D’Angelo Russell spoke about the time in Kobe Bryant’s last season at the ‘Run Your Race’ podcast. The 2015-16 season was Bryant’s last one in the NBA and quickly looked like a farewell tour. Russell also pointed out that the Lakers began to get much more attention after Bryant proclaimed he would retire from basketball.
Who Has the Spotlight Now, the Lakers?
Its importance came to limelight as the Lakers were not doing very well, they barely made headlines across the Nation before Bryant joined the team. He pointed to the accelerated TV game frequency and attention to it, as well as Kobe’s retirement tour as the factors. “We were trash,” Russell said, looking rather blasé and nonchalant about the statement. “But once it was Kobe’s year, y’all saw them booty-a** games.”
Playing for Kobe Bryant
Wilt D’Angelo Russell when talking said that it was a big privilege to play on the team during Kobe Bryant’s retirement match. Men and women were there for one man, Kobe, and they cheered every time he touched the ball and booed anyone else. And when you got the ball and they booing you, you know what that means, added Russell; get that ball to that man. He narrated situations where teammates like Julius Randle were just focusing on shooting the ball and Kobe was the sole target.
Kobe’s Legendary Final Game
This applies to Russell’s thoughts on Bryant’s final match against the Utah Jazz in which he scored 60 points. “But he was ready, though; mentally he was ready”, Russell continued pointing towards the mood of the game and the concentrated look on Bryant’s face.
An Emotional Goodbye
The retirement of Kobe Bryant can be said to have been one of the biggest milestones in NBA history. In his last game, he scored 60 points at the age of 37 years and was statistically rated as one of the greatest last games in history. On the same day, the NBA’s Golden State Warriors achieved a record 73-9 regular season which depicts the importance of that NBA season.
Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 was a massive loss to the world of basketball and entertainment; nevertheless, he remains gone. His hard work, talent, and love for the game inculcate the spirit and spiritism in players and admirers of the Black Mamba making his legend eternal.
Comments