The shock is immense. Kobe Bryant, the former star of the Lakers, died Sunday in a helicopter accident. Aged 41, he retired in 2016. Five-time NBA champion with the California franchise, he was one of the greatest players in the history of the League, of which he is the fourth best player in history, just passed last night by LeBron James. A look back at his immense career in five highlights.
🙏 The Pepsi Center tribute to Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/ZsrjFHbK4L
- NBAextra (@NBAextra) January 26, 2020His first ring
In 1999-2000, the Lakers were still dominated by the great Shaquille O'Neal, but the young Kobe, 21, definitively became that season more than a lieutenant. Boosted by the arrival on the bench of Phil Jackson, the coach of the great team of the Chicago Bulls, the duo martyred the Western conference, won the final in match 7 against the Pacers and offered the grand final against Indiana. Bryant, injured in the second game, weighs a little less but the Lakers still prevail. They will repeat in 2001 and 2002 to complete a legendary "three-peat". Two other rings will follow, in 2009 and 2010.
His anthology night
81 points. The score is staggering. On January 22, 2006, Bryant made the second biggest card in NBA history, behind Chamberlain's famous 100 points, in another era. He scored 55 points in the second period, allowing the Lakers, for a time, to win against Toronto (122-104). The performance amazes everyone. "Like Jordan, he made the impossible possible," said Phil Jackson after the meeting.
One MVP title
It sounds crazy when you know the man's career, but Kobe won only one title of best player in the regular season. And he had to wait a long time for that. He was rewarded in May 2008, at the end of a season with almost 30 points on average. However, he will be named twice MVP of the finals, in 2009 and 2010.
The Olympic coronation
Raised with the dream team of 1992, Bryant wants his gold medal at the Olympic Games. Humiliated in 2004 with a semi-final defeat against Argentina, the Americans took revenge four years later. Kobe is surrounded by LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard. The final against Spain is magnificent, the Lakers player brings his share with 20 points (118-107) and finally wins the Olympic gold. He will add a second title in 2012, still against Spain.
His last match
He couldn't leave except by a completely crazy stats sheet. On April 13, 2016, he inflamed the Staples Center crowd one last time by scoring 60 points against the Utah Jazz. The Lakers prevail, of course (101-96), and celebrate their star. A few months later, on the 8th and 24th, the two numbers he wore on this jersey (the first until 2007, the second, which was that of his young years and which was unavailable when he joined the team until retirement).
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