Tonight Kobe Bryant will play the final game of his NBA career. Hall of Famer and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley paid tribute to Bryant on Inside the NBA.
Barkley wore a pair of Bryant's Nike shoes while paying tribute to him. Bryant is one of many athletes who are sponsored by Nike.
“Thank you for an amazing career,” Barkley said in his tribute, according to For the Win. “It’s been an honor and a privilege for me to get to watch you play. And, man, enjoy retirement. You hit the lottery of life. You hit the Powerball.”
The athletic wear and sneaker company also paid tribute and declared today as “Mamba Day” in honor of Bryant's last game with a video of Nike athletes.
Barkley and Nike aren’t the only ones who have paid tribute to the future Hall of Famer. ESPN notes that teams and players from all over the sports world have also paid tribute to Bryant.
"It means everything," Bryant said about his career as a Laker, CNN notes. "I grew up a die-hard Laker fan. It's like a dream come true, for a kid to grow up, play for his favorite team and play here for 20 years, his entire career. I've seen the city grow. I've seen the city develop and vice versa. There's no place I'd rather end my career."
Byrant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and played for them his entire career. He won five NBA championships, is third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone, is third in postseason scoring behind Michael Jordan and Abdul-Jabbar and was an All-Star 18 times, according to ESPN. Bryant was the NBA MVP in 2008 and was the NBA Finals MVP twice. He also won two Olympic gold medals.
The Lakers play the Utah Jazz Wednesday night and the Staples Center will have Bryant’s numbers on the court for his final game.