One of basketball’s biggest stars, Kobe Bryant, is playing his final game in a career that has spanned two decades.
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– Robbie Rogers (@robbierogers)60 pts for @kobebryant and the @Lakers win… He walked off the court in front of his devoted fans in the building where he hung five championship banners. He also has 18 All-Star Game appearances and an MVP award.
He retires as the third-leading scorer in league history.
At 6:28 they got their wish, as Bryant checked back in. After a 20 year career, marked by titles, dominance, and I’m assuming at least one teammate in tears, the basketball maniac will finally hang up his Nikes.
I’ve seen a baseball player hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a full count. I’ve seen the city develop, and vice versa.
“For 20 years. Excellence for 20 years”.
Bryant addressed the crowd afterwards and said: “I grew up a die-hard Laker fan – die-hard – so to be drafted and traded to this organisation and spend 20 years here, you can’t write something like that”. He’s played throughout injuries.
Bryant may have retired with less points than all-time Lakers record-holder Kareem Abdul Jabbar, but in the eyes of many fans he will be remembered at the best player in its history. “He’s a hard-working man”, she said. He’s on a Mount Rushmore of the best Lakers to ever wear the purple-and-gold. Right? That’s what (former Bulls GM) Jerry Krause says.
“You have been an inspiration to us all and LA loves you”, said Nicholson. But Ellington wasn’t taking any chances, he set his DVR so he could watch Bryant’s final game in it’s entirety when he got home.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr is at Golden State’s shootaround ahead of the defending champs’ record-chasing final regular-season game against Memphis on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
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That’s for courtside, mind you, but it’s well above the $1,000-2,000 that courtside Lakers tickets have cost this season. According to ABC News, tickets have gone for as much as $27,500 on the secondary market.
