Drafted
The Charlotte Hornets draft Bryant with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Drafted
This is a long time dream, and to finally accomplish this, and it finally shows that the hard work has finally paid off for me.
Scores 81
Bryant scores 81 points in a victory against the Toronto Raptors. Bryant shoots 28-46 from the floor, 7-13 from 3-point range, and 18-20 from the foul line. The performance is the second highest scoring display in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. Bryant:
Not even in my dreams. That was something that just happened. It’s tough to explain. It’s just one of those things. It really hasn’t, like, set in for me. It’s about the `W,’ that’s why I turned it on. It turned into something special. To sit here and say I grasp what happened, that would be lying.
Coach Jackson:
That was something to behold. It was another level. I’ve seen some remarkable games, but I’ve never seen one like that before.
Four consecutive 50-point games
Bryant scores 50 points against the Hornets, marking his fourth consecutive performance with at least 50 points. In his previous three games he had scoring totals of 65, 50, and 60. All four games were victories for the Lakers. The only player who has had more 50-point games in a row is Wilt Chamberlain, who had a streak of 7 games. Elgin Baylor and Michael Jordan are the only other players to hit at least 50 three straight times. Bryant:
It’s a tremendous honor for me to be in the same (category) with those guys. The coolest thing about it is this younger generation gets a chance to learn about Elgin Baylor, gets a chance to learn about Wilt Chamberlain and some of the things that they’ve accomplished, so that the legacy will continue to live on.
Wins scoring title, clinches 7th seed
Bryant scores 34 points in a victory against the Sacramento Kings. As a result, Lakers claim the 7th seed. Bryant also wraps up his second scoring title, averaging 31.6 points this season.
It’s always a sense of accomplishment because there are so many great basketball players in the NBA. It’s always fun to be on the top of that list.
Glad he wasn’t traded
After demanding a trade in May, Bryant now says he is glad he wasn’t traded from the Lakers:
I’m happy to be here. My guys and I — we have such a tight bond. Business and basketball sometimes can cloud things, but when you get here in your element and you’re around your teammates and just having a good time with them and thinking about them and not about the business of the game, that’s when it becomes fun.
Scores 20,000 Career Points
Bryant becomes the youngest player to score 20,000 career points in NBA history as he scores 39 points in a victory against the Knicks. Bryant is 29 years and 122 days old, whereas the previous record holder Chamberlain reached the milestone at 29 years and 134 days old.
Wins MVP
Bryant wins the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.84 steals for the season while playing all 82 games despite tearing a ligament in his right pinkie in February. Bryant:
This is an award I couldn’t have won on my own. I can’t thank these guys [his teammates] enough. These are my guys, these are my brothers. Let’s get ready for tomorrow.
Insults Kobe in freestyle
O’Neal performs a freestyle rap in which he insults his old teammate Bryant.
Kobe [expletive], tell me how my ass tastes…I’m a horse. That’s why I’m getting divorced. He said Shaq gave a [woman] a mil. I don’t do that ’cause my name’s Shaquille. I love ’em, I don’t leave ’em. I got a vasectomy, now I can’t breed ’em…You know how I be. Last week Kobe couldn’t do without me.
Despite the insults, O’Neal tells ESPN:
I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever. That is what MC’s do. They freestyle when called upon. I’m totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all…And by the way, don’t forget, six albums, two platinum, two gold. Anybody who knows me knows I’m a funny freestyler…Please tell everybody don’t make something out of nothing.”
Hits game-winner over Wade, Heat
Kobe hits a game-winning buzzer beater as the Lakers defeat the Heat 108-107. Down by two with 3.2 seconds left, Bryant slips when he catches an inbound pass and is forced to throw up an off-balance 3-point shot over Wade’s outstretched arm. Bryant:
It was the luckiest shot I’ve ever taken, by far. It felt good, [but] I just couldn’t believe this ball might go in on this shot.
In the duel between the two elite shooting guards, Bryant puts up 33 points and 7 rebounds and Wade drops 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Injures right index finger
Bryant injures his right index finger during a game against the Timberwolves. It is an avulsion fracture, in which a tiny fragment of bone tears away near a tendon or ligament. The injury occurs as Bryant reaches for a pass late in the first quarter. He sits out for most of the second quarter, but returns after halftime and continues playing. Bryant:
It’s pretty painful. I just tried to play through it. … You just get used to it, that’s all. It’s just a different technique to shoot the ball with this.
Scores 25,000 career points
Bryant becomes the youngest player to score 25,000 points in NBA history. Only 14 other players have reached the 25,000 point mark. The achievement comes with a free throw in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bryant is 31 years and 151 days old, whereas the previous record Wilt Chamberlain was 31 years and 186 days old.
That’s what I do best. Steve Nash is a great passer, I’m a great scorer. It’s what I do…I’ve been very fortunate not to have to deal with serious injuries and having my career cut short. I think it’s a testament to that.
All-time Lakers scoring Leader
Bryant becomes the Laker’s franchise leading scorer in a regular season match against the Memphis Grizzlies, passing Jerry West. The achievement came on a dunk in the 3rd quarter. Bryant has 44 points for the night, but the Lakers end up losing the match.
It’s a great honor to say the least [because] of the great players that have played here and the tradition we have. [West] taught me so much when I was 17 years old. He showed me a lot about the game, the jump shot and spin moves and all the others. Even though it’s me passing him in the record books, it’s still us, and it’s still Magic and all the other great players.
Joins Miami Heat
In the television special The Decision, James announces that he will join the Miami Heat (video link):
In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.
Knicks 99-92 Nets
Linsanity begins as Lin has a breakout game in a win against the Nets, dropping 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Lin has hardly been a factor in the NBA, and was even recently sent to the D-League. However, Coach D’Antoni gives him a chance to run the offense:
I had my doubts, but we just stayed with it and he has some of the qualities that we needed.
Lin:
This night, it just hasn’t really sunk in yet to be honest. It’s like I’m still kind of in shock about everything that happened but I’m just trying to soak it all in right now.
Knicks 99-88 Jazz
Lin starts his first game in his NBA career. He scores a career-high 28 points along with 8 assists to lead the Knicks to victory, despite missing their two all-stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Lin:
Basketball’s so fun when you play on a team where people want to work together and work through tough times and overcome them and have victories like this. This one was ugly and we lost a couple of players, but this team has a lot of will.
Knicks 107-93 Wizards
Lin leads the Knicks to their third straight win with 23 points and a career-high 10 assists. Lin has had a breakout week after going undrafted in 2010 and recently being sent to the D-League:
Like I said after the last game, I wouldn’t have imagined this
Coach D’Antoni:
He just does everything easy and the rest of the guys around him are playing the way we want to play.
Knicks 92-85 Lakers
The Knicks defeat the Lakers. Lin has 38 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. Bryant puts up 34 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers. Lin:
The only thing we established tonight is four in a row. Now we try to go for five tomorrow. I’m not too worried about proving anything to anybody. As a team we’re growing and trying to build on the momentum.
Bryant on Linsanity:
I think it’s a great story. I think it’s a testament to perseverance and hard work. Good example for kids everywhere
Knicks 100-98 Timberwolves
Lin leads the Knicks to a victory against the Timberwolves, extending their win-streak to five. Lin has 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. For the Timberwolves, Love leads the team with 32 points and 21 rebounds. Lin:
It was an ugly one, it was a gutsy one, it was a road win, everybody was tired. That’s the beauty of basketball. That’s the beauty of our time. We never gave up.
Knicks 90-87 Raptors
Linsanity continues as the New York Knicks defeat the Toronto Raptors. Lin puts up 27 points, 11 assists, and the game-winning three to extend the Knicks’ win-streak to six. Coach D’Antoni jokes:
I’m just glad it went like this so we can calm the Linsanity down
Lin:
It’s not because of me, it’s because we’re coming together as a team. We started making these steps earlier but we were still losing close games and so obviously it wasn’t fun. But when you win, that solves a lot of problems. We’ve been winning and we’ve been playing together.