Kobe Paras facts for kids
Paras in 2021
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| Small forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | September 19, 1997 Quezon City, Philippines |
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| Nationality | Filipino | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Pro career | 2021–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2021–2022 | Niigata Albirex BB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Altiri Chiba | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras (born September 19, 1997) is a Filipino professional basketball player. He last played for Altiri Chiba in Japan's B2 League. Kobe is 6 feet 6 inches tall and plays as a small forward. He has also played for the Philippine national team and the national 3x3 team.
Kobe Paras first planned to play college basketball in the United States at the University of California, Los Angeles. However, he did not meet their academic requirements. He then played for Creighton University in 2016–2017. After that, he transferred to Cal State Northridge. He later returned to the Philippines to play for the UP Fighting Maroons at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Kobe is the son of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) legend Benjie Paras.
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Kobe Paras' High School Basketball Journey
Kobe Paras started playing basketball at La Salle Greenhills in the Philippines. In the middle of the 2013–2014 school year, he moved to Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. He played for their basketball team, the Phantoms.
Playing for Middlebrooks Academy
For his final year of high school, Kobe decided to play for Middlebrooks Academy. This team was not regulated by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). This allowed him to avoid conflicts with school year differences between the Philippines and the U.S. While at Cathedral, he was an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society. He was also a Star Scholar Honoree and graduated with high honors.
High School Achievements
At Cathedral, Kobe averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 steals as a junior. He was named an All-State nominee and First Team All-Del Rey League. He helped Cathedral reach the Regional Championship game. In 2015–2016, playing for Middlebrooks Academy, he was nominated for the McDonald's All-American Game. He also won the PEC-6 Conference MVP Award. Kobe played in top basketball events like Adidas Nations and the Adidas All-American Camp.
Kobe Paras' College Basketball Path
Kobe Paras had an interesting journey through college basketball. He played for different teams before turning professional.
Playing for UCLA (2016)
Kobe first committed to play for the UCLA Bruins basketball team. He signed a letter to join the team in November 2015. However, in June 2016, he withdrew from UCLA. This was because he did not meet their academic requirements. Even so, many other Division I colleges were interested in him.
Time at Creighton University (2016–2017)
On July 18, 2016, Kobe signed with the Creighton Bluejays. He was the first Filipino player to join their program. He played in 15 games for Creighton, scoring a total of 20 points. He also grabbed 15 rebounds in 70 minutes of play. His best game was against Longwood in December 2016, where he scored six points. After his first year, he left Creighton in April 2017.
Brief Period at Cal State Northridge (2017)
In May 2017, Kobe announced he would play for the Matadors. Due to transfer rules, he would have to sit out his first year. However, in March 2018, Kobe decided to leave Cal State. He wanted to start a professional basketball career. He never played a game for the Matadors.
Return to the Philippines: University of the Philippines (2019)
On July 10, 2018, Kobe announced his return to the Philippines. He joined the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. His father, Benjie Paras, also played for UP and was part of their 1986 championship team. Kobe said he chose UP for its great basketball program and world-class education. He had to wait one year before he could play for the UP Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 82. In his first game, he was named UAAP Player of the Week. He helped the UP Fighting Maroons win three games in a row. In April 2021, he left the team to look for more basketball opportunities in the United States.
Kobe Paras' Professional Basketball Career
After his college journey, Kobe Paras began his professional basketball career in Japan.
Playing for Niigata Albirex BB (2021–2022)
On September 5, 2021, Kobe signed with Niigata Albirex BB in Japan's B.League. He made his first professional game on October 2. In that game, he scored 25 points, had 4 assists, and made 2 steals. His contract with Niigata Albirex BB ended in May 2022 and was not renewed.
Time with Altiri Chiba (2022–2023)
After leaving Niigata Albirex, Kobe joined Altiri Chiba in June 2022. This team had just moved up to the B.League's second division. Kobe played with Altiri Chiba until March 3, 2023, when he parted ways with the team.
Kobe Paras and the National Team
Kobe Paras has proudly represented the Philippines in international basketball.
Playing for Junior National Teams
Kobe was part of the Philippine national team that played in the 2013 SEABA Under-16 Championship. He also played for the team in the 2014 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship. In that tournament, he scored 27 points in a thrilling overtime win against Japan.
Playing for Senior National Teams
The Philippine national team wanted Kobe to join them as early as 2015. He was part of the team for the 2017 William Jones Cup. He also played for the country in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games. In the Southeast Asian Games, Kobe helped the Philippines win their 18th gold medal in basketball. This happened on August 26, 2017, when they beat Indonesia 94–55. Kobe averaged 11.4 points in the tournament. He also showed off his amazing dunking skills.
Playing for 3x3 National Teams
Kobe Paras has also represented the Philippines in 3x3 basketball. He played in the 2013 and 2015 FIBA 3x3 Under-18 World Championship. Even though the team did not win the main tournament, Kobe won the slam dunk championships in both years. He also played for the Philippines in the 2017 FIBA 3x3 World Cup in France. He was named player of the day on June 18, 2017. The team finished 11th in the tournament.
Kobe Paras' Family Life
Kobe Paras comes from a family deeply involved in basketball and entertainment.
Kobe is the son of Benjie Paras, a famous Filipino basketball player and actor. Benjie is a two-time PBA Most Valuable Player. He is also the only player in PBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Kobe's mother is former actress Jackie Forster. Kobe was named after the legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant.
Kobe's older brother, Andre Paras, is also a basketball player and an actor. Kobe also has two younger half-brothers, Riley and Sam, from his father's second marriage. He has two half-brothers and a half-sister from his mother's second marriage as well.
