Kobe Bryant has played for only one team during his 19-season NBA career, so it’s easy for many people to forget that he was actually drafted by another organization. Yes, back in 1996, Kobe was selected by the Charlotte Hornets. True story.
The Hornets drafted Kobe No. 13 overall in the 1996 NBA draft and traded him three weeks later for Vlade Divac. The trade was supposedly worked out before the draft, but how did Kobe and the Lakers ensure that no team in the first 12 spots would take the high schooler? The answer is they manipulated the situation.