Hollywood ending as Kobe Bryant bows out

On a night of searing emotion at a packed Staples Center, the 37-year-old signed off with a mammoth 60 points, including a final burst of scoring to inspire a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz.

A galaxy of A-list celebrities -- from Jack Nicholson to David Beckham -- roared their approval from courtside as Bryant exited with a perfectly scripted finale.

"Man, I can't believe how fast 20 years went by, this is crazy," Bryant said after the victory in an address to the crowd.

"To be standing on center court with you guys, my team-mates behind me, appreciating all this, the journey we've been on.

"I grew up a die-hard Laker fan -- I mean a die-hard Laker fan -- so to be drafted and traded here and spend 20 years here, you can't write something better than this.

"No words can describe how I feel about you guys, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. What can I say? Mamba out."

A sell-out crowd of 19,060 fans had packed into the Staples Center to watch Bryant lace up for the 1,566th and last time.

Tickets were the most expensive in basketball history, according to online exchange StubHub.com, which sold one pair of tickets for a staggering USD 27,500 each.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson had acted as master of ceremonies for a lengthy pre-game tribute that featured video messages from some of the NBA's most recognizable figures.

"We are here to celebrate greatness for 20 years," Johnson told the crowd.

"He's not only a great and unbelievable sports icon but he's already the greatest to wear the purple and gold."