Kobe Bryant drops 60 points in final career NBA game

Kobe Bryant helped the Lakers defeat the Jazz in his last ever NBA game. Picture: Getty

The five-time NBA champion thrilled a packed Staples Center in his retirement game with his sixth 60-point haul of his career - only the great Wilt Chamberlain has more.

The 37-year-old announced in November the current campaign would be his last, leading to a ‘farewell tour’ which saw the 17-time NBA All-Star honoured in various arenas.

But the biggest celebration was saved for in front of the Lakers’ home crowd as he called time on a 20-year career in stunning fashion.

Bryant had the fans on their feet early on, scoring a couple of three-pointers as he posted 22 of the Lakers’ 42 first-half points.

But more was to come in the second half as Bryant hauled the Lakers from behind to snatch a 101-96 victory at the end.

Bryant addressed the crowd afterwards and said: “I grew up a die-hard Laker fan - die-hard - so to be drafted and traded to this organisation and spend 20 years here, you can’t write something like that.”