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D'Angelo Russell Opens Up on Playing in Kobe Bryant's Last NBA Game: ‘Booing You’
Kobe Bryant was one of the best basketball players ever. His legendary status was never in question and he was an inspiration for the upcoming basketball players like D'Angelo Russell.
There are moments in sports history that are so memorable you can still picture yourself there. One such occasion was Kobe Bryant's farewell NBA game on April 13, 2016. The legendary Los Angeles Lakers player had concluded an incredible 20-year career by announcing earlier in the season that the 2015–16 season would be his final one in the league.
One player, D'Angelo Russell, was in the front row to witness Kobe's sensational farewell game as fans and celebrities poured into the Staples Center. Even though it was DLo's first NBA season, he understood the gravity of the situation. He knew his role as the starting point guard for that Lakers team that evening was to try to get the ball into Kobe's hands as much as possible.
"When you got the ball and they're booing you, you know what that means: get that ball to that man," the one-time All-Star told Theo Pinson on Run Your Race.
Not only did DLo understand the significance of that game, but his teammates—including Julius Randle—were also attempting to assist the "Black Mamba" in providing a worthy send-off.
Russell added, "Julius was just trying to score. I remember him saying, 'Bro, I'm just trying to get on the board like I ain't trying to have zero.' So everybody was just trying to get two points, just get on the board. He'd get all the other ones.”
As Black Mamba found his stroke in the fourth quarter, his teammates did their best to hand him the ball and pry him free from the Utah Jazz's defense.
DLo stated, "That's what it was. It was really us running around trying to get him the ball because they were trapping him. He was shooting tough twos, like one foot inside the three-point line pull-ups.”
With just 12 minutes remaining in his illustrious career, Kobe, the legendary shooting guard, had one goal in mind: victory. Kobe wasn't going to exit the NBA on a bad note, even though the Lakers were down nine points going into the fourth quarter.
Bryant battled through excruciating pain to give one last performance for the fans, even though every part of his body ached from two decades of wear and tear. He scored 15 of the Lakers' final 17 points, including the game-winning jumper with 31 seconds remaining, and 23 points in the fourth quarter to help the team win 101–96.
ALSO READ: When Kobe Bryant Didn’t Participate In 2016 Rio Olympics For A Selfless Reason; Can You Guess?
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