In the final home game before the Rodeo Road Trip, the Spurs face the Lakers in Kobe's final appearance in the AT&T Center.
I was seven years old when I was first introduced to Kobe Bryant. It was 2001 and the San Antonio Spurs were battling his Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
The series wasn't especially memorable -- the Lakers swept the Spurs by an average of 22.2 points per game, with three victories over 20 points -- but the brilliance of Kobe was undeniable.
He averaged 33.3 points, 7.