Kobe Bryant's decision to retire came as a surprise
to some and not so much to others. In August it was speculation going on that
the 2015-2016 NBA season was going to be Bryant's last when Jim Buss, Lakers
part owner, stated “We're going to approach it like it is, but that
doesn’t mean it is,” Buss said. “I’m not going to sit there and say, ‘This is
it, Kobe, you’re done,’ because it’s not my decision, it’s his decision.”
Kobe Bryant finally announced his retirement
November 29, he posted a poem titled “Dear Basketball” where he states:
"My heart can take
the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say
goodbye," wrote Bryant, the third-leading scorer in NBA history. "And
that's OK. I'm ready to let you go. I want you to know now. So we both can
savor every moment we have left together. The good and the bad. We have given
each other all that we have."
Bryant who has played in the NBA for 18 seasons has won a total of five
NBA championships and four All Star Game MVPs. He has become one of the
greatest players of this generation. In a 2014 poll Kobe Bryant is the fifth
most popular athlete in the world. Bryant is in the final season of his
contract and will be the highest paid player this year with $25 million.
One of the biggest reason that Bryant is retiring is because of his
injuries the last two season he only played 41 games because of a fractured
kneecap and a torn rotator cuff. Earlier this season he hurt his back and it
was unsure whether Bryant would be able to finish the season.
Through his injuries Kobe Bryant has come back to finish the season and
got a standing ovation while playing in his hometown of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania against the 76ers. Bryant plans to leave the league in April and
will be greatly missed by his fans all around the world.
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