Kingsley Eke scores a new Austin draft record 60 points in tribute to Kobe Bryant
Heading into Kobe Bryant’s final game of the NBA, the most minutes he played in a game during the 2015-16 season was 37:04. His season high in points was 38. There was uncertainty about what to expect when Kobe got introduced at the Staples Center for the last time, set to take on the Jazz. We all know what happened after that.
As tributes to one of the greatest basketball players of all time continue to roll in this week, Kingsley Eke contributed another one in the Austin Draft League last night, scoring a league record, and a career-high 60 points.
“I didn’t even know I scored 60, that’s crazy,” Eke said in a post-game interview when he was asked about the 60-point outburst. “I was deeply saddened by the news I heard this weekend of his untimely passing, so I wanted to leave it all out on the court and show everybody how Kobe has impacted my life and how he inspired me to play basketball and how he inspired me to have the greatest game I’ve ever had tonight.”
“Throughout the league, throughout the world, everybody is having a career high in their games and in their careers and i believe it’s because of Kobe. Kobe touched everybody in this world, and especially basketball players, on all levels,” Eke added.
Eke got to 60 by shooting 23-30 from the field and 9-13 from deep, adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. He scored just under 50% of the Kings’ 121 points, and he scored only 18 points fewer than the Mavericks, as the Kings came away with a 121-78 win to move to 2-0 this season.
Austin converted to a draft league last season, and Eke’s 60 points are a new single-game league record. It still trails Jordan Kpaka’s Austin record of 64 points, which came in the open league back in the Fall of 2011.
It’s still an incredibly impressive performance from Eke, and it reflects his favorite moment from Kobe’s career.
“My greatest memory is him scoring 60 in his last game, and I scored 60 tonight. That was a tribute, that was a salute to him,” he said.