Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Doesn’t Consider Shooting Free Throws With Torn Achilles As Anything Special

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read
Jeff Gross-Getty Images

It’s been just over two years since Kobe Bryant played his final game for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the memories of his accomplishments have not faded. He spent two decades playing, providing countless moments of joy to the legion of Lakers fans around the world.

Yet, one moment consistently pulls at the heartstrings. On April 12, 2013, Bryant was fighting through one injury after another as he tried to drag his team to victory against the Golden State Warriors.

With just minutes left, Bryant drove past Harrison Barnes, was fouled, and then crumpled to the floor. His Achilles had torn.

It’s one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can face but Bryant still managed to hobble to the line to sink a crucial pair of free throws before walking off the floor to an uncertain future.

It’s a painful memory for Lakers fans, but one that encapsulates who Bryant was as a player. No matter the obstacle, he believed he could overcome it. Even with his Achilles torn, the team needed him to make those free throws, so he did.

Bryant appeared on “The Jim Rome Podcast” and explained his thinking during that difficult moment and why he decided to shoot the free throws:

“I didn’t think of it that way. I was just like, ‘OK, well, I still have to shoot these free throws.’ It wasn’t a thought process of, ‘OK, I can’t shoot these.’ It was no, we need these free throws, and I can shoot them, so I’m going to shoot them. I wasn’t thinking maybe I should come out. I’ve still got to finish this job. You know, I’ve got to do this thing. And then when I was walking I was trying to figure out how I could finish the game.”

With Bryant out, the Lakers would be swept in the first round of the 2013 playoffs. Bryant eventually returned to the team but was never able to hit the level of play that he was at before the injury.

Still, as dark of a moment as it was, Bryant’s Achilles tear provides just another example of what made him extraordinary. Facing one of the most devastating injuries in sports he still managed to find a way to get the job done and hit his free throws, which helped the Lakers pick up a much-needed win.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com