LEGEND: Kobe Bryant bids farewell to a successful career.
By Jack Weggeland, Staff Writer
Since the 1996 draft, when drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and eventually traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant has been and continues to be the cornerstone of the Lakers’ franchise. In his twenty year career, he ranked third on the all-time record in career scoring and won five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships, two Final Most Valuable Player (MVP) titles, one NBA MVP title, and participated in the NBA All-Star game 17 times.
On November 30, 2015, the Laker legend announced his retirement following the 2016 season. Los Angelinos, diehard Laker lovers, or just fans of the game alike will never truly be able to repay Kobe Bryant for the wonderful memories he has given us. Despite this, we can memorialize his name, work ethic, and style of play by taking a flash into the past and revisiting his greatest moments.
- The Achilles Tendon free throws
On April 12, 2013, Bryant’s season and career took a turn for the worst when he tore his Achilles tendon, while playing the Golden State Warriors. Despite the excruciating pain and awful injury, Bryant slowly made his way to his feet, carefully limped to the free throw line, and sank two shots after being fouled. In a career that spanned two decades, this moment in time proved to the world that he has a heart as big as his game.
- Kobe scores 62 in just three quarters
On December 20, 2005, in a home game at the Staples Center against the Dallas Mavericks, Kobe Bryant did what very few basketball players can do in an entire game— in only three quarters. The Mamba played just under 33 minutes, hitting 18 of 31 shots while nailing four three-pointers, which helped the Lakers achieve a healthy 112-90 victory.
- Four consecutive 50-point games
During the 2007 season, the Laker legend made history again when he scored 65 points against the Portland Trailblazers, 50 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 60 against the Memphis Grizzlies, and 50 against the New Orleans Hornets. Only another household name, Wilt Chamberlain, has had a longer streak of seven straight 50-point games. Despite this, during his scoring charade, Kobe Bryant demonstrated himself as an unstoppable offensive force of our time and one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen.
- Kobe’s Madison Square Garden masterpiece
On February 2, 2009 the purple and gold travelled to the Big Apple to compete against the New York Knicks in the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden (MSG). In this game, Bryant connected on 19 of 31 shots, including three buckets beyond the arc, which helped tally a total of 61 points. This was an epic performance— one unlike any other in the Garden. Despite the 117-126 loss the Knicks had suffered, by the end of the game, the New York faithful had fallen victim to Kobe’s magical performance and began chanting his name throughout MSG, “KOBE! KOBE! KOBE!”
- The 81-point Game
On January 22, 2006, the Mamba solidified himself as one of the greatest to step foot on the hardwood when he dropped a career high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. This remains the second highest number of points in a single game in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point performance.
Over the past twenty years, the NBA has witnessed one of the greatest athletes in professional sports history. Kobe Bryant will be remembered in the league and around the world for his extreme talent, unmatchable work ethic, and zealous attitude. By the end of the NBA season, Kobe Bryant will move on to the next chapter of his life. Before he bids goodbye at his last game on April 13, fans everywhere will join hands, shed a tear, and say to the Laker legend for one last time, “Thank you, Kobe.”