Kobe Bryant's weight?

[Indian guy]

I've been watching Lakers' playoff runs from 2008-2010 recently and he looks noticeably smaller during these years than his 2003-2006 phase. But what is his actual weight? I've googled it and there's barely anything on what he actually weighed during his career barring the odd season here and there. If I had to venture an educated guess, I'd say he was around 205 lbs for most of his career besides 2003-2006 (where he seems to be around 210-215 lbs).

Any Kobe experts here who know what he weighed season-by-season?

[MoBe1Kanobi]

I remember in 03 he was about 215-220 they were saying

Then in 04 he was a lot skinnier due to rape trial stress and a lack of conditioning

Then in 05 he was a good 210 until he ****ed up his knee mid season and had surgery

Then in 06 he had his hardest working out off season and came back about 205 with the best conditioning of his career

[eliteballer]

He bulked up in 03, didn't condition for 04 because of colorado, bulked up again in 05.

He had knee problems during/after both 03 and 06 so I think he realized it was too much weight.

[Indian guy]

I remember in 03 he was about 215-220 they were saying

One source has him at 212 lbs for 2003. Just looking at him, he seems a little bit bigger than that. 215-220 seems more likely.


Then in 05 he was a good 210 until he ****ed up his knee mid season and had surgery

This season is frankly the biggest I've seen him. Bigger than 2003.

[SamuraiSWISH]

I remember in 03 he was about 215-220 they were saying

Then in 04 he was a lot skinnier due to rape trial stress and a lack of conditioning

Then in 05 he was a good 210 until he ****ed up his knee mid season and had surgery

Then in 06 he had his hardest working out off season and came back about 205 with the best conditioning of his career
This ...

The biggest he was came in the 2003 and 2005 seasons. But honestly gained way too much upper body muscle mass, it actually gave him a slew of knee injuries.

I don’t get why some of these players feel the need to get so big. It’s not a sport where you need to be that big upper body wise. Guys like Kevin Durant and Allen Iverson are proof of this.

Kobe’s best seasons start to finish came with a more basketball specific sleek physique. 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013

[eliteballer]

Look what Jordan says here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn05ZJo53WA&t=6m54s

[SamuraiSWISH]

Look what Jordan says here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn05ZJo53WA&t=6m54s

Exactly, especially as you start to get up there in age. Jordan had a ton of muscle in the 96 season, for more post play, but ultimately he had bad knee tendinitis by the end of the year.

I think that partly affected his performance in the 96 finals.

He dropped 10 ish pounds the next season, and was much quicker, better leaper and lasted longer playing well into June.

[Indian guy]

He dropped 10 ish pounds the next season, and was much quicker, better leaper and lasted longer playing well into June.

Nah. '96 MJ is definitely a more explosive athlete than '97 MJ. Quicker first step. Better leaper. He had dunks in '96 that he just wasn't doing afterwards.

[Naero]

I vaguely remember reading that he lost 10-15 pounds during the 2007 FIBA AmeriCup, which was the slimmest-looking Kobe I can recall. He still worked out rigorously every off-season since his rape-trial dismissal, but the 2008 Olympics roadmap and NBA Finals runs helped curb his body fat before his metabolism considerably declined.




I don’t get why some of these players feel the need to get so big. It’s not a sport where you need to be that big upper body wise. Guys like Kevin Durant and Allen Iverson are proof of this.



It definitely helps your equilibrium and self-preservation under duress, however, as anyone who remembers their playing days should know. Those two players aren’t great counterexamples: the average player won’t be gifted with Durant’s length and height to compensate for it, and it’s certainly arguable that Iverson’s durability and paint-scoring efficiency (not counting opportunistic fastbreak points) could’ve benefited from better upper-body strength.

I agree they shouldn’t prioritize upper-body workouts, though—it certainly hasn’t helped Giannis equilibrate his jumpshooting, for instance—especially not disproportionately so as to cause lower-body strain. Aside from the back, the most irrecoverable injuries are generally sustained by lower-body regions.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Nah. '96 MJ is definitely a more explosive athlete than '97 MJ. Quicker first step. Better leaper. He had dunks in '96 that he just wasn't doing afterwards.

True. You’re talking about innate age based athleticism. But the reason he dropped the weight was because of the toll the muscle mass and weight gain had on him. Especially later on in the season. He specifically says in that interview he feels quicker IIRC

[fnafgm]

True. You’re talking about innate age based athleticism. But the reason he dropped the weight was because of the toll the muscle mass and weight gain had on him. Especially later on in the season. He specifically says in that interview he feels quicker IIRC
Exactly! By '97, Jordan slimmed down to maintain quickness and endurance, countering the toll the extra bulk took on him in '96. Adapting his physique kept him explosive longer, showing how he evolved to maximize his impact even with age.

[fnafgm]

True. You’re talking about innate age based athleticism. But the reason he dropped the weight was because of the toll the muscle mass and weight gain had on him. Especially later on basketball stars (https://basketballstars-game.io) in the season. He specifically says in that interview he feels quicker IIRC
Exactly! By '97, Jordan slimmed down to maintain quickness and endurance, countering the toll the extra bulk took on him in '96. Adapting his physique kept him explosive longer, showing how he evolved to maximize his impact even with age.

[ArbitraryWater]

Going off my memory I dont feel like 09-10 Kobe was smaller than 04-06 at all.

Thats where he seemed biggest to me actually.

03-06 he was slimmer/more athletic (03 he was maybe bigger).



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