While Kobe Bryant warmed up before the Lakers’ game against the Indiana Pacers Sunday night, the fans inside Staples Center stood and took pictures and videos of the NBA superstar who had announced a few hours earlier that this will be his final season.
Bryant was given a standing ovation when he was introduced as the final Lakers starter, and fans took more pictures and videos from smart phones, all of them aware that the 20-year veteran had written a poem posted on The Players’ Tribune Sunday saying that “this season is all I have left to give.”
Unfortunately for the fans and Bryant, it was another dismal shooting performance by him and another loss by the Lakers, this time a 107-103 defeat to the Pacers that sent L.A. to its sixth consecutive defeat.
When Bryant made one of his few field goals, in the second quarter, fans rose as one and cheered the 37-year-old who has played his entire career with the Lakers. It was as if they were showing him appreciation for the five championships he brought the Lakers.
They let out their loudest cheers when Bryant drilled a three-pointer to pull the Lakers to within 104-103 with 12 seconds left, drawing chants of “Ko-be…Ko-be…Ko-be.”
But he missed a game-tying three-pointer with seven seconds left.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down at the Staples Center following his final game on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, the teenager obtained by the Lakers in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, takes part in an ad shoot for Adidas at Will Rogers State Beach. (Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant was already shooting his first commercial before taking his first shot for the Lakers. (Los Angeles Times)
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Laker rookie Kobe Bryant, 18, listens to coach Del Harris during a break in a 129-99 victory over the Washington Bullets at the Forum. Bryant scored 13 points. (Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant drives against Utah center Greg Ostertag in the Western Conference Finals at the Forum in Inglewood. Utah won 109-98 to give the Jazz a 3-0 lead in the series. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant is dejected after losing the ball late in the second half of Game 3 of the 1999 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs at the Forum. The Lakers lost, 103-91, giving the Spurs a 3-0 advantage in the series. The Spurs went on to win the series 4-0. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant drives past Chris Webber in Game 4 of the first round of the 2000 Western Conference playoffs at Arco Arena in Sacramento. The Kings won, 101-88, but the Lakers went on to win the series in five games and advanced to face the Phoenix Suns in the next round. (Bob Galbraith / Associated Press)
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Despite Jason Kidd’s hand in his face, Kobe Bryant puts up the winning shot in the Lakers’ 97-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Staples Arena. The Lakers won the series, 4-1. (K.C. Alfred / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had a moment to relax after winning their first title together in the 2000 NBA Finals. The two kicked back after a 116-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 at Staples Center. Bryant is holding the championship trophy and O’Neal has his Finals MVP trophy. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant performs on stage at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in 2000 during a celebration of the launch of his record label, Heads High Entertainment. (Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant is swarmed by teammates Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal as he heads to the foul line in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 45 points as the Lakers beat the Spurs, 104-90, on their way to a sweep of the series. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 3 of the 2001 Western Conference finals at Staples Center. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers players Kobe Bryant, left, Lindsey Hunter and Shaquille O’Neal celebrate their NBA title victory over the New Jersey Nets on June 12, 2002. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, with his wife, Vanessa, at his side, holds a news conference at Staples Center in 2003 to discuss accusations by a 19-year-old Colorado woman that he sexually assaulted her. He conceded he was guilty of adultery, but he declared he was innocent of charges of felonious sexual assault. The charges were later dropped. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Los Angeles Lakers Karl Malone, left, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Shaquille O’Neal before their preseason opener with the Los Angeles Clippers. It was Bryant’s first game since sexual assault charges were filed against him in Colorado. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, left, looks at his defense attorney Pamela Mackey as he is advised by Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett during his felony sexual assault hearing in Eagle, Colo., on Aug. 6, 2003. (Barry Gutierrez / Associated Press)
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Hours after pleading not guilty to a felony sexual assault charge in Colorado, an exhausted Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammate Derek Fisher after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs, 98-90, in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Staples Center. Bryant scored 42 points as the Lakers tied the series at 2-2. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after injuring his right ankle during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 13, 2005, in Los Angeles. Bryant was injured when he landed awkwardly on his right foot while going for a rebound under the Cavaliers’ basket and had to be helped off the court. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant and his new backcourt partner, William “Smush” Parker, during a 2005 preseason game against Utah at the Anaheim Pond. (Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant stands next to coach Phil Jackson during a playoff game against the Phoenix Suns in April 2006. (Matt York / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant walks off the court with his wife, Vanessa, and daughter Natalia after scoring a career-high 81 points in a Lakers win over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2006. (Noah Graham / NBAE/Getty Images)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant scores in front of Toronto’s Matt Bonner on his way to scoring 81 points during the Lakers’ 122-104 victory on Jan. 22, 2006. (Matt A. Brown / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ victory over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning his fourth NBA title following the Lakers’ win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Emmanuel Dunand /AFP/Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant holds the NBA championship trophy during the team’s 2010 NBA title victory parade. (David McNew / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant shows off what he can do with a basketball during an event in Milan, Italy, in September 2011. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant goes up for a shot over New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler during a game in December 2011. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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U.S. players Kevin Durant, left, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Charles Krupa / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2013. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant warms up before playing against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 8, 2013, in his first game back from a torn Achilles tendon. (Harry How / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammates after passing Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 14, 2014. (Jeff Wheeler / TNS)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant goes to hug his family after his final NBA game on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant poses with his family after getting his jerseys retired before a game between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2017. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Lakers legend Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his jersey retirement ceremony at the Staples Center in 2017. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant smiles after winning an Academy Award for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball” on March 4, 2018. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with his daughter Gianna while attending a women’s basketball game between Long Beach State and Oregon on Dec. 14, 2019. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant watches a tribute video at Staples Center before the final game of his career on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
With Bryant’s family – wife Vanessa and daughters Natalia and Gianna – sitting courtside, he shot just four-for-20 from the field and had 13 points.
There was a moment in the third quarter when Bryant was about to inbound the basketball. But before he did, he bounced the ball to his daughters, who threw it back to their dad, all of them smiling.
When Bryant checked out with 7:42 left, he slapped hands with Reggie Miller, the NBA Hall of Famer who is an analyst for TNT. Miller was sitting courtside near the Lakers’ bench.
It was that kind of night for Bryant, drawing all sorts of fans who wanted to see him play.
Fans like Jessie Gonzalez, 25, had to be in attendance after he heard about Bryant’s retirement a few hours before he game was going to start. He immediately bought a ticket to the game because he was “shocked and upset” about Bryant’s retirement.
Gonzalez said he has been a “huge” Lakers fan since he was six years old. He was clutching the poem that Bryant had written announcing his retirement -- each fan received a hard copy upon entering Staples Center. Gonzalez said he planned to “frame it and save it.”
Lakers Coach Byron Scott said he was “sad” when Bryant told him the retirement news Saturday night when the team was in Portland. .
Scott was Bryant’s teammate and mentor when he was an 18-year-old rookie.
“As I told him, he kind of shocked me when he told me,” Scott said before Sunday’s game. “He’s somebody who I truly care about, have a lot of respect for. It’s always hard when greatness like Kobe just decides to hang it up.”
Bryant said earlier this season he had no interest in a formal farewell tour. But the appreciation for him was evident when the Lakers were in Brooklyn and New York for games earlier this month, with fans from both teams showering him with love and some wearing his No. 24 Lakers jersey.
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Lakers star forward Kobe Bryant waves to fans during warmups before a game against the Pacers.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 2/12
Lakers star Kobe Bryant works up a sweat during pregame warmups agains the Indiana Pacers Sunday night.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3/12
Lakers forward Metta World Peace battles Pacers center Jordan Hill under the basket during the first half.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/12
Lakers star Kobe Bryant announced his decision to retire after the season on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5/12
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant screams out for a foul as he misses a jump shot over Pacers forward Paul George during first half action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/12
Kobe Bryant catches his breath during a break in the action against the Pacers.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7/12
Lakers star Kobe Bryant stands for the national anthem before a game against the Pacers.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8/12
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant drives past Pacers forward Paul George during a game on Nov. 29.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9/12
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant walks off the court with teammates during a timeout Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10/12
Kobe Bryant rests on the bench before a game against the Pacers at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11/12
Kobe Bryant is given a pat of support from teammate Jordan Clarkson after they teamed up on a play against the Pacers.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12/12
Kobe Bryant before Sunday night’s game against the Pacers at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The good-byes from fans, players and teams probably will begin in earnest when the Lakers start an eight-game, 13-day trip in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Bryant grew up in the area, attending Lower Marion High.
“It’s home for him so I think they’ll show their appreciation,” Scott said. “The one thing about the Philly fans, just like New York fans, they are very knowledgeable about the game.”
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