Los Angeles Lakers superstar surpassed Michael Jordan on the National Basketball Association's all-time scoring list on Sunday, moving to third place behind Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
Bryant, who was eight points behind Jordan's 32,292 scoring mark heading into Sunday's match against the Minnesota Timberwolves, moved up on the scoring list with a free throw in the second quarter of their 100-94 win against the Wolves.
Bryant, who scored 26 points on 7-for-20 shooting from the field, has now scored 32,310 points in his 19 seasons in the league. His scoring total trails just Abdul-Jabbar, who had 38,387 points in his career, and Malone, who had 36,928 points in the NBA.
"I'm just honored to be here, man, to still be playing," Bryant said via ESPN. "I appreciate being able to play this long. Careers normally don't last this long. I really appreciate the opportunity to still be out there playing and performing and doing what I do."
Bryant said that surpassing Jordan's scoring record means a lot to him as he admitted that he learned a lot from the former Chicago Bulls superstar, whom he is being compared to since his first season in the league when he was still 18 years old.
"He knows how much I've learned from him," Bryant said of Jordan. "From the other legends, but him in particular."
Jordan praised Bryant for reaching the historic feat on Sunday.
"I congratulate Kobe on reaching this milestone," Jordan said in a statement. "He's obviously a great player, with a strong work ethic and has an equally strong passion for the game of basketball. I've enjoyed watching his game evolve over the years, and I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next."
Lakers legend Magic Johnson and Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James took to Twitter to congratulate Bryant.
James called Bryant as a "Living Legend," while Johnson said: "Congrats to @kobebryant on passing his idol Michael Jordan for 3rd on the NBA All-Time scoring list. Laker fans we've been so blessed to watch Kobe Bryant, one of the top 5 or 6 best players ever, play in a Lakers uniform."
