Brandon Bass

Brandon Samuel Bass (born April 30, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early life

Bass was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the oldest of three siblings; he has a brother, Chris, and sister, Dashia. Bass is the son of Charles Joseph and Aretha Bass. Bass was raised by his mother until her death. When he was 10 years old, he witnessed his mother die from a heart attack. Bass and his siblings subsequently moved in with their father but due to not feeling comfortable at their father’s home, Bass and his siblings moved in with their aunt, Estelle. While at his aunt's house, Bass was living with his siblings and five of his aunt’s children. It wasn’t until he was 13 years old that Bass began playing basketball competitively.

High school career

Bass attended Capitol High School in Baton Rouge where he began gaining recognition for his play. By his senior year in 2002–03, he was ranked the seventh best power forward in the nation, the 11th best overall player in the nation, and the third best player in the Southeast by Rivals.com.