Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in NBA
history to reach 17,000 points, going over the mark in the second
quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Toronto Raptors
on Friday night.
Bryant hit a 16-foot jumper from the right baseline off a pass
from rookie Jordan Farmar for his 17,001st point. About a minute
later, he scored on a driving layup that extended the Lakers' lead.
The crowd cheered, but didn't appear to be aware of the milestone
and there was no special announcement.
At 28 years and 86 days, Bryant got to 17,000 faster than Wilt
Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
and former teammate Shaquille O'Neal.
Chamberlain and Jordan did so at 28, but Chamberlain was 16 days
older than Bryant and Jordan was 196 days older. Robertson,
Abdul-Jabbar and O'Neal were all 29.
Last January, Bryant scored 81 points against Toronto,
second-most in a game behind Chamberlain, who had 100 points in
March 1962.
