‘The Last Dance,’ a ten-part documentary on Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls was released recently. Ever since the series claimed a massive following, fans have been chirping for a similar documentary to be made on the legacy of the late Kobe Bryant. 

Bryant played his 20th and final season for the Lakers in 2016. Donning the purple and gold for two decades, he settled down as a Lakers legend and arguably, one of the greatest players in the NBA. His final year with the Lakers has been documented and preserved, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

In this distressing time, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is indeed a rejoicing news for the Lakers nation. Knowing that a documentary starring their beloved legend is in the works would spark a beaming smile on their face. 

“They had unprecedented and, by far, greater access than anyone else ever,” said John Black, who led the Lakers’ public relations department for 27 years, last serving as vice president. “We certainly allowed them to do everything we could within what the league would allow, and sometimes, with a wink and look-the-other-way, allowed them even more.”

Considering it would somehow be similar to Jordan’s version of how he’ll be portrayed, it would be heart-warming to relive the best moments from Bryant’s career. Witnessing the ‘Mamba Mentality’ chronicled in a movie like scenario is a dream to behold. 

The best moments of Kobe Bryant with the Lakers

Fans of the game remember several well-etched moments of Kobe Bryant during his time in the NBA. There are numerous times when he emerged as the best player on the court. His match-winning skills are out of the question as he has proved himself of his capability. 

Kobe has achieved so much in his career. For a man who has played for 20 years at the top, it is difficult to pick the best one out of the bunch. All the picks from the basket are golden ones. Well, gold and purple were his life till the day he died. So we listed out a few top moments from Kobe’s extraordinary career, which deserve a special mention in the documentary. These achievements are historic and is a must-keep by the makers of the series.

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Achieving the three-peat from 2000-02

The Los Angeles Lakers achieved the three-peat under the prowess of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The pair’s feud was the topic that was highlighted the most during their successful run. When O’Neal signed for the Lakers, he mentioned he didn’t want to “babysit” Bryant. 

The pair had multiple differences off the court and wouldn’t budge to each other’s statements. However, the team had a very talented lineup and Kobe was the cherry on top. They conquered the NBA for three consecutive seasons, and O’Neal won the Finals MVP award thrice. 

Amid a lot of distractions, Kobe Bryant stood focused and kept his eye on the prize. His beef with Shaq was a constant intrusion in his mind. He put aside the differences and played for the team’s ultimate goal. Their feud, however, evolved further, which the team couldn’t withstand after a point. Their eight years together as teammates ended when O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004.

2010 NBA Finals

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers entered the 2010 NBA Finals as the defending champions. They faced the Boston Celtics, who won the Eastern Conference. This was the third consecutive final for the Lakers after the loss to the Celtics in 2008 and the win against the Orlando Magic in 2009.

The Finals were an intense one. This was the first time in five years, an NBA final stretched till Game 7. Bryant’s addiction towards victory pushed him towards maxing out against his opponents. 

The Lakers won Game 7 dramatically and clinched their 16th overall NBA title. Averaging 28.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, Kobe Bryant was awarded the Finals MVP honors and became a back-to-back recipient of the award. Bryant was outstanding in the series and had a success of 88.3% with free throws.

The final NBA game of Kobe Bryant

It was on April 13th, 2016 when Kobe Bryant was about to bow out from the NBA. His success and his achievements at that point reflected on his legendary career in the league. Bryant’s final game came in the regular season against the Utah Jazz. 

Aged 37, many would have predicted for him to go out, make a brief appearance, and grab a few points. Considering the form of the Lakers that season, it was hard to disagree. But the Mamba, in his special way, somehow managed to roll back the years with a stellar display.

Kobe put up 60 points on the night, to everybody’s shock. He put up a scintillating performance to reach the landmark for the final time in his career. His game was mind-blowing. Vintage Kobe had arrived at the scene once more. The fans were on their feet for the legend. The opposition couldn’t help but applaud looking at the veteran who just scored sixty against them. The perfect farewell which he deserved. The perfect farewell his fans deserved. 

The greatness of the Mamba

The above-mentioned picks are just based on our personal opinions and celebration of Bryant’s legacy. He has produced so many individual moments to cherish in his career. For instance, he emulated Michael Jordan growing up. When Kobe passed Jordan on the all-time NBA scoring list, what a special moment it was! Clearly, there was no competition between the two, but overtaking your idol on the scoring chart is always a special moment.

January 22, 2006, is an unforgettable day. The day when the Toronto Raptors faced the wrath of the Mamba. Bryant scored 81 points against the Raptors, which is the second-highest in NBA history. He netted 55 points in the second half to breeze past his opponents.

We can still name a long list of stunning achievements scaled by Kobe Bryant in the NBA. However, a documentary highlighting all of them would be the most fitting tribute to the legend himself. Keep your heads up and your fingers crossed as the release of the Mamba’s documentary would be one of the greatest sports films ever.