On April 27, 1998, 19-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant made his inaugural appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated, marking an early milestone in a career that would become one of the most decorated in NBA history.
The cover headline—“Does Kobe Have the Magic?”—framed the young shooting guard as a potential heir to Lakers legend Magic Johnson. At the time, Bryant had already earned a spot in the 1998 All-Star Game, becoming the league’s youngest All-Star starter, and was the team’s third-leading scorer behind Shaquille O’Neal and Eddie Jones despite having started only one game that season.
Bryant would go on to answer the magazine’s question emphatically. Over a 20-year tenure in Los Angeles, he won five NBA championships, collected 18 All-Star selections, was named to 15 All-NBA teams, captured the 2007-08 regular-season MVP award, and earned two Finals MVP honors.
The 1998 issue was the first of 21 total covers Bryant would grace for Sports Illustrated. His final appearance, dated March 24, 2016, was a special edition commemorating his impending retirement.
A tweet from sports business reporter Darren Rovell on April 27, 2018, highlighted the 20-year anniversary of the original cover, underscoring Bryant’s enduring impact on the sport and popular culture.
Source: Lakers Nation
