Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has passed NBA icon Michael Jordan for third on the league's all-time scoring list - and lifted his Los Angeles Lakers to a victory.
Bryant, a five-time champion in his 19th season, came into the contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves needing nine points to surpass Jordan's career total of 32,292.
He tied and passed the Hall of Famer with a pair of free throws that gave the Lakers a 38-32 lead with five minutes remaining in the second quarter.
He finished with 26 points as the Lakers triumphed 100-94.
"I'm just honoured to be here and still be playing," said Bryant, who was limited to just six games by injury last season. "Careers don't usually last this long.
"I really, really appreciate the opportunity to be out there playing and performing and doing what I do."
Bryant, with 32,310 points, now sits behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 38,387 and Karl Malone with 36,928 on the all-time list.
Known for his ice-cool performances under pressure, Bryant admitted he felt a flutter of nerves when he stepped to the line for the potentially history-making free throws.
"You get up there and the crowd's really waiting to see you score nine points, so don't 'F' this up and completely kill the moment," Bryant said of his thoughts at the free throw line.
The moment sparked a mini-celebration, bringing cheering fans to their feet as Bryant, 36, was awarded a game ball and congratulated by team-mates and opponents.
Bryant said he was touched that the Timberwolves arranged the little ceremony.
"I wasn't expecting the Timberwolves organisation to honour me like that," said Bryant, adding that it was especially gratifying since he's usually the "villain" on the road.
"That was awesome," he said. "It felt great to have that."
He acknowledged the accolades with a smile and a wave before delivering the ball to the sidelines, then patted his heart as he returned to the court.
Jordan, now owner of the Charlotte Hornets, congratulated Bryant in a statement, paying tribute to his work ethic and passion for the game.
"I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next," said Jordan, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
In other NBA action, the Golden State Warriors rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit, beating New Orleans 128-122 in overtime to extend their NBA winning streak to 16 games.
Elsewhere, Chicago beat Miami 93-75, Washington downed Utah 93-84, Oklahoma City hammered Phoenix 112-88, Toronto scored an overtime 95-90 win over New York and San Antonio beat Denver 99-91.
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