“It’s not Kobe’s prom” – Kobe Bryant’s high school classmate HATED future Lakers star for bringing pop star Brandy Norwood as prom date

His classmates got jealous of the attention the NBA star got.

“It’s not Kobe’s prom” – Kobe Bryant’s high school classmate HATED future Lakers star for bringing pop star Brandy Norwood as prom date

Kobe Bryant and Brandy Norwood (Credits: Entertainment Tonight and The Blast)

Kobe Bryant was one of the hottest rookies in 1996. In addition to making waves on the basketball court, Bryant made waves off it, as showed that year, when he asked then-teen sensation Brandy Norwood to prom. Kobe Bryant, one of the biggest stars in the team’s history, had a large fan base. For him, though, high school was a different story. Even though Bryant reached the highest level, his classmates appeared to hold grudges against him at his prom.

Bryant’s classmates didn’t care that he was making headlines for being the most talked about person at prom. Bryant ended up being late for the prom as couples kept arriving. When the media questioned his classmates, they claimed that Kobe Bryant wasn’t needed because it was their prom. Bryant desired to go to a typical prom, just like other students. His classmates, however, were jealous of the NBA legend. They believed it wasn’t just Bryant’s prom but Lower Merion’s.

NBC10 took an interview with them outside the venue. Kobe Bryant’s classmates said, 

It's not Kobe's prom, it's Lower Merion's prom.

One girl said, 

It's all of our prom, including Kobe but we are not the class of Kobe, we are the class of 1996

Also, the celebrity garnered media attention during his prom. Kobe Bryant arrived at his prom with a former Grammy Award winner, Brandy Norwood. Three hours later, he finally appeared, and the press flocked to see him. Rumors circulated that the pop star would be singing at the function, but Norwood denied them, saying she was having a good time.

Kobe was shy but asked Brandy Norwood for the Prom date

When Kobe first saw Brandy that April at Madison Square Garden for the Essence Awards, he fell head over heels in love with the singer/actress. When Kobe returned home from that event, his mother Pamela claims he told her he came across a “nice, beautiful, intelligent, and sweet person.” Bryant said he would take Brandy to the prom and displayed a magazine photo of her.

Kobe Bryant and Brandy Norwood
Kobe Bryant and Brandy Norwood (Credits: WKYC)

However, the NBA legend asked someone else to ask her out because he was too shy to do it himself. Fortunately, Brandy was unfazed and only agreed after getting her mother’s okay. Eventually, her mother accepted and accompanied her to Philadelphia. Kobe asked her out on a date, and Brandy disclosed the main justification for saying “yes” to the high school basketball sensation.

Brandy Norwood said, 

Did you hear that we went to the prom together? My date will always be him."

Kobe grinned and thought it was just a "very friendly" relationship.

When Kobe appeared on the set of Brandy’s hit sitcom Moesha in 1996, ET had the opportunity to speak with both of them. Brandy was close to him because he was wearing his number eight Lakers jersey. Kobe and Brandy laughed when asked about the rumors that they were dating.

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