As he navigated a gauntlet of cameras, hugs and backslaps, a dazed and delirious Kobe Bryant looked over at John Black, the Lakers’ longtime head of communications, and said, “What the fuck just happened out there?”
Black replied, “I don’t know, but it sure was fun to watch.”
Half a decade has passed since Bryant finished off his Lakers career with a dizzying final salvo of 60 points on 50 shots. The night of April 13, 2016, stands as one of the most significant and surprising achievements in Bryant’s 20 years.
On that night, he said goodbye to basketball amid an unparalleled celebration. Even as the Lakers limped to the finish line of a 17-win season, the 37-year-old Bryant summoned one final explosion to cap his Hall of Fame career.
