17-time All-Star basketball icon, Kobe Bryant, “The Black Mamba” and number 24 for the Los Angeles Lakers has announced to the media that he will be retiring after the 2015-2016 season. The 37-year-old has helped the Lakers to win five NBA championships over his 20-year NBA career and is the 3rd highest scorer in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. In his 20-year basketball career, Kobe has spent a majority of his time in Los Angeles.
His retirement was a shock to the nation, and is causing a lot of controversy among former and current players, Lakers fans, Kobe fans and basketball die-hards.
Whether you are a Kobe fan or not, his retirement will change the face of the game entirely. He will go down in history as one of the greatest that has ever played. After Michael Jordan finally left the game his third and final time retiring back in 2003, the NBA didn’t know who was going to take the torch and run with it, but Kobe took over and did just that. Kobe will go down with Jordan as the two greatest scorers that the game has ever seen.
I don’t think that it was until I got older that I truly appreciated his athleticism. I had always been a die-hard Michael Jordan fan since the day I was born and had no room to add anyone else into the mix. But looking back on Kobe’s career, his passion and dedication to the game is truly inspiring.
He may be seen as arrogant and a “bad” person, but it’s undeniable that he is one of the greatest of all-time the game of basketball has ever seen. At some point people need to put their biases aside and admire this mans true talent. His depth defying shots, his hustle, respect and love for the game shines through. This isn’t only a game for Kobe; this is a way of life.
Over the years we have seen Kobe Bryant sustain some serious injuries and somehow he always bounces back with vengeance on his opponents. Injured, sick, food-poisoned, it didn’t matter he always found a way to overcome the obstacles that were thrown his way. Fans have seen him shoot and score left-handed after just tearing his rotator cuff and swish free throws to tie an epic game with a torn Achilles. He is the definition of perseverance and has been considered to be immortal after all he has been through.
The retirement was a smart choice on his part. Kobe is not getting any younger and the injuries that he has sustained over the years have really put a toll on his body. Whether you are a Kobe fan or not, he will be truly missed by all and will go down in history as one of the greatest players in the game. His legacy will live on.