At long last, the Kobe Bryant Goodbye Tour is coming to a close. The next time he plays on his home court, Wednesday against the Jazz, it will mark Bryant’s final game as an NBA player.
There’s no doubt the Staples Center will be buzzing with emotions and tributes. How will Kobe react?
"When the time comes, you never know," Bryant told ESPN. "[I] might be sitting here with tears flowing out of my eyes. I doubt it, but it could happen. I don't know. We'll see."
Kobe scored 17 points in his last game against the Clippers, and 34 Sunday against the Celtics. Could we see one last historic performance from Bryant Wednesday? How much is left in those legs?
"Just showing up and playing,” Bryant said of his final game. “Showing up and playing and hoping my body feels pretty damn good and I can get up and down the floor and run freely and play this game at the highest level of competition one more time."
Of course, the Mamba has had one of the league’s all-time great careers in his 20 professional years, racking up five championships, 18 All-Star Game appearances, one MVP award, and a very forgettable run as a rapper.
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[viaThe Score]
