Kobe Bryant goes out in style

Kobe Bryant fans filled L.A. Live, outside Staples Center, hours before Kobe’s final game on Wednesday. All around the arena and in Los Angeles they wore Kobe jerseys, No. 8, and No. 24, T-shirts and Kobe hats.

Outside the arena, there are statues of past L.A. superstars. It’s inevitable that a Kobe statue will be there soon, too. Even Magic Johnson called him the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold. That’s up for debate, but Kobe sure made many believe it with a 60-point performance.

Kobe has cemented himself as an L.A. hero. For as much as that is true, Kobe has become a huge part of Newport Beach, the town’s adopted star athlete. Philadelphia delivered jeers at Kobe one time. That would never happen in Newport Beach.

Kobe, who lives in Newport Coast, can call Newport Beach home. He’s lived in Newport for the past 14 years.

It really does make sense that Kobe has become known as being from Newport Beach. There are many sides to this city, and so many personas to Kobe.

The party scene in Newport Beach, well, that belongs to a different former NBA star, Dennis Rodman. But the town is big enough for the Worm and the Black Mamba.

Much of Newport Beach is a tourist destination, but for the people who live there, they are neighbors who actually resemble a home-town feel with hellos and family updates while shopping or at other spots.

Kobe has somehow come to fit in there. His two daughters have played sports in Newport Beach leagues, softball, and soccer at our own Daily Pilot Cup.

Sometimes it does feel as if he’s one of us. Even though we can’t sink a three-pointer or glide through the air as he showed he could still do against the Utah Jazz in his 20th and final season with the Lakers. He delivered a scintillating performance that he later called, “surreal,” scoring those 60 points, including the go-ahead basket in a 101-96 win.

“I can’t belive this actually happened,” Kobe said in the presser afterward. “It’s crazy to me. I’m still in shock about it. It was unbelievable.”

Back in 2001 when he started to look for homes in Orange County, he nearly bought in Coto de Caza, but just before 2002, he found a home in Newport Coast.

There have been plenty of celebrities in Newport Beach, the biggest, perhaps, was John Wayne. But has there ever been a bigger star basketball player, or even athlete, than Kobe? Doubt it.

Five-time NBA champion.

Two-time NBA Finals MVP.

NBA MVP in 2008.

An 18-time All-Star.

Four-time All-Star MVP.

Two-time NBA scoring champion.

NBA dunk champion.

He once scored 81 points in a game, which is No. 2 in NBA history for most points in a single game.

There have been many low moments for sure. But Kobe relished in many of those roles, too, as a hero and a villian. He admitted he would rather be hated than embraced because the hate only added fuel to his fire.

He was mostly cheered for during his final game at Staples Center. It looked as if he wasn’t ready to retire.

The crowd must’ve pumped him up. The celebrities showed up, just like a huge game, along with popular media personalities.

“He’s one of the greatest players in NBA history,” said Stephen A. Smith of ESPN. “We know that there are very few who have ever graced the NBA basketball court who has been as gifted and committed to excellence as this guy. Regardless of how great the NBA is or how much talent exists in this league, this league is suffering a loss tonight and everyone wants to say good bye.”

It was a farewell to fans on the basketball court. Yet, there’ll be more hellos in Newport Beach, where he’ll also run his business, a storytelling company.

He said he would gladly take the script of what played out during his final game. That is one sensational story with a spectacular ending.