Sports Illustrated has followed Kobe Bryant's career from his days at Philadelphia's Lower Merion High to his high-profile emergence with the Los Angeles Lakers. The talented phenom, a first-round draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996, played in his first NBA All-Star Game at age 19, won three straight NBA championships with the Lakers from 2000-2002 and was named most valuable player in the 2002 NBA All-Star game.

SI.com offers a comprehensive scrapbook of Bryant's career, including a timeline, photo essay and a selection of SI Flashbacks.

April 27, 1998

June 12, 2000

June 25, 2001

June 10, 2002

March 3, 2003

July 28, 2003

Photographs by Walter Iooss Jr., John W. McDonough, Walter Iooss Jr., Manny Millan/John W. McDonough, Eagle County Sheriff/Reuters