VIDEO: 10 Kobe moments that make us miss him already
Selecting a basketball legend's 10 best plays is never an easy feat.
Doing so for Kobe Bryant is exponentially more difficult.
Nevertheless, here is a collection of the "Black Mamba's" most memorable moments from his 20 years in purple and gold.
10. No pain, no gain
A torn Achilles couldn't prevent Bryant from helping his team tie the game in crunch time against the Golden State Warriors.
9. Bean cleans Big Ben's clock
Much has changed since this 1997 gem. A 19-year-old Bryant employed a nifty crossover - which would now be illegal due to rule changes that forbid palming the ball - leaving his defender in his dust.
Victimized by the poster dunk is an afro-less Ben Wallace.
8. Coolin' off the Heat
With 3.2 seconds on the clock, the artist formerly known as Ron Artest finds a cutting Bryant near the top of the 3-point line with the game on the line.
A ridiculous one-footed leaner over Dwyane Wade banked off the glass secured the improbable victory for the Lakeshow.
7. Former foes become familiar friends
The stars were aligned - figuratively and literally - at the 2009 All-Star game.
Bryant shone with 27 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals - more than enough to earn himself co-MVP honors with none other than his former Lakers teammate, "The Big Cactus."
One wonders which stubborn legend got to keep the trophy.
6. Sweet revenge
Although the Lakers had already won a championship the previous year - signifying Bryant's first title sans Shaq - 2010 provided L.A. the chance to exact revenge on the Boston Celtics, whom they had fallen to two years prior in the 2008 Finals.
5. Fifty points again? No big deal
Bryant had a nice little seven-day stretch in March 2007.
First, a 65-point explosion versus the Blazers, followed by 50 against the Wolves, 60 on the Grizzlies, then 50 on the Hornets.
Lest we forget, he narrowly missed a fifth consecutive 50-plus performance with 43 points against the Warriors.
4. Two-man game ends the Blazers
Bryant helped lead a furious Lakers comeback against the loaded Blazers, surging back from a 16-point deficit.
This play sealed the deal in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, and launched the Lakers toward their first of three consecutive NBA titles.
3. Sun-set Boulevard
With the a Lakers leading the Suns 2-1 in the first round of the 2006 playoffs, Game 4 came down to the wire.
A Smush Parker steal led to Bryant tying the game with a baseline floater, forcing an extra period.
In overtime, Bryant raised up at the right elbow with less than two seconds remaining, and drained the buzzer-beater, pushing the Lakers to a commanding 3-1 series lead.
2. Passing the GOAT
In December 2014, Bryant surpassed his childhood idol's points total.
Cashing in on a pair of free throws against the Wolves pushed Mamba past Michael Jordan as the player with the third most points scored in NBA history.
1. 81 is the magic number
We all remember where we were when Bryant demoralized the Raptors with 81 points.
Lakers fans, especially, will never forget, while hoop heads in the Six can't shake the continuous reminders.
This legendary performance may never be matched ever again.