The name Kobe Bryant is well known in the world of basketball. Over the course of his career, he made significant contributions to the NBA. With five NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, and 18 All-Stars, he was one of the greatest players in NBA history.

However, it was a game against the Toronto Raptors that brought Bryant to the attention of everyone. Bryant made his most impressive scoring performance in the NBA 15 years ago. On Jan 22, 2006, he scored 81 points for his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, against the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers won the game by a score of 122-104 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Wife Vanessa Bryant took to social media to pay homage to Kobe Bryant’s legacy-defining performance on the anniversary of the event with a caption mentioning “81”.

ALSO READ- “I’ll Barbeque Them All One By One….Your Mama Told Me That”: Former Knicks and Lakers Star Goes Off Against John Wall’s Team In The Gym

Kobe Bryant’s 81 point performance was the second highest-scoring performance in NBA history

In the NBA, Bryant’s 81-point brace is the second-most points scored in a game of all time. The highest honors go to Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 points for the Philadelphia 76ers. Back in 1962, they beat the New York Knicks 169-147 and won the game.

Among the many highlights of Bryant’s career, this one stands out for scoring 81 points. Fans love to watch this over and over again.

His wife shared a picture of them and their daughter celebrating their victory on social media, remembering those times. Even now, it still brings a smile to all Lakers fans’ faces.

At the moment, Bryant isn’t with us, but he once shared his thoughts on his 81-point score. In an interview, Bryant said, “I’ve had to play it over in my mind several times. There is really no explanation for it. I can always explain it from an X’s and O’s standpoint, from a training standpoint, but when nights like that happen, there is always something mystical about it. Scoring that many points, that really carries no explanation.”

Also, he went on to explain that it was more than just getting a healthy diet. There was hard work, struggle, and the craze for the game. He said, “I had pepperoni pizza and grape soda the night before,” he said with a laugh. “My knee was extremely sore. Think I had a burger before the game, burger, and fries. No joke. Went out there and played. My knee was very sore, so I was kind of trying to work through that a little bit.”

Despite clearly not being on top of his game, Bryant ended up putting forth a lights-out performance that stunned everyone. It remains to be seen how newer fans will look back at this game and his performance on the night.

Don’t forget to share what your experience was with his 81-point performance.

Watch This Story: Venus Williams Emotional in the Last Virgil Abloh Show, Pays Her Tribute to the Iconic Fashion Designer