scoring list . He holds the NBA record for the most seasons playing with one franchise for an entire career and is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time . Bryant is the first guard in NBA history to play for at least 20 seasons . </P> <P> The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, Kobe Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country . He declared for the NBA draft upon graduation and was selected in the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, who traded him to the Lakers . As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high - flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, and he was named an All - Star by his second season . Despite a feud between them, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002 . </P>

Who did kobe bryant play for before the lakers
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