Rest In Peace, Kobe Bryant

The sports world was shocked January 26th when the news broke that Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people were killed when their helicopter crashed near Calabasas, California. There were no survivors. Bryant, 41, and Gianna, 13 were on their way to Gianna’s basketball game when the aircraft crashed.

Born in Philadelphia, Bryant was signed out of high school, and played his entire NBA career from 1996-2016 with the Lakers. The 18 time All-Star won five NBA championships and two Olympic Gold Medals, plus he had a lengthy list of awards in his brilliant career. He is fourth all time in scoring in the NBA, with 33,643 points. On January 22nd, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in a 122-104 win over the Toronto Raptors. His 81 points in a game are second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 set in 1962.

About the only award in the game of basketball that Bryant had not yet achieved was election into the Basketball Hall of Fame. That was only because he hadn’t been retired long enough; he’s eligible this year.

While we mourn his passing (and the other victims of the crash as well), let’s celebrate what he accomplished with a look back at that 81 point performance.