Fifteen years ago today, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points for the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the second highest scoring individual game in NBA history.

His 81 points places him nicely in second position behind Wilt Chamberlain and his 100 point game in 1962. It is thought that because of how the modern game is played, that record will stand forever.

It seemed to be a relatively unremarkable Sunday game for the LA Lakers when they came up against the Toronto Raptors.

At that point, both teams were very average, but there was no aspirations of an NBA Championship that season.

In the first half, Kobe scores 26 points, a very good start, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

At half time, the Raptors were beating the Lakers by 14 points, which teammate Lamar Odom said ‘ticked Kobe off’.

And that clearly worked for him. He went on to score 27 in the third quarter and 28 in the fourth quarter. His third quarter tally was more than any other player on either had scored all night.

This was just one of the many moments which defined Kobe Bryant as being a certified Los Angeles Laker icon and as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Matt Brown, a photographer who shot the game for Associated Press, spoke of how Kobe’s presence in the NBA created a legacy that very few have managed to come near.

“It seemed like everytime he had the ball, he was going to shoot. And everyone was feeding him the ball, like everyone stand out of the way and let him score”.

“They made an announcement saying save your ticket stub, people were losing their mind.”

“I am blessed that I was able to be in that place and see that kind of atmosphere” Matt Brown said.

The pictures from the game were not of a showboating Kobe amping up the crowd for every shot, it was of a professional who did what he needed to do, to win the game for his team.

Kobe’s legacy is a storied one and shows how he embraced LA and how LA embraced him, but Kobe elevated the game to heights no one though possible.

Patryk Sarna, host of the Ballin’ Right podcast, highlighted Kobe’s worldwide appeal showing his immense pulling power.

“When LeBron first went to China (for the 2008 Beijing Olympics), he knew he was famous, but he realised how much more famous Kobe was.”

“His legacy around the world and what he did for basketball will always be remembered”.

Kobe Bryant sadly passed away almost one year ago, on the 26th of January 2020, in a tragic helicopter accident. He was travelling with his daughter, Gianna, and some of her teammates to one of her basketball games when they tragically crashed.

Kobe and Gianna have been honoured around the world by touching tributes from players past and present, and have been posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kobe’s ‘Mamba mentality’ will continue to live on forever, 15 years on, from one of his greatest accomplishments.