By Abdulafeez Olaitan
Following a frabjous career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), spanning 20 years with Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant undoubtedly had some of the best career highlights.
His farewell match remains one that will be emblazoned in the memories of many for a long long time.
The farewell match which was against Utah Jazz took place on the night of April 13th, 2016 in the Staples Centre, Los Angeles California, and what’s more, it was the season finale.
Kobe Bryant played a total of 42 minutes in a 101-96 win over Utah Jazz. He notched 60 points in what was the final game of his career.
It was such an iconic feat that he became the oldest player to score 60 or more points in a game. He achieved this 234 days into age 37.
Though the opposition team opened the scoring in the first quarter of the game with a 6-foot two point shot from Jeff Withey, assisted by Shelvin Mack, the response from the Lakers soon came after Utah Jazz had completed two more 2-point shots.
Kobe Bryant made a couple free throws and an incredible 26-foot three pointer. Utah Jazz took the lead at the end of the first quarter with a score of 21-19.
Kobe Bryant scored only 7 points in the second quarter which ended in a 57-42 defeat to Utah Jazz before scoring 15 points in the third quarter.
The bedazzlement of the farewell victory for Kobe Bryant came much later as the third quarter also ended in a defeat for the Lakers with a score point of 75-66.
In the fourth quarter of the game, Kobe Bryant further cemented his name in history books. He scored a whopping twenty-three points. This feat saw that he outscored the entire Utah Jazz team (23-21) in that quarter of the game.
This helped lead the Lakers to a much deserved win and to finish the season on a high note.
There were 18,997 spectators in attendance, many of whom chanted praises of Kobe Bryant’s name at the end of the game which was a major highlight of the veteran’s historic performances.
This was a fitting end for a figure who was arguably the best player to ever wear a Lakers jersey and to ever play the sport of basketball.
Blessed his soul, Kobe Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, won five NBA championships, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP, among many other honours.
