Kobe Bryant shooting two free throws after tearing his Achilles is undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments of his all-time great NBA career.
Bryant calmly made two shots to help the Los Angeles Lakers win that fateful April 13, 2013, game against the Golden State Warriors. The purple and gold went on to make the playoffs after winning their next two contests, but Kobe never got to play in the postseason.
Looking back, that moment alone is what made Dominique Wilkins a huge fan of the Black Mamba.
"I love Kobe," Wilkins said on the All The Smoke podcast. "Kobe's an old-school throwback with a new-school twist."
He insisted on playing hurt
Drafted in 1996, Kobe was a cross between the old-school and current generation of players. That said, perhaps the best trait he took from the former was his indomitable will to win.
Kobe insisted on playing through injuries. The Lakers legend had an incredibly high pain tolerance, so he suited up in games other stars would have sat out.
Despite being too tough for his own good, Bryant still played 20 NBA seasons and accomplished more than his peers. That's why Nique made sure to give him his flowers when Kobe was leaving his last game in Atlanta.
" I said, 'Man, I loved the way you played the game, you never made excuses, you played hurt. You're the last of our kind. When you leave, the last of our kind leaves with it.' And he looked at me, he said, 'Man, that really means a lot coming from you because a lot of the legends have told me that.' I said, 'It's true, man. I mean, you played no matter what. You played really on a bad Achilles, which, nobody's gonna do that,'" Wilkins said.
Related: “He has 47 kids in the Philippines, and I’m the oldest one” - When Dennis Rodman broke down during his Hall of Fame speech
Kobe feared for his career
Most players would have been carried to the locker room after suffering an Achilles tear. But even though he looked fearless sinking two clutch free throws late in the game, Bryant admitted that he feared his career might be over .
"I remember feeling the silence, feeling the fear. I am 35 years old. 18 years in the league, like, alright, this could be a wrap, and that was what the silence was. It was like this could really be a wrap," the legendary guard shared in his documentary "Muse," which premiered in 2015.
Although the Achilles injury heavily impacted the end of Kobe's career, depriving him of the opportunity to compete for titles, he was still able to play two more seasons after that. Bryant also capped off his iconic run career with the most epic farewell game ever, dropping 60 points in a win against the Utah Jazz. No wonder Nique described him as "the closest Michael-like player ever."
Related: Dominique says he and Bird never spoke for 13 years: "You didn't want another great player to get close to you"
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