When I caught up with Kobe Bryant for Scoop B Radio in August 2017, the world was still buzzing from his legendary 60-point exit. In that conversation, Kobe admitted something that every competitor understands: “The perfect ending would have been a championship.”
Looking back at those words in December 2025, it’s clear that while Kobe didn’t get his sixth ring in 2016, he achieved something much rarer. He turned a “miserable” 17-win season into a masterclass on how to exit a stage with dignity, dominance, and a final middle finger to Father Time.
The “Hollywood Ending” That Never Was
In 2017, Kobe told me that winning a title in 2016 would have been “amazing.” But the 2015-16 Lakers were far from contenders. They were a team in transition, landing the second-worst record in the league. Yet, Kobe treated the final night like Game 7 of the Finals.
“I’m more proud about… the down years,” Kobe said during his “Mamba Out” speech. He understood that championships are the destination, but the 2016 finale was a celebration of the journey.
2025 Vision: The Anatomy of the 60-Point Snapshot
In 2025, the 60-point game against the Utah Jazz is cited by players like Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker as the ultimate blueprint for “going out on your own terms.” Kobe’s 2016 finale functions as a snapshot of his entire 20-year arc:
- The MVPs (The Indomitable Will): Despite starting 0-for-5 and being visibly exhausted, Kobe willed himself to score 23 points in the fourth quarter. In 2025, this is the case study for “mental fortitude” over “physical limitation.”
- The Snipers (The High-Volume Statement): He took 50 shots. In 2017, critics called it selfish; in 2025, we call it a gift. He gave the fans exactly what they wanted—the Black Mamba extract, pure and uncut.
- The Defensive Anchors (The Faithful Exit): By playing all 20 years for the Lakers, Kobe anchored himself to one city. Joe “Jellybean” Bryant told me in our 2017 talk that this was Kobe’s most special achievement.
The “What If” vs. The Reality
If Kobe had won a championship in 2016, he likely wouldn’t have had that 60-point night. Championships are won through teamwork and system play; the 2016 finale was about one man’s singular greatness.
In our 2017 interview, Kobe smiled when discussing the championship “what if.” He knew that while the ring was missing, the “zircus” (as Lakers publicist John Black called it) of that final night was a more accurate representation of his impact. He wasn’t just a winner; he was a showman.
The Final Scoop: The Job Was Finished
Revisiting this story in late 2025 reminds us that legacy isn’t always measured in gold. It’s measured in the “Mamba Out” moments that live on in the hearts of fans who watched him drag a rebuilding team to one final, improbable victory.
Kobe might have wanted that sixth ring to end his career, but by dropping 60 in a comeback win, he reminded the world that the “Job” wasn’t just about winning—it was about inspiring. And in that regard, the job was definitely finished.
