The grainy video clip popped up on the Staples Center scoreboard toward the start of Wednesday’s pre-game festivities.

There was Kobe Bryant as a rookie, talking to legendary Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn and predicting he would play “19 or 20 [years], at least.”

Who knew that the brash, uniquely gifted teenager would end up being correct?

Bryant, 37, played the final game of his 20-year career Wednesday, ending an era with five championships, 18 All-Star game appearances and way too many outsiders’ opinions, pro or con, to ever tally.

His 1,556th and last box score showed a stunning 60 points on 22-for-50 shooting in a 101-96 Lakers victory over the Utah Jazz.

It was chaotic, it was beyond memorable, it was so very Bryant.

The raucous crowd couldn’t care less about the final score, cheering with piercing volume every time Bryant scored during his 42 minutes.

“Man!” he exclaimed after the game when handed a microphone at midcourt. “I can’t believe how fast 20 years went by. This is crazy. This is absolutely crazy.

“We’ve been through our ups and we’ve been through our downs. I think the most important part is that we stayed together throughout.”

Source:  latimes.com