Dewey Phillip "Phil" Bryant (born December 9, 1954) is an American politician from Mississippi. Bryant is the 64th and current Governor of Mississippi, having defeated the Democratic Party candidate, Johnny DuPree in the 2011 general election. He previously served as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, having defeated the Democratic Party candidate, Representative Jamie Franks, in the 2007 general election. On November 8, 2011, he was elected Governor of Mississippi and assumed office on January 10, 2012.

Born in Moorhead, Mississippi, Bryant was raised in Sunflower County, Mississippi in the Delta region, the son of Dewey C. and Estelle R. Bryant. His father was a diesel mechanic. Bryant's family moved to Jackson where Dewey C. Bryant worked for Jackson Mack Sales and later Dewey Phil Bryant also worked at this business as Service Manager. The year he was elected to the legislature he employed himself as an insurance investigator. Bryant holds undergraduate degrees from Hinds Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi. He earned a master's degree at Mississippi College, where he currently (while also serving as Lieutenant Governor) is a professor teaching Mississippi political history.

Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was followed by O'Neal's trade from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, earning the NBA Finals MVP Award on both occasions.