‘Mamba out’: NBA legend Kobe Bryant bids farewell to basketball with incredible 60-point outing, as sporting stars around the globe say goodbye
Sporting world pay tribute to retiring Los Angeles Lakers star after phenomenal 60-point outing against the Utah Jazz in final outing
KOBE BRYANT bid farewell to basketball with an incredible 60-point outburst to lead his downtrodden Los Angeles Lakers to an improbable comeback win against the Utah Jazz.
The 20-season veteran, 37, trudged off the court triumphant, one last time covered in sweat and confetti and exclaimed: “Mamba out.”
Bryant dominated in his final ever showing in a fitting tribute to his entire career — attempting a record 50 shots in the 60-point outing during the 101-96 victory.
If that’s not a Hollywood ending...
Kobe signed off by saying: “It’s hard to believe it happened this way. I’m still shocked about it.
“The perfect ending would have been a championship.
“But tonight was [me] trying to go out, play hard and try to put on a show as much as I possibly could. It felt good to be able to do that one last time.”
“What else can I say. Mamba out.”
While the scoring display may have shocked the world — and the man himself — Kobe’s coach had no such concern.
Byron Scott — who played with Bryant in his rookie season — said: “It just didn’t surprise me, the way he would go out.
“Sixty points wasn’t a surprise. I knew he had it in him.”
And the sporting world swarmed to heap praise on the man of the hour, bidding farewell to not only a basketball legend, but a true sporting one...