Kobe Bryant: A Career Built on Skill
A basketball shot can take only a moment, but preparing to make it can take years. A player must learn to balance, aim, and release the ball while defenders try to get in the way. Kobe Bryant, born on August 23, 1978, became known for his scoring ability during a long career in professional basketball.
Bryant played all 20 of his seasons in the National Basketball Association, or NBA, for the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined the team in 1996, directly after high school, and retired in 2016. During those two decades, he grew from a young player into one of the league’s most accomplished guards. A guard often handles the ball, helps create scoring chances, and defends players on the other team.
Scoring and teamwork
One way to understand Bryant’s career is to look at the many ways a player can help a team score. A player may shoot from far away, drive toward the basket, or pass to a teammate in a better position. Defenders react quickly, so an offensive player must make decisions while moving.
- release:
- To let go of something.
- accomplished:
- Highly skilled or successful.
- offensive:
- Related to trying to score against the other team.
- contribute:
- To give or do something that helps.
- opponents:
- People or teams competing against others.
- international:
- Involving more than one country.
- selection:
- The act of choosing someone or something.
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
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Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the article, and which two details support it?
- 2How did Bryant’s career develop during his time with the Lakers?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Kobe Bryant: A Career Built on Skill” is a explanatory article reading passage about Kobe Bryant's basketball career, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (496 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.