Charles Barkley salutes Kobe Bryant before final NBA game (video)
By Jason Parker
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley took a moment to salute Kobe Bryant as the Lakers legend prepares for his final NBA game on Wednesday.
Well, it has finally come to this. The yearlong farewell tour and salute to Los Angeles Lakers legend and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant will conclude Wednesday night as Bryant plays the final game of his 20-season NBA career when the Lakers play host to the Utah Jazz.
Across the sport of basketball and around the world, everyone from athletes to politicians to pop stars are saying thank you to Bryant for his play over the past two decades, which includes five NBA titles during his entire career spent with just one team, the Lakers.
It won’t be long before Bryant is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, where he will join some of the game’s greats, including Charles Barkley. During Tuesday’s broadcast of NBA games on TNT, Barkley took a moment to honor Bryant for all that he did during his career:
"And here’s Chuck’s message to @KobeBryant. https://t.co/AXvZHVpbZs— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 13, 2016"
Barkley is just the latest to send a message of congrats to Kobe. Nike put together this video of athletes from the NBA, NFL and other sports who are signed with the company (just like Bryant) to give their thoughts on his career and what it meant:
Bryant’s retirement tributes have been one of the few bright spots for the Lakers this season. Losers of 10 of their last 11 games, the Lakers are set to have the worst season in franchise history while off-court issues involving players D’Angelo Russell and Nick Young took over the headlines last month.
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