In 2001, Los Angeles Lakers they won their second consecutive NBA ring, with Kobe Bryant as one of the great figures. It was then that one of the most iconic photos of the Black Mamba’s career was taken, sitting alone, visibly mobilized in the locker room.
Four years without Kobe Bryant: a historic photo
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant And your daughter Gianna Maria Onore They died following a helicopter accident in the California area, United States.
Four years later, behind-the-scenes footage of one of the most iconic photos of the Black Mamba’s career went viral. This is the one in which he poses with the NBA champion trophy, an image that dates back to June 15, 2001. The no less detail is the star’s posture and attitude: he is seen alone in the locker room, upset , with a clear sign of sadness, moved and thoughtful.
When they gave him the statuette, he took it and, far from posing for the photo, he continued holding his head and looking ‘defeated’.
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The image was taken on June 15, 2001, following winning a new title in the best league in the world.
Chris Ballard, who took the photo for Sports Illustrated, explained that Kobe was going through a family problem that had become known months before the NBA Finals. It was a strong fight with his parents, who did not accept his relationship with Vanessa, a woman with whom he finally married and started a family. They even consummated the marriage on April 18, 2001, a decision that led to the complete separation between Kobe and his parents.
Kobe Bryant: the hidden story of his 81 points
There were 41 minutes and 56 seconds on the court on January 22, 2006, when Kobe Bryant He scored 81 points, with 21 of 33 in field goals, seven of 13 in triples and 18 of 20 in free throws.
And although it is an amazing brand, worthy of another era of the NBAthe feeling was left in the air that the Mamba might have scored more points that night once morest the Toronto Raptors.
John Salleyformer Lakers player, was on a FOX podcast and revealed what happened that night to stop Kobe from continuing to score.
The decision was Phil Jackson’s, who chose to take Bryant out and sit him on the bench. “I don’t agree with what he told me. I told him ‘Phil, Kobe is at 81. No matter what you do, he’ll get to 104. They’re going to keep giving him the ball. They will have cleared up and he will reach 104,’” he began.
And he added Jackson’s response: “’Well, some records have to stand, Phil said.’ I was… Well, hallucinating, and he told me ‘he’s number 2, he doesn’t need to be number 1.’”
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What Phil Jackson said regarding Kobe’s record
The same night that the Mamba reached 81 points, the most memorable performance in recent years, Jackson spoke glowingly of his player.
“It was a performance on another level. “I have seen many great games, but the truth is that I have never witnessed anything like what happened tonight,” said the coach.
The record that Kobe did not reach
Since Phil Jackson decided to remove him, Bryant was close to an all-time NBA record. This is the 100 points scored by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962, when wearing the Philadelphia Warriors jersey he beat the New York Knicks.
The center explained that there might have been more: “If I had focused 100% on playing basketball and had not gone out the night before… I would have scored 142 points.”