Kobe Bryant is a basketball icon that many consider to be one of the greatest of all time. I feel like every person who is in any way invested in the sport of basketball, has a certain admiration for his accomplishments and career, but most of all his work ethic. Kobe stood for more than just his name and brand. He stood for an entire mindset that inspired people of all communities and professions, the "Mamba Mentality". His mentality on and off the court showed true character, which allowed for basketball fans and people in general to develop a connection to him and his openly displayed commitment to getting better every single day.
It also helped that Kobe was a freak of nature on the basketball court, with the ability and talent that very few have come close to matching both before and after his career. Above all his distinct stand-out performances, his career high night still holds its spot as the second highest scoring game in NBA history, and possibly the most iconic moment from Kobe’s extremely stacked career achievements list.
Kobe's Career Night
Kobe put on an absolute clinic for everyone (almost everyone*, sorry Raptors fans) in the basketball world to watch and enjoy on January 22, of 2006. Kobe absolutely exploded for an absurd 81 points that night, on extremely efficient shooting splits. The Raptors found it hard to stop Bryant that night, and the final score was quite telling of his astonishing performance as the Lakers cruised to victory.
Kobe’s stat line that night consisted of 81 points scored, shooting 28 of 46 from the field (60.9%), 7 of 13 from the 3-point line (53.8%), and 18 of 20 from the charity stripe (90%). He added six rebounds, a pair of assists, a block and three steals to that excellent display of his unmatched scoring ability. He finished the night with a +/- of +25, after 42 minutes of game time. Kobe Bryant’s Usage Percentage (USG%) for his performance against the Raptors was extremely high, standing at 56.8% for the night. USG% is essentially “an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor”, according to Basketball Reference.
What Impact Did Kobe's 81-Point Night Have?
Not only did this performance elevate everyone’s already extreme admiration and respect for Kobe, but it cemented him as one of, if not the most deadly scorer the basketball world has ever seen. The Lakers recently unveiled a new statue of Kobe, within which a moment from his 81 point night is captured and replicated. Since his career night, no one in the NBA has managed to even touch 80 points in a game again, as we approach the 20 year point since that legendary night in the Staples Center. I must admit, though, that we are only getting closer to seeing this number surpassed. The extent of offensive prowess in the league at the moment is unlike any we have seen before. This leaves us watching games knowing that we very well could see someone beat Kobe Bryant’s career high, and possibly even touch Wilt’s 100 one day in the near future. With all that said, Kobe’s career night and career altogether is one to be truly admired and respected. The impact he left on the sport cannot be repaid. RIP Kobe.