Kobe Bryant: 5 Greatest Lakers Moments With the Mamba

Dec 2, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) celebrates after making a three point basket during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

A look at Kobe Bryant’s five greatest moments in his 20 seasons with the Lakers

Kobe Bryant is going to retire. That’s something every fan of the Los Angeles Lakers had come to grips with in recent years as he’s been dealing with a multitude of injuries and a declining physical skill-set. But now we know that this is it. The 2015-16 NBA season is going to end.

Kobe announced that he will be retiring at the end of this season in a poem published in The Player’s Tribune on Sunday evening. The 37-year-old future Hall-of-Famer expressed his love for the game of basketball, his time in the NBA, and for the Lakers for making his dreams come true.

The Black Mamba has always been one of the most polarizing NBA players and athletes in general since he first came into the league. Not only has his play on the court, his demeanor on and off the court, and general aura demanded the attention of the public, but he’s also been in in Los Angeles as a part of the Lakers—arguably the only team capable of handling Kobe Bryant and what he brings to the table.

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The Lakers would have been in the mainstream before Kobe Bryant after the Showtime Lakers and the years before with the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Magic Johnson leading the way before Kobe. However, Bryant ushered the Lakers into the modern era of the NBA.

Bryant unquestionably took the torch after Michael Jordan retired for a third time as the league’s undeniable megastar. Subsequently, he became the face of the league by default in a way. In doing so, the league itself began to take his form in a way as young players on their way to the Association grew up watching Kobe and modeled their games after him.

Now it’s going to be time for a new era, though, because this is the end of Kobe Bryant as an NBA player. He’s going out on his own terms as someone with his accomplishments should. In honor of what he’s done for the league and for the Lakers, let’s take a look back at the five greatest moments of his time in Los Angeles.

Next: No. 5 Head-to-Head With MJ