VIDEO: Kobe Bryant Receives Loud Ovation Before His Return

After eight months of rehabbing his Achilles, Kobe Bryant made his first official return to the basketball court against the Toronto Raptors. With the four starters already introduced, the Staples Center turned off the lights and “The Empire Strikes Back” theme song began to play. When PA announcer Lawrence Tanter finally announced Kobe Bryant’s name, the five-time champion received a loud ovation and “Kobe! Kobe!” chants from the Staples Center crowd.

Here’s the video of Bryant receiving the loud ovation from the fans before tip-off:

http://youtu.be/wdji50yN58o

Here are two other videos from Bryant being introduced: