Set in an alternate classical world dominated by sports and a magical power called grana, Epoca: Island of the Gods is the story of two children, the lowly born Rovi and the crown princess Pretia who uncover and battle terrible evil and discover their inner strength along the way.

Bryant was a lifelong fan of his hometown NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles. [434] He was also a fan of soccer teams Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City. [435] [436] Holmes, Baxter (February 11, 2016). "Kobe Bryant: Perfect time for All-Star break as 'everything' aches". ESPN. Archived from the original on February 12, 2016 . Retrieved February 27, 2020. The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz, when Bryant was pressed into a lead role at the end of Game 5. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bryant shot four air balls at the end of the game; the Jazz won 98–93 in overtime to eliminate the Lakers 4–1. He first missed a game-winning two-point jump shot in the fourth quarter, and then misfired 3 three-point field goals in overtime, including two tying shots in the final minute. [60] O'Neal commented that "[Bryant] was the only guy who had the guts at the time to take shots like that." [61] Even within the flashiest franchise in all of sports – the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played his entire career – Bryant always took center stage, and his final game captivated the basketball world, indeed the country. Roland Lazenby delves deep to look behind this public image, using classic basketball reporting and dozens of new interviews to reveal the whole picture, from Bryant’s childhood through his playing years. Povtak, Tim (April 9, 2006). "Billups brushes off MVP chatter". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 9, 2010.

Downloads

With career averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, [329] Bryant was considered one of the most complete players in NBA history. [383] He is the fourth-leading scorer in league history with 33,643 points. [384] He was the first player in NBA history to have at least 30,000 career points and 6,000 career assists, [366] and was one of only four players with 25,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 6,000 assists. [385] Bryant led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. [10] His 81-point performance against Toronto in 2006 was the second-highest in NBA history, [386] behind only Chamberlain's 100. He scored at least 50 points 24 times in his career, which is third in league history behind Jordan (31) and Chamberlain (118); [295] six times Bryant scored at least 60. [387] He was just the third player in NBA history to average 40 points in a calendar month, which he accomplished four times. [h] Bryant was voted the league MVP in 2008 and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. [388] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". [389] He won another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions.

Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, which ranks second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's and LeBron James' 19. [390] He was chosen a then-record 18 straight times, each time as a starter. [283] [387] [390] On four occasions (2003, 2011, 2013, 2016) he was the leading vote-getter. [390] Four times Bryant was named the All-Star MVP, a record he shares with Bob Pettit. [387] He was selected to the All-NBA Team on 15 occasions, tied for the most with Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan, [391] and his 11 first-team honors are tied for the second-most with Karl Malone. [392] Bryant was also a 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, trailing only Duncan's 15, and nine times he was named to the All-Defensive First Team, tied with Jordan, Garnett, and Gary Payton for the most all time. [377] [387] He was the first guard to play 20 seasons in the NBA. [377] He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997 and was its youngest winner. [393] In his career, Bryant scored 40-plus points in 121 games, and 21 times he recorded a triple-double. [295]Mallozzi, Vincent (December 24, 2006). " 'Where's Kobe? I Want Kobe.' ". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. In 2013, Bryant launched a production company called Granity Studios, which developed different media, ranging from films to television shows and novels. [490]