"Kobe Bryant gave us 20 blessed years," said NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson after player intros in the 2016 All-Star Game.
Every NBA player who played alongside or against Kobe Bryant has recollections of great moments shared with the NBA icon.
For some, it was during his last All-Star Game, as they greeted the five-time champion in one of his final moments before he marked the end of his storied 20-year career.
Last ASG showing
The 2016 All-Star Game was special because the reality of bidding farewell to one of the game's greatest players began to set in.
As the clock wound down to the final months of Bryant's career, the entire NBA world tuned in to the Air Canada Center in Toronto on February 14, 2016, to watch and pay tribute to the "Black Mamba" in his 18th and final ASG.
Having announced three months earlier that the 2015-16 season would be his last in the NBA, Kobe earned the highest number of votes among players on the All-Star roster. It gave other players one last chance to share the same court with the Los Angeles Lakers great.
"The Kobe experience was crazy because when I saw him on the court, I knew this was his last one," recalled All-Star Andre Drummond. "So, I walked up to him. And when I gave my hug, I was just like, 'Damn bro, this is like a crazy moment; this is Kobe Bryant.'"
Kobe is only one of two players in history to be named an All-Star MVP four times. The 2016 MVP might have gone to Russell Westbrook , who poured in a West team-high 31 points. However, No. 24 received most of the spotlight that night. Bean recorded 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting — including a patented turnaround shot over Carmelo Anthony in the second quarter — as he bid farewell to an All-Star appearance.
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Special experience
Spending his entire career in Los Angeles, Bryant established himself as an NBA great, winning five titles, two NBA Finals MVPs, two scoring titles, and one MVP title. Kobe formed strong relationships with other players and was always ready to mentor younger players who looked up to him.
Representing the East, Drummond received his first All-Star invitation, which he cherished every moment. Sharing a wholesome moment with Kobe gave him a moment he wouldn't trade for anything.
"And him just telling me that he is proud of me and that he's been watching and I need to keep going. Just having him tell me that as a 25, 26-year-old guy, I felt like a kid. Like having my dad tell me he's proud of me... It meant a lot coming from him, and obviously, losing him was a really rough day for all of us," said the former Detroit Pistons center.
After the tragic news of his untimely passing in 2020, the All-Star MVP award was renamed after Kobe, cementing his influence and legacy as a decorated figure in sports history.
Related: "Kobe came out like it was Game 7" - Paul Pierce credits NBA legends who used to set the tone in All-Star Games
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