LOS ANGELES — In April 2016, 37-year-old Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers were in unfamiliar territory. The Lakers had missed the playoffs for two consecutive season.
In November, Bryant had already disclosed his intention to retire as the team seemed on the path of missing the playoffs a third year.
However, Bryant was still one of the top performers on the team and showed bouts of greatness, particularly with a 38-point performance in a close win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in February. He was voted into the All-Star game, scoring 10 points and six rebounds.
True to form, however, Kobe saved his greatest moment of the season for the end.
His final game of his illustrious 20-year career was at the Staples Center against the Utah Jazz, who had earlier been eliminated from playoff contention as well. It was an otherwise meaningless game, but millions of sports fans around the world watched Bryant take the court one last time.
When number 24 was announced by public address announced Lawrence Tanter one last time, the crowd erupted in a standing ovation with respectful cheers for perhaps the greatest player of one of the NBA's greatest franchises. However, Kobe, ever the competitor, was no doubt focused on the task at hand. There was still one last game to be won.
Kobe struggled through the early minutes of the game, missing his first five shots. However, despite his recent injuries and his age, he refused to be taken out of the game. He would go on to score 15 of the Lakers' 19 points in the first quarter, equaling the total points scored by Michael Jordan is his last game with the Washington Wizards.
Bryant would continued to throw up shots through the first half, finishing with 22 points, hitting only 35% of his shots. As the team went to halftime, the Lakers were down 57-42 and basketball fans wondered if one of the great scorers in NBA history would catch fire one last time that night.
In the third quarter, Kobe had topped 30 points, already a strong last performance. Perhaps more importantly to Bryant himself, he had cut the deficit to 12.
Kobe had one last quarter to play professional basketball. He had one last shot at a comeback. One last show for his adorning fans. As he had so many times in his 20 years in the NBA, he seized the opportunity.
It took only minutes into the quarter for him to surpass 40 points for the 135th time in his career. At this point late in the game, his teammates kept feeding him. Bryant seemed to hit everything as the broadcasters and fans watched in amazement. Simply put, he had turned back the clock.
In a scene reminiscent of Ted Williams' final home run in his last at bat in Fenway Park, Kobe Bryant seemed poised to not just win the game, but be the reason why his team won.
During his final quarter, Kobe scored 17-straight points to rally the Lakers back into the game.
With less than a minute to go, Bryant hit a 26-foot three pointer to bring the Lakers within one point of the lead. It was his last three-pointer in his career.
Less than 30 seconds later, he hit a vintage 20-foot shot two-pointer that gave the Lakers 97-96 lead.
The Jazz missed a layup on their next possession and and the ball was soon back in Kobe's hands with 58 points.
He was fouled with 14 seconds to go and stepped up to the line for two free throws. Several seasons before, Bryant scored two free throws after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2013. Many marked that as the start of Bryant's decline.
Bryant made the first free throw, leaving him one hoop away from the unthinkable score of 60. As thousands of fans inside the Staples Center, and millions more watching on television, his final shot passed through the net, making him the oldest player in NBA history to score 60 points.
Ironically, scoring would not be his final mark on his last box score. After years of being the butt of jokes for not passing the ball, Kobe assisted on a dunk by Jordan Clarkson in the waning seconds of the game.
The final score: Los Angeles Lakers 101, Utah Jazz 96.
Kobe Bryant, one the greatest competitors in sports history, led his team to victory leaving his fans with one last indelible image of an athlete who refused to lose.
After the game, the Lakers held a celebration at center court of the Staples Center. Bryant addressed the fans, thanking them for their support through the years.
Then he kissed fingers, pointed at the crowd, and said: "Mamba out!"