Kobe Bryant grew up partly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and partly in Italy, where his father played professional basketball.

Quick Scoop

  • He was born in Philadelphia in 1978 and spent his early years there.
  • When he was about 6, his family moved to Italy so his father, Joe Bryant, could continue his basketball career.
  • From roughly ages 6 to 13, Kobe lived in several Italian cities (including Rieti, Reggio Calabria, Pistoia, and Reggio Emilia), where he learned Italian and played a lot of basketball and soccer.
  • In his early teens, the family moved back to the Philadelphia area , where he attended Lower Merion High School in the suburb of Ardmore.

So if you’re answering “where did Kobe Bryant grow up,” the most accurate short version is: between Italy (ages 6–13) and the Philadelphia area in the United States, especially Lower Merion in his teen years.

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