Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 at 2:55 pm  |  27 responses

Photo Gallery: Kobe x SLAM

A history of the Black Mamba’s mag covers.

Over the past decade-plus, Kobe Bean Bryant has rapidly risen from high school stud to NBA All-Star to international superstar, and we’ve been there every step of the way. Need proof? Click through to see a bunch of the five-time champ’s SLAM covers, along with some dope photos we took at various points of his career. And for the most recent Kobe-covered issue, pick up SLAM 146, which is on newsstands nationwide right now.

Kobe at Lower Merion

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  • Ryan Jones Posted: Feb.8 at 2:59 pm
    The triplets — Slam 66, page 9 — remains on a very short list for dopest cover in this magazine’s history. Argue with that.

  • Ryan Jones Posted: Feb.8 at 3:01 pm
    Oh, and first! When was the last time anybody did that? I’m gonna bring that ish back!

  • Tzvi Twersky Posted: Feb.8 at 3:10 pm
    9, 12, 17 and 18 if I had to pick just four of them.

  • Silverselectjd Posted: Feb.8 at 3:11 pm
    How long before the haters come out of hiding? Or the tired “rapist” crap?

  • Silverselectjd Posted: Feb.8 at 3:11 pm
    Hey Ryan, any weight behind the Melo trade or is it just leverage?

  • mrwatson Posted: Feb.8 at 3:13 pm
    the best player ever in my opion and i seen mj both of them and kobe is the best to me

  • Eboy Posted: Feb.8 at 3:19 pm
    Uhm…..hurray?

  • Ryan Jones Posted: Feb.8 at 3:22 pm
    Silverdlkj;ak;d: I think so. My guess is Fisher and Worthy for Melo and a future second-round pick.
    I kid. I have no idea, man.

  • Tzvi Twersky Posted: Feb.8 at 3:33 pm
    This post made me go back and flip through the complete covers archive (http://www.slamonline.com/online/tag/Cover-Archives/). I’m not sure who has a nicer set of covers: AI or KB. Either way, both are pretty complete.

  • Ben Osborne Posted: Feb.8 at 3:42 pm
    We’re good.

  • logues Posted: Feb.8 at 3:52 pm
    im one of the ppl who complain about all the kobe covers, but 97 and 114 are pretty sick covers

  • Wayno Posted: Feb.8 at 3:56 pm
    12 is sick…love it.

  • Jer dawg Posted: Feb.8 at 4:23 pm
    Retro that cover 9 once Championship 6 comes around. SLAM is good for revisiting their classic covers.

  • Enigmatic Posted: Feb.8 at 4:46 pm
    How ironic that Kobe was on the cover of Slam 24. Before he even switched numbers.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Feb.8 at 5:45 pm
    I don’t recognize this Ryan Jones that does not take jabs at Kobe Bryant.

  • Ryan Jones Posted: Feb.8 at 9:05 pm
    I’d never let my feelings for Mamba interfere with my love for some beautiful covers.

  • jarrett Posted: Feb.8 at 9:32 pm
    SLAM 97, AND SLAM 126 are by far the best Kobe covers… I think SLAM 126 takes the cake. that was a really great cover.

  • howyalikemenow Posted: Feb.8 at 11:34 pm
    What about the How Ya Like Me Now cover after the first title post-shaq? guess the grimacing face didnt make the cut?

  • underdog Posted: Feb.9 at 3:42 am
    old covers > new covers

  • chazz michael michaels Posted: Feb.9 at 10:45 am
    where is A.I. in the rookies pic??? a.i. was better than any of those guys back in that day…

  • Slick Ric Posted: Feb.9 at 11:17 am
    O’neal looks like Greg oden.

  • Joe Posted: Feb.9 at 11:51 am
    Yep. SLAM knew Kobe was going to be great. So did I. And he has some of the best all-time covers too.

  • nowyouknow Posted: Feb.9 at 10:00 pm
    Lamarcus Aldridge is in alot of issues with kobe on the cover..

  • mars Posted: Feb.10 at 9:34 am
    SLAM 15 super official. Look at dem baby faces. they had so much to prove back then. Damn. Shareef Abdir Rahim was that deal.

  • dfortruth Posted: Feb.10 at 1:12 pm
    Great, I only buy slam when it a Kobe cover.

  • tuxo Posted: Feb.13 at 7:33 am
    so cool

  • Eric Woodyard Posted: Feb.13 at 9:12 pm
    This is still the sickest SLAM cover ever to me! I remember buying the black Lakers uni because of this cover. I still have the jersey to this day and I plan on getting this cover framed.

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