Lower Merion in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, was where Kobe Bryant played basketball for his high school. In his senior season, Kobe averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots.
One of the first freshmen to join Lower Merion’s varsity basketball squad in decades was Bryant in 1992. In Kobe’s first season, the Aces of Lower Merion struggled and finished with a dismal 4-20 record. Over the following three seasons, the club significantly improved under Kobe’s leadership, posting a combined record of 77-13. Bryant averaged 31.1 points per game, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists during his junior year. As a result, he received the Pennsylvania Player of the Year award.
In his final season, Kobe led the Aces to a 32-3 record and assisted the group in winning its first state championship in more than 40 years. In his senior season, Kobe garnered a lot of praise. Bryant was chosen to USA Today’s All-USA First Team and the Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Men’s National Basketball Player of the Year, and McDonald’s All-American lists. Kobe Bryant finished his senior year as Southeastern Pennsylvania’s all-time best scorer with 2,883 points, defeating prep greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons in the process.
