The end of the Kobe era as we know it
It’s been a tough couple of years for Kobe Bryant. He’s suffered multiple injuries and has battled back each and every time, but one knows when enough is enough. With the Los Angeles Lakers suffering one of the worst losing stretches in the franchise’s history, Kobe is unfortunately going out on an all-time low, announcing his retirement at the end of the season.
In a letter/poem to The Player’s Tribune titled “Dear Basketball,” he said he is ready to let basketball go and move forward after giving his all to the game.
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This season is all I have left to give.
My heart can take the pounding
My mind can handle the grind
But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.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 has enjoyed a 20-year career with the Lakers, which brought five championships and plenty of NBA records and has finally accepted that he is no longer the player he once was. The 37-year old will still go out as one of the best, but this will indeed be his farewell tour.
This year has seen Kobe average more field goal attempts (16.7) than points (15.7) per game, shooting an all-time worse 31.5 shooting percentage from the field. His two-year contract that has made him the highest player in the league ($25 million this season) has held the organization back a bit, but everyone can now get prepared to move on with life after the Black Mamba, to build around the youth the team has on deck.
Forever salute to Kobe Bryant for what he did for the game of basketball.
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