“I need 50 that night Kobe Bryant!”: When Shaq asked the Mamba to put up 50 on his last day and the Lakers legend obliged with 60!

Kobe Bryant was asked to channel his mamba mentality one last time and drop 50 upon Shaq’s request and he obliged with a 60pt night. 

April 13th, 2016, was the last time that the Mamba ever played NBA basketball. The most memorable part about that night was not that it was his last game, it was that he dropped 60 points. Typical Kobe.

Three weeks prior to that on March 22nd, 2016, Bryant joined the Inside the NBA crew for a post-game interview.

Here, he had a chance to speak with Shaq, and towards the tail-end of the conversation, Shaq asks him a good question.

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“Kobe Bryant, Can you promise me one thing?” Shaq asks his brother to fulfill his request in his last game

In the interview, Shaq asks Kobe to promise him one thing, as a brother Kobe says yes. “I need 50 that night,” says Shaq, and Kobe responds with a mischievous “uh… no!”.

Shaq: “I need 50 that night”
Kobe: “Uhhh, no”

A couple weeks later Mamba dropped 60 points 🐍 pic.twitter.com/5TVAhi0dIR

— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) April 13, 2022

Little did we know back then, that come Mamba day, Kobe would go on to drop 60! And cap off an incredible career night.

Shaq was in the building to see his friend, compatriot, and brother put up a monster performance in his final game. Safe to say, he would have felt good about that one.

Today on Mamba day, it is important to remember that Kobe Bryant was the epitome of what a player can do if they worked hard.

His Mamba mentality is something that a lot of players embody to this day and try to channel in their games. As we celebrate his life, we all can look back fondly and watch his performances, and be thankful to have a chance to watch the mamba go to work.

For all his work and sacrifice, we thank him, and he will be truly missed.

04.13.2016

Mamba Day. Mamba Forever. pic.twitter.com/hmVehgdJ2H

— Kobe & Gianna Bryant Murals (@kobemurals) April 13, 2022

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