Topic: With Kobe Bryant celebrating his 36th birthday this weekend, we wonder what is Kobe’s greatest moment of his career?
Context: As Kobe Bryant heads into the twilight of his career, this has become a time to reflect on everything great that he has done throughout his time in the NBA.
Kobe will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and he has left the fans with plenty of memories along the way. Lakers fans have been fortunate enough to see Kobe grow up from the young high school kid, to the ruthless competitor who will do whatever it takes to get the victory.
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The possibilities of Kobe’s greatest moment are endless. Whether it was a clutch shot to win a game, an accomplishment to prove his doubters wrong, or a ridiculous dunk to posterize a defender, Kobe has left fans speechless so many times, it’s hard to separate one particular moment.
At the end of the day, when fans look back at Kobe’s career, what will be the first thing they think of to describe his greatness? That is the question.
Verdict: We went to Twitter to ask our followers, what is your favorite Kobe Bryant moment of all-time? These are some of the responses:
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation Sinking 2 free throws in the infamous "Achilles" game – IMHO, his finest hour.
— Arlie Prokop (@arliepro) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH tapping alvin gentry after shooting an impossible shot over two suns defender
— lee enriquez (@lijakjoys) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH when shaq fouled out in the 2000 finals in indy and kobe took over the game I had to look twice I thought it was Mj
— Chris stevenson (@IamCsharp901) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation double buzzer beater in Portland, last game of the '04 season… Epic.
— Luis A. Vizcarra (@Angel_Vizcarra_) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation Kobe celebrating on top of the announcer's table, after winning game 7 at home against the celts. 2010.
— Michael Ramos López (@mike_wazoski) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation WHEN HE OUTSCORED THE ENTIRE MAVS TEAM ON HIS OWN. WHO TF DOES THAT.
— triscuit (@tristannguyenn) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation 81 points no doubt
— Sergio (@snajera4) August 24, 2014
@TheeCoreyH easily the game winner against the suns in the 06 playoffs
— Aaron Ernest (@TheTrackMamba) August 24, 2014
Easily the most split the fans have been on any debate subject, and with good reason. There were a number of other great moments that aren’t on display here, such as his 61 points in the Garden, his dunk over Dwight Howard, or his ridiculous game winner over Dwyane Wade.
Overall, the 81 point game seemed to be the slight favorite amongst the fans. It makes sense as that is something that most people will never witness again in their lifetimes, and everyone remembers where they were when that happened.
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Two Kobe Bryant moments have always stood out for me. The first is his ridiculous game-clinching shot in the 2010 Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. After hitting the shot he turned around and patted Suns coach Alvin Gentry. It was the perfect combination of skill and arrogance.
The other one is Kobe making the two free throws after tearing his Achilles. The pain tolerance, grit, and determination that Kobe is famous for was on full display. Many would have left the floor or possibly been carried off, but Kobe blocking everything out to knock down two free throws was near superhuman.
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