The Atlantic

Kobe Bryant’s Last Game

After 20 years in the league, the Lakers great bids farewell to the NBA tonight.
Source: Tom Szczerbowski / USA TODAY Sports

Twenty years ago, Kobe Bryant made his NBA debut as an 18-year-old fresh out of high school. He went scoreless in the game. Tonight, the five-time champion, third-all-time leading scorer, and 18-time All Star will play the last game of his career in what is sure to be an emotional send-off to the Los Angeles Lakers great.

Bryant, known, the Black Mamba, and the Lakers face off against the Utah Jazz at home to end the season. He announced his retirement in last November, in part writing, “My heart can take the pounding / My mind can handle the grind / But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.”

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic5 min readSocial History
The Pro-life Movement’s Not-So-Secret Plan for Trump
Sign up for The Decision, a newsletter featuring our 2024 election coverage. Donald Trump has made no secret of the fact that he regards his party’s position on reproductive rights as a political liability. He blamed the “abortion issue” for his part
The Atlantic6 min read
The Happy Way to Drop Your Grievances
Want to stay current with Arthur’s writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. In 15th-century Germany, there was an expression for a chronic complainer: Greiner, Zanner, which can be translated as “whiner-grumbler.” It was no
The Atlantic5 min readAmerican Government
What Nikki Haley Is Trying to Prove
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Nikki Haley faces terrible odds in her home state of

Related Books & Audiobooks