The Los Angeles Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant becomes the fifth player in league history to score 30,000 career points in the NBA, solidifying his spot as one of the all-time best scorers.
Bryant became the youngest player to reach 30,000 career points, joining Wilt Chamberlain (31,419 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928) and Michael Jordan (32,292) as the only five players in NBA history to reach the 30,000-point plateau.
"It's just a tremendous honor," Bryant told reporters after finishing with 29 points in the Lakers' 103-87 win over the New Orleans Hornets. "I don't really know how else to put it. I've just been very, very fortunate."
Bryant only needed 13 points to reach that milestone going into the game against the Hornets Wednesday night. Bryant made a slashing right-handed runner in the lane with 1:16 remaining in the second quarter against the Hornets, giving him 30,001 career points at just 34 years, 104 days old.
Bryant surpassed Chamberlain's previous record of 35 years, 179 days. Chamberlain is fourth on the list with 31,419 points and if Bryant stays healthy, he will likely pass him this season. Bryant is also the all-time franchise leader in points, steals, and games played.
NBA commissioner David Stern was present at New Orleans Arena to witness Bryant's achievement.
"I want to shake his hand. I think Kobe is, as a talent and a competitor, he's up there on the pedestal with Michael Jordan as one of the greatest," Stern told reporters before the game. "Kobe has such an extraordinary run playing at the highest level for so long with the championships to prove it in a league that is extremely competitive.
"Kobe and the Lakers have been an important part of the league, and I wish him well for this season and beyond."
Bryant's historic scoring feat is somewhat ironic as he did against the very same team that drafted him in 1996 before then-Lakers general manager Jerry West acquired Bryant in a deal for Vlade Divac.
"The irony," Bryant said. "It's funny how sports always seems to kind of have that connectivity in some shape, form or fashion. It just kind of always seems to come full circle."
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