20 Amazing Kobe Bryant Facts You Should Know

The Origin Of His Name

Kobe had an unusual name, but it had an interesting origin. Kobe is actually the name of a city in Japan. His mother and father loved Kobe beef so much, that upon looking at a menu from a restaurant, they decided that was to be their boy’s name. Kobe’s middle name was Bean, and that came from his father’s nickname “Jellybean.”

Kobe Bryant actually meant a lot to Japanese culture. Many Japanese players in the NBA today feel that Kobe Bryant was their favorite player in the world, as they grew up watching him. Yuta Watanabe who plays in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies tweeted “Say it ain’t so…Kobe.” Kobe Bryant was his favorite player. In an Instagram post he later posted “You are the reason why I started dreaming to be a NBA player. Rest In Peace.” Kobe meant a lot to the people of Japan and it is fitting that his name came from there.