Kobe's First and Last NBA Points Were Both Free Throws
Kobe Bryant
Fun Fact
5 min read
Kobe Bryant's career is full of symbolism. On November 3, 1996, 18-year-old Kobe scored his first NBA point on a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Twenty years later, on April 13, 2016, Kobe scored 60 points in his farewell game against the Utah Jazz, with his last two points also coming from free throws. From his first point to his last, free throws bookended Kobe's entire career, reflecting his stable mindset and strong mental toughness. Kobe's career free throw percentage was 83.7%, making 8,378 free throws, ranking fourth in NBA history.
More Details
- In the 1996 NBA Draft, Kobe was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Lakers
- In his rookie season, he showed amazing talent, becoming one of the youngest starters in NBA history
- Kobe won 5 championship rings in his career, all with the Lakers
- He helped the Lakers win championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010
- In 2008, Kobe won the regular season MVP, his highest regular season honor
- He won Finals MVP twice (2009 and 2010), showing dominance in crucial moments
- Kobe is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, with 6 games scoring over 60 points in his career
- On January 22, 2006, he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest single-game scoring record in NBA history
- In the 2005-06 season, Kobe averaged 35.4 points per game, his highest single-season average
- In 2006, he scored over 50 points in 4 consecutive games, an NBA record
- Kobe is the only player in NBA history to score 60 points with 0 assists in the same game
- His "Mamba Mentality" became a motto inspiring countless people
- In his 2016 retirement game, Kobe scored 60 points, the highest scoring in a retirement game in NBA history
- He was selected to 18 All-Star teams and won All-Star MVP 4 times
- Kobe is one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, selected to the All-Defensive Team 12 times
- At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he helped Team USA win gold, showing dominance on the international stage
- After retirement, Kobe became the producer and screenwriter of the Oscar-winning animated short "Dear Basketball"
- His "4 AM training" story became an inspirational legend motivating countless people
Tip
From his first point to his last, free throws bookended Kobe's entire career, reflecting his stable mindset and strong mental toughness.
"From his first point to his last, free throws bookended Kobe's entire career—a coincidence that reflects steady mindset and years of disciplined work."
