Remembering Kobe Bryant: Sports Illustrated Covers Through the Years
Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. He was 41.
Through the years, Bryant was featured on countless Sports Illustrated covers.
Kobe Bryant’s SI covers
April 27, 1998
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
May 31, 1999
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
November 1, 1999
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
May 29, 2000
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
June 12, 2000
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
June 25, 2001
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
June 10, 2002
Manny Millan and John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
March 3, 2003
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
July 28, 2003
Eagle County Sheriff/Reuters
May 17, 2004
Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated
July 26, 2004
Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
April 21, 2008
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
June 16, 2008
Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated
October 27, 2008
Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated
June 22, 2009
Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated
July 19, 2010
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
February 21, 2011
Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated
October 21, 2013
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
August 25, 2014
Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated
October 26, 2015
Andrew D. Bernstein/Sports Illustrated
The 18-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA first Team led the Lakers to five NBA championships and scored 33,643 points in his 20-year NBA career. He retired from the Lakers after the 2015-16 season after spending his entire career with the franchise. The Lakers retired his No. 8 and No. 24 jersey numbers in December 2017.
On Saturday night, LeBron James surpassed Bryant on the NBA's all-time scoring list. After the game, James expressed his appreciation of Bryant and said, "I'm happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant, one of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers. The man has two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center. It's just crazy."
More Coverage of Kobe Bryant's Death:
- Kobe Bryant, Daughter Die in California Helicopter Crash
- For the Bryant Family, An Unimaginable Loss
- Kobe Bryant Left His Mark as a Generational Hero
- Sports World Reacts to Kobe Bryant's Sudden Death
- Remembering Kobe Bryant: Sports Illustrated Covers Through the Years
- Spurs-Raptors Open Game With Shot Clock Violations to Honor Kobe
- Shaq Reflects on Kobe's Passing: "There’s No Words to Express the Pain"
