Kobe Bryant Once Revealed That His 81-Point Game Against The Raptors Was The First And Only Time His Grandmother Came To Watch Him Play

Kobe Bryant once revealed that his 81-point game against the Raptors was the first and last time his grandmother came to watch him play in the NBA.

4 Min Read

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Over the years, the NBA has been blessed to see some incredible scorers, but few have mastered the art of scoring as Kobe Bryant did. Kobe was a walking bucket who was capable of crazy offensive explosions, and he had his greatest game against the Toronto Raptors back in 2006.

Bryant famously racked up 81 points against the Raptors on the 22nd of January, which to this date, remains the second-most points scored in a game behind Wilt Chamberlain’s iconic 100-point outing against the New York Knicks in 1962. Bryant’s performance that night was the stuff of legends, and he revealed in an interview in 2012 that the game against the Raptors was the first and only time his grandmother came to watch him play in the NBA.

(starts at 1:35 mark):

“The day that I actually scored 81 was my grandfather’s birthday. Brett passed away a few years before and my grandmother, who had never seen me play in the NBA just because her nerves can’t take it, she flew out to California and she came to watch me play for the first time and the only time. That just so happened to be the night I scored 81.”

It almost seems like it was written in the stars! You can totally understand a family member not wanting to attend games because of nerves, but she would have felt great that she decided to make the trip for that one. Some would be wishing she had made a few more trips, as that might have helped Kobe have a few more performances like this one. He had plenty of iconic moments apart from this, though, and it is why he has been such an inspiration to so many of today’s players.


Allen Iverson Said Kobe Bryant Is The Only One Who Can Be Compared To Michael Jordan

While he was an idol for so many growing up, Kobe’s idol was, of course, Michael Jordan. Bryant also modeled his game after Jordan’s, which led to him being a spitting image of MJ on the court. They were also great friends, as they had a similar outlook toward basketball, and Jordan once joked that Kobe stole all of his moves.

As a result, it has led to them always being compared with each other, and Allen Iverson stated that Kobe is the only one who can be compared to MJ. Shaquille O’Neal has also stated in the past that Kobe is the closest to Jordan , and it is a sentiment shared by a lot of fans as well as players.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9NILK4OXpo

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *