Kobe Bryant is retiring after the season, but he’s not done yet.
Kobe scored a season-high 31 points – making a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left and a jumper with 30 seconds left that put the Lakers up for good – in the Lakers’ 108-104 over the Wizards on Wednesday.
Washington fans chanted his name after the game:
One even dashed onto the court, touching Kobe before security pulled him away:
Kobe shot 7-for-26 in his first post-retirement-announcement game, a loss to the lowly 76ers. It seemed the farewell tour would just draw more attention to Kobe’s ugly finish.
But the Lakers star is still capable of hitting this gear occasionally, and it’s fun to watch these throwback games unfold.
Just recognize he’s 37, and multiple major injuries have taken a toll. Don’t expect that Kobe has turned the corner and there will be more of these games to come.
If he plays this way again, just enjoy the moment.
First, enjoy this moment.