Could Kobe Bryant have ended his reign of NBA dominance in a more Kobe Bryant way?
Hoisting up shots that would get other players benched immediately. Putting the team on his back. Adding his name to the record books yet again. Ice in his veins. Clutch shots. Mamba mentality. It was everything you wanted to see in one of the game’s greatest sendoffs.
With all that’s occurred in just the past few months, with his untimely passing and his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, the game takes on another sort of symbolic meaning. And it was on today’s date four years ago that he shocked the world with his magical performance against the Jazz.
You can’t find much more “Kobe” of a shot than that one. And with an additional 58 points to go with that game-clinching shot, Kobe did everything in his power to leave a permanent mark on the game with his amazing final performance.
How does his 60-point outburst compare with other Hall of Fame superstars’ final games? Let’s take a look, but first, a spoiler: no one even comes close to touching Kobe's final performance.
Players listed in no particular order. All stats retrieved from Basketball Reference.
Tim Duncan puts up a short jumper over Steven Adams.USA Today
Tim Duncan
19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 34:25
Another member of the 2020 Hall of Fame went out with a bang. Although Duncan’s final game came in a 14-point loss to the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, he was still able to show out with a solid stat line and a team-high +12 plus/minus.
Tim Duncan's final walk through the tunnel #ThankYouTD pic.twitter.com/eEIg7oqtVw
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) July 11, 2016
Michael Jordan
15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 28:10
Had Jordan never played in Washington, his final game would have been a tad more epic. That was only when he dropped 45 points on the Jazz in the 1997-98 NBA Finals, sinking the most famous 17-foot jumper in NBA history. Instead, in a stint that took away from his legacy according to some fellow NBA stars, his actual last game came in a 20-point loss to the 76ers.
Speaking of Michael Jordan, I don’t remember his last game April 16, 2003 as being particularly memorable.
— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) March 7, 2019
But, it was against Allen Iverson and Philly. Dr. J and Moses Malone were on hand to show love. pic.twitter.com/hyCryKPFjG
Even Shaq couldn't end his career on a splashy note.USA Today
Shaquille O’Neal
0 points, 0 rebounds, 2 fouls, 3:31
Welp. Not everyone can go out with the same bang that Kobe did. Shaq didn’t play a huge role with the Celtics throughout the year, and saw his role diminish even further once the Playoffs were underway.
Kevin Garnett
2 points, 0 rebounds, 1 foul, 9:11
We kind of wish Garnett had stayed with the Nets. It’s not that the reunion with Minnesota wasn’t cool to see, but knowing just how much his relationship with the franchise has deteriorated and that this was his final showing makes it a little less magical.
Allen Iverson
13 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, 29:20
Iverson’s final showing, thankfully, was when he was with the Sixers -- anything else wouldn’t have felt right -- but unfortunately, it came in a horrendous 32-point loss to the Bulls. He called his season early after that game to deal with family matters involving his daughter’s health.
Wilt Chamberlain posted a 20-point, 20-rebound double-double 588 times in his career.USA Today
Wilt Chamberlain
23 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists
A 20-20 double-double seems like a proper way to end the career of Wilt Chamberlain. It was his 588th 20 point-20 rebound game of his career, which ranks him in first place all-time. He’s ahead of Bill Russell, in second place, by a mere 393 games.
Larry Bird
12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 33:00
You get the sense that Bird could have kept playing a little longer, though the pain from his back injury was mounting and became too much for him to want to play through. Still, he put up a 49-point game around two months before his final appearance, one that was much less impressive but still solid in an 18-point loss.
Magic Johnson returned from a four-year hiatus to finish out the 1995-96 season.USA Today
Magic Johnson
8 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 30:00
Magic’s return to the NBA after a four-year hiatus was impressive in a small sample and featured some great games. However, his final one was not a great example of his success, and he didn’t make it past that one small burst after his HIV leave of absence.
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