I was 3 years old when Kobe joined the NBA. I literally can not remember life without Kobe Bryant dominating the NBA on behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers. I wanted to write down some of my favorite memories, but it would take me over 20 pages to write down all the greatness I've witnessed over the past 20 years, and ain't nobody got time for that. So I'll keep it simple. It's been a joy to witness Kobe's evolution from #8 to #24. From phenomenal athlete to ultimate champion. He's not just the greatest basketball player I've ever seen, he's a modern day superhero. So while Kobe is retiring from the game of basketball, the Black Mamba will always live on. I owe it to Kobe to channel as much as his competitive drive and insane work ethic as is humanly possible. Thank you Kobe for being the ultimate inspiration and the source of countless childhood memories that I will cherish forever. To the rest of the NBA and the Lakers: Whose got next?
Damn wish I was there. Definitely gonna try and go whenever Kobe gets his jersey retired whether that be next season or the following one.
I've been trying to formulate a proper farewell for Kobe for two days now. It's consumed my mind day and night, at work and at the house. And every time I tried to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, the words wouldn't come out. Truth is, I don't know how to say goodbye to someone I've had a 20 year history with. Luckily I've been spared any significant loss of a family member or loved one so I've never had to find closure on a relationship of that length. (Not comparing fandom to a familial relationship, but those are the only relationships I've had with that kind of longevity). It is a very one sided relationship. Kobe doesn't know me and he never will. He doesn't know that I began following this cocky teenager who set the world by fire when I was just nine years old. He doesn't know the enjoyment or distraction that following his blossoming career provided me amongst the confusion of my parents divorce. He doesn't know what his competitive nature, work ethic, passion, and incomparable drive taught me or how much of a role model he was in that regard. He doesn't know the joy I had of introducing my newborn daughter to Kobe on TV (she won't remember either). And that's fine, because I will never forget what Kobe has brought me, fans across the world, and the game of basketball over the past twenty seasons. Farewell Kobe
60 points. At age 37. Are you f***ing kidding me? What else can say? I mean wow just wow. We love you Kobe. We always will. Good luck in retirement buddy.
I can only say that i feel sorry for people who couldnt witness his greatnest... It was fantastic journey that only laker fans can understand...and i am greatful for that gift... Thank You black mamba
Only two times I've ever cried about a player hanging them up. When Magic had the announcement and when Kobe walked off the court tonight. Damn I'm gonna miss him.
There is no better way to have a final game than going out on 60 points with clutch shots down the stretch. Thanks for putting on a show, one last time.
Dear Kobe, From the moment you became a Laker, I knew one thing was real: I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all--my heart, my time, my loyalty, and my undying support. As a thirteen-year old boy deeply in love with your game, I never saw the end of the tunnel. I only saw you running out of one, game in and game out. And so I ran with you. I ran up and down every court after every loose ball with you. I shot each shot with you and fist pumped after every last basket you made. I gave you my heart because it came with so much more. You played through the sweat and hurt because you loved this game as much as we loved watching you play it. Because that’s what you do when a game like this makes you feel so alive. You gave a thirteen-year old boy hope that his beloved Lakers would one day be great again, and I’ll always love you for it. But I stopped obsessively loving you after what happened three years ago. My heart couldn’t take the pounding. My mind couldn’t handle you not being the best player in the world anymore. And I knew that your body was telling you it was time to say goodbye. And that’s OK. Because I was ready to let go. I want you to know that I will savor every memory I have of you--the championships and the four missed airballs. You have given me a lifetime of moments to remember. And I know, no matter what you do next, I will always be that kid playing his video game, controlling #24 with :05 seconds on the clock. 5…4…3…2…1, swish. Love you always, One of your many fans/admirers
I’m still buzzing from that game, been on a high since last night. Words have been forming in my head all night, this might be a long post, bear with me one more time. So yesterday in my “letter” to Kobe, I said my favorite moment was game 7 of the 2010 Finals against Boston. I lied. Last night’s game has to go down as the best game I’ve watched. Better than that game 7, better than the 81 game. To be completely honest, I was expecting Utah to blow us out by at least 15 and boy was I wrong and I’m glad I was so wrong. Instead of a blowout game it was a story book ending, a fairy tale, a dream playing out in reality. Hollywood could not have written it any better. It was his swan song and it was written the way he wanted it. 60 points, on a somewhat respectable FG%, 60 freaking points. The most anyone has scored in the final game (previous was 29). He was at 35 mid way through the 3rd, I was sure he was going to get 40 put probably not much more, he was already exhausted. And then shots kept on going in. At one point I was begging for 50 and then 60 happen. Shaq put it best, “I challenged him to get 50 and the MFer got 60.” There was something poetic about the entire game. What’s felt like a lifetime ago, Kobe airballed 4 shots down the stretch during game 4 of a playoff series against Utah, we ended up getting swept. Yesterday he went 5/5 down the stretch, turning a 10 point deficit to a 5 point lead and eventually the W. There was a moment early on in the game, Kobe got the steal, behind the back pass to Russell, then bounce between the legs to Randle for a dunk. Reminded me so much of that play with Kobe, Luke and LO. Then there’s the stretch down the game, it was Kobe and 4 of our most promising young guys. Russell, Randle, Clarkson and Nance. They played defense for him, set hard screens for him, and passed him the ball. It really felt like a passing of the torch, punctuated by Kobe’s final basketball play, ironically an assist. A full court heave to JC for a dunk that sealed the deal. That heave alone comes full circle. It was so similar to Lamar’s full court pass to Kobe during that game 7, from the same spot too. And then there’s the magical free throw line. His first point was on the free throw line, his last point was there too. The 81st point, there too. The point that put him into 3rd on the NBA all time scorers list, a free throw against Minnesota. The alley oop to Shaq against Portland. The Phoenix game winner. The torn Achilles free throws. I’m sure the list goes on and on. This is the kind of game you tell your kids about, your kid’s kids. The kind of game you knew exactly where you were when it happened. Kobe started the game with 4 straight misses, I thought it was going to be one of those games, I’m sorry I doubted you. Thank you again Kobe for putting on a show one last time. Only you can make Curry’s and Warriors’ record breaking night seem so insignificant. It’s been years since Staples Center was that crazy. Hopefully our young guns and future free agent acquisitions realize that if they give their all to bring the city championships, they’ll get the same love from LA and Laker Nation.
^^ Beautifully written, alam1108. And I agree with every single word. It's number one for me, too. I'll never forget last night and it was such a pleasure and thrill to be here in the Gametime thread with so many of us Lakersball, neé Clublakers fanatics going nuts through every minute of this masterpiece. It was transcendent and glorious.
Dear Kobe, As a young girl, I grew up fascinated with basketball. You were the first player to catch my eye growing up, individually. I always knew of the Lakers, it was because of my grandfather watching sports period, all the time (though he loved baseball the most) and flipping through the channels, going down memory lane referencing sports and events in sports I really didn't understand the significance of until I got older. I was 8 years old when Kobe entered the NBA, and I was just coming off watching MJ and the Bulls as a little girl (my mom was a huge MJ/Mike fan), like many people my age we only caught the tail end of MJ's career and the Bulls. But the Lakers and Kobe stole my heart. I was already interested in the Lakers. No matter the age we all have the team we gravitate to the most and for me it was the Lakers, especially as I got older. But I wasn't aware of the basketball brilliance in store for me to be able to witness years later. Also,we all have the player we gravitate to the most, and Kobe for my generation, for my era in basketball was the one I gravitated to the most and will be forever. He wasn't my MJ of the generation, he was my Kobe of the generation. Seeing Kobe grow, maybe the most defining moment for me as a fan was watching him during the early 2000's. I think I was in middle school when the Lakers won their first championship, that stretch was amazing to watch, and I was teased so bad for being happy they won because my classmates HATED with a deep seeded passion Kobe and the Lakers. But it was amazing seeing him evolve over time. He really elevated his game during the 2002 NBA finals, he shot 51% from the floor scoring 26 points a game along side a dominant big man, how do you do that? It was a window into what was to become. He was no longer just a wing man but a man starting to develop and define himself as a player, and his own greatness. Kobe inspired me, this little shy, timid girl, to play basketball, to not be afraid to be boyish, to love sports specifically basketball. I made my parents buy me a basketball goal and I would go outside at night and play by myself because nobody else cared for the Lakers, Kobe and basketball like I did. Kobe made me love basketball, like and love are two different things but he made me LOVE basketball. He was my favorite player, I was never afraid to say so despite hearing it from everyone around me how they hated him. It made me brag about him even more like "You can hate him but you can't stop him from winning championships, you can't stop him from winning scoring titles, you can't stop him from anything" and it would anger so many people and I took pleasure in it. Kobe you inspired that little girl back then to play basketball, and you continued to amaze this woman with your impeccable display of basketball royalty. You inspired that little girl to be obsessed with the game of basketball. Your talent, acrobatic shot display, scoring ferociousness, finesse, and ability to play make is unmatched. Your fundamentals and footwork is something I've never seen a day in my life. What you gave me growing up was something I'll probably never see again. I remember being so heart broken several years ago, seeing you torch the Suns in 2010, knowing I'll never see you do that in person, and I never did, and never will. It will forever bother me that I never saw my childhood hero and idol play in person. I'll never get that opportunity. Thank you for allowing me to witness one of the best individual players in any sport, thank you for allowing me to witness greatness at a magnitude we'll probably never see again. To dominate one sport with one team for a decade plus is an incredible accomplishment we'll never see again. You showed me there was no Robin to Batman, that Robin was always Batman. 60 points, 20 years in from a 37 year old, are you serious? You inspired me to not give up, to push hard even when I thought I never could. Just as much as you've inspired little boys you've also inspired many girls across the globe. Thank you Kobe Bean Bryant, you'll forever be missed!! Mamba out!
