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Michael Jordan’s Last Shot in the NBA Was Identical to Kobe Bryant’s Final Lakers Points

Samir Mehdi
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Michael Jordan’s Last Shot in the NBA Was Identical to Kobe Bryant’s Final Lakers Points

Michael Jordan shot his last shot in the NBA from a spot that would become iconic for both him and his mentee, Kobe Bryant. 

Michael Jordan has had three ‘Last Shots’ in the NBA over the course of 19 years. His first final shot came during Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals where his Chicago Bulls would put Charles Barkley and his Phoenix Suns to rest. Following this, MJ called it a career after 9 seasons, moving onto the Birmingham Barons in Minor League baseball. 

Of course, as history would dictate, Jordan made a return to the NBA and would proceed to win 3 straight championships yet again with the Bulls. His second ‘last shot’ would come with perhaps the most iconic shot in league history: his snatchback jumper over Bryon Russell to seal his 6th ring in Utah in 1998. 

After a 3-year hiatus and a position in the Wizards front office as their President of Basketball Operations, Michael Jordan returned to NBA hardwood a 3rd and final time. This time, he was a Wizard and on April 16th, 2003, he would play in the final game of his career in the NBA.

Also read: “That’s The Sign of a Good Man!” Michael Jordan Iconically Laid Down the Law for Trash Talking, While He Was Seething From a Loss

Michael Jordan hit his last shot in the NBA from a familiar spot. 

Michael Jordan shot 6-15 against the Philadelphia 76ers in a blowout 107-87 loss on 4-23-2003. He would score 15 points but 13 of them would come before he was benched due to the game being a blowout loss. 

However, since this was MJ’s final game, fans chanted for him to check back into the game. He would then find himself at the charity stripe where he would drain both of his free throws. These FTs would be the last shot MJ would take in an official NBA game.

Another player who called it a career from the free throw line was Kobe Bryant. In his final a game against the Utah Jazz, he dropped 60 points. His final two points came from the free throw line as well. Coincidentally, his first points in the league also came from the FT line. 

Also read: “Michael Jordan Refused To Meet With Kim Jong-Un”: Dennis Rodman Revealed How The North Korean Leader Had To Settle For Him

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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