In his dramatic finale, Kobe Bryant again proves he’s more hero than villain

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – I want you to take a moment and embrace the absurdity of the next sentence you’re about to read. At age 37, with more than 48,000 minutes of basketball to his name, Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his final game. The oldest player in NBA history to ever do so. And every point of it, every moment, every second – was vintage Black Mamba. It was Kobe Bryant the way we grew up adoring him.

Kobe likens himself to a villain, but the truth is, he was always more hero than adversary. Was he perfect? Absolutely not. There was the sexual assault case in Denver in 2003 which was ultimately resolved. There were the numerous spats with Shaquille O’Neal. The list goes on.

But there was something about Bryant that drew the spectators to him, whether it was voluntary on his part or not. There was an obsession inside him for the game that made us, in turn, fall in love with basketball as well. The game was more than just a craft for him. It was life. With every dribble he took and every jumper he attempted, what was always constant was this: he gave his heart to the game, and so many of his fans put their faith in him.

Die-hard sports fans often get asked: “why do you care so much?” Why does a win or loss affect your mood for the rest of the day? Why do you look depressed when your favorite player, someone whom you’ve never met in your life, gets injured? Why do you sulk for weeks after they’ve been eliminated for the season?

They don’t get it. Some never will. Most of the time, being a die-hard fan of a team, especially in the NBA, ends in heartbreak. After all, only one out of 30 can win a championship every year. But does that deter us fans halfway across the world from getting up at the wee hours of the morning to watch our idols play a game of hoops for 48 minutes anyway? Absolutely not. Because we care. We get attached. We take delight in victories and sorrow in defeats. We revel in championships and despair in heartbreaking eliminations.

But there are times when we care too much and feel that it isn’t reciprocated by our favorite players. Maybe it’s a lazy defensive possession. Maybe it’s when they decide to rest a game rather than play when you’ve travelled miles to watch them live at the arena.

Bryant? He was the opposite of that. He fought through so many injuries it came back to haunt him towards the end of his career. His icy glare at teammates for the smallest of lapses rarely went unnoticed. It was the perfectionist inside him, for better or worse.

Like I said, he invested his life in the game. He was possessed about it. He cared way more than his fans even did, because winning was what truly mattered to him. There was a psychotic edge that made him the ultimate competitor. Friend or foe, anyone who got in his way of triumph was more often than not left in the dust.

The game against Utah was the perfect example. It was Kobe at his finest. Lethal jumper after another. Using impeccable footwork to relieve himself of defenders and get to the rim. He brought out the full arsenal for a final curtain call, reminding us once again of the greatness that had us infatuated from the very beginning.

Out of his 60, 23 came in the fourth quarter. When the Lakers were down 10 with 2:15 left, he made two free throws to cut the lead to 8. After a Gordon Hayward miss, he drove to the basket and scored again to cut the deficit to 6. With 1:27 left, he hit a classic 15-footer that he’s drained time and time again over the years like clockwork.

Then with 59 seconds left, he pulled up from 26 feet for a 3-pointer. Swish. 96-95. After a Shelvin Mack miss, Bryant took a jumper from 20 feet. Nothing but net. Clutch. 97-96, Los Angeles.

When it was time to put the finishing touches, that’s what he did: two free throws and a pass to Jordan Clarkson for the game-sealing basket. 

It unfolded like a movie, but no scriptwriter could have penned the finish this way. 

Did he take a lot of shots (50)? Yeah, sure. But this was his night, not the Lakers’. He could have taken way more and it would have been understandable. That’s the kind of privilege a resume’ consisting of 5 championships, two finals MVPs, 18 All-Star appearances, and 33,643 points gives you.

Yet even with how high his usage rate skyrocketed, he eventually delivered the only thing that has ever mattered to him starting with the moment he stepped foot in the NBA: the win.

That’s why he was a hero to his fans. We always seek for inspirations to look up to, and he always did his best to play the part. It’s why, until this day, you’ll find kids at the park scream “KOBE!” when holding their follow-through.

For 20 years, Kobe Bryant gave his life and soul to the game. For 20 years, we asked for his hustle and he gave us his heart. For 20 years he showed us what greatness is all about – and more importantly, what type of sacrifice, determination, and passion were required to get there. For 20 years, he elevated his game to places where only few can ever do so.

He gave us countless game-winners, eye-opening dunks, head-shaking records, and many more moments to last for a lifetime. He gave his fans his all – every point, every moment, every second – and he became their icon. Their legend. Their Black Mamba.

Before the game against Utah, O’Neal challenged Kobe to score 50. So what did he do?

Just spoke to Shaq – he said "I challenged him to get 50 and the mother****er got 60"

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) April 14, 2016

“The mother****er got 60.”

Once again, for one final time, Bryant elevated himself. Just like heroes do. – Rappler.com

---

MORE KOBE BRYANT RETIREMENT COVERAGE:

• IN PHOTOS: Kobe Bryant’s journey from phenom to legend
• WATCH: Lakers bid farewell to Kobe Bryant with tribute video
• WATCH: Kobe Bryant’s farewell speech
• Magic Johnson delivers touching tribute to Kobe Bryant
• Lakers fans pay emotional farewell to Kobe Bryant
• WATCH: Kobe Bryant torches Jazz for 60 in final NBA game