Kobe Bryant had a legendary career in the NBA, he is missed and remembered by fans of the sport endlessly since his tragic passing in 2020. The superstar had two phases to his career though, one was when he was a young up-and-comer winning championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal wearing the No. 8, and the other in the latter part of his career when he switched to the No. 24 and immortalized himself by winning his 4th and 5 the championship.
Throughout his career, Bryant was a scoring machine, and as a youngster, he was quite explosive as well. Later in his career, injuries and age robbed Kobe of his ability to finish with authority at the rim, but that was completely contrary to the bounce the Mamba had in the early seasons. And a compilation of his dunks recently went viral, leading to fans reminiscing about their days watching Bryant at his physical peak:
Kobe Bryant dunking all over the NBA in #8
Watch your head 👀 pic.twitter.com/uTc0tv2c7F
— Kobe Bryant Stories & Motivation (@kobehighlight) May 21, 2022
“And they try to tell me this man isn’t in the GOAT convo.”
“Basketball World will forever miss #8 #24.”
“This guy was just built different.”
“I only had the pleasure of watching Kobe in his later years but this absolutely insane!”
“This why he’s my number #2 greatest of all time behind MJ.”
“Kobe had some nice posters back then.”
“That reverse flush against the Kings is almost hard to believe.”
“People have forgotten how truly nasty this man was.”
“Can’t wait to see who Kobe’s successor will be.”
“Bean really was just a different animal.”
“Best was in that 8 in my opinion.”
“Kobe #8 was something else.”
“Man I could watch Kobe’s early years highlights for years.”
“I miss this giuy so much man, what a baller.”
Bryant had posters against the likes of Yao Ming in his early years and his performances in the No. 8 were just as iconic as they were in No. 24. There’s a reason both jerseys are retired and are hanging in the rafters of the Lakers’ home arena. Kobe’s presence will always be missed by the NBA world, but his greatest moments will continue to serve as inspiration for generations to come.
