For the downvoters: submission title didn't specify so I genuinely expected photography. Seems like valid clarification to me!

Serious culture-calibration question(assuming you're not trolling): where are you from?

At least in America, "Kobe Bryant is a famous basketball player" is one of those facts that everyone (for relatively large values of everyone) knows.

To illustrate how well known he is outside of the US (specifically in Japan), a rather humorous video[0] that I saw on reddit a couple weeks ago:

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2JhvkzgVGc&feature=youtu.be...

Europe -- mostly Germany and Finland. The only basketball players I know are Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Out of curiousity, how old are you? Those were probably the biggest names in basketball in the 80s. It's also possible that they are known in Europe due to being co-captains of the first US Olypmic basketball team to allow professional players (Though they were past their prime at that point, and the remaining players were near the top of their NBA careers).

Maybe also Michael Jordan?

Sure, now that you mention him. And I'm sure I'd recognize some other old names upon hearing/googling, too. Just not in my active memory as basketball is a bit fringe sport around here.

Well, I know who he is, but from a sample of not-very-many in the UK, my wife had no idea and my colleague sat next to me (male, early 30s, loves cricket) also had no idea.

I'd say he's semi-famous in the UK.

I don't think most people in Europe would know who he is.

For non Americans, non sports fans that actually helps.