In a heartfelt farewell statement following his final LA Lakers game, Kobe Bryant
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The Lakers icon scored an incredible 60 points in his final NBA game, giving fans their last glimpse of him in a purple and gold outfit.
A victim of ailments in recent years that made far too many of his final games difficult, the third-leading scorer in NBA history concluded his illustrious 20-year career with the kind of play that won him five NBA championships.
The 37-year-old displayed the talent, toughness, and perseverance that have made him one of the greatest basketball players of all time. And unlike a lot of games this season, Bryant’s valiant efforts contributed to the win. For the majority of the game, the Lakers were behind the Utah Jazz, but in the fourth quarter, Bryant ignited the team and led them to a 101-96 victory.
After leaving the game with 4.1 seconds left, Bryant was surrounded by coaches and former teammates on the court.
“It’s amazing how quickly two decades have passed,” he said to the Staples Center audience following the match. Bryant expressed gratitude to his family, teammates, and Lakers supporters.
He remembered how his childhood favorite team, the Lakers, was his dream team to play for.
“This is the best you can write,” he declared.
Bryant, who made 22 of 50 shots, chuckled during his goodbye remarks since he had been instructed to pass the ball for the previous 20 years.
His teammates’ advice on the final night was to “don’t pass it!”
In a pregame ceremony, Magic Johnson called Bryant the greatest Laker of all time. Bryant concluded his remarks with a kiss, a literal mic drop, and the phrase “Mamba out.”
Bryant was amazing on Wednesday. In the fourth quarter, he scored 23 points to the Jazz’s 21. With just under six minutes remaining, Bryant scored 17 points in a row to turn the tide in his team’s favor.
With forty seconds left and his side behind by one score, Bryant received the ball. NBA fans had seen this sight countless times before. After dribbling the ball up court and surveying the defense, Bryant turned to his left and then back to use a screen. With thirty-one seconds left, the great made a layup from just inside the 3-point line because his man respected Bryant’s driving ability.
The moment the ball left his shooting hand, he, the Jazz, the 19,000 Lakers supporters, and the expanding television audience all knew it.
The ultimate Kobe. He brought it down. One more game-winner for an unforgettable highlight reel.
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