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Kobe Bryant: 50 Greatest Moments of Black Mamba’s Career

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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48. First Career Start

Kobe Bryant’s NBA debut was special, but it was his first career start that deserves mention. After a 34-game stint as a backup to Eddie Jones, Bryant finally got his chance to shine on January 28, 1997.

The stint in the starting lineup didn’t last long, but it was a sign of things to come.

Bryant finished the game with 12 points in 32 minutes, converting 5-of-11 field goal attempts and 2-of-3 shots at the free throw line. Bryant added three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block to his stat line.

The end result was a 102-83 blowout of the Dallas Mavericks.

The following evening, Bryant scored 19 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. That was his first big game as a starter, but it still fails to overshadow the historic nature of Bryant’s first appearance in an NBA starting lineup.

The rest was history.

Next: The First Great Game

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