August 23 marked what would’ve been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday. As a tribute to the NBA legend, former Los Angeles Lakers star Byron Scott dedicated his podcast episode to Bryant’s honor. Scott discussed Kobe’s impact on the game in every capacity, even going as far as to claim that one specific milestone will never be replicated again.
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Looking at the accomplishments Kobe Bryant achieved throughout his career, there are too many to count. His 81-point game is iconic, and then there was the time he outscored the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 62 points by himself to their 61 team points through three quarters. Byron Scott acknowledged the greatness of all of these, but one moment stands out above the rest.
“His last game,” Scott said on Byron Scott’s Fast Break. “I had the pleasure of being there. Witnessing history.”
Kobe’s final game remains one of the biggest marvels in NBA history. At 37 years old, the five-time NBA champion scored 60 points, which is still the most points by a player in their final NBA game. Scott doesn’t see anyone replicating such a performance anytime soon.
“I don’t think we will ever see anybody play 20 years in the NBA, knowing that they’re retiring that year, and come out and have a game where they had 60. [Michael] Jordan didn’t even come close to that,” Scott proclaimed.
Jordan’s brief tenure with the Washington Wizards isn’t the most memorable in comparison to his legendary Chicago Bulls career. He did achieve a few amazing feats, such as scoring 43 points at 40 years old. That performance remains the most points by a player 40 or older. However, Scott is right, his final game wasn’t even close to Bryant’s.
Jordan played just 28 minutes and finished with 15 points in a 107-87 blowout loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Bryant’s performance didn’t just surpass Jordan’s by leaps and bounds on the score sheet; he topped it off with a victory.
“So I think in our lifetime, we will not see anybody do or duplicate any type of performance like that whatsoever,” Scott said.
Everything leading up to Bryant’s final game made the occasion as monumental as it was: his recovery from an Achilles injury, the number of years he played, and knowing all eyes would be on his last game. The spotlight was extremely bright, yet it didn’t matter. No ordinary player can raise his level of play under those circumstances.
A few candidates may be able to make Scott eat his words, as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant won’t have much longer left in the NBA. All three of those players are capable of scoring at an elite rate. But 60 points is a different beast, and it may be too much for anyone to surpass.
