Star Kobe Bryant says he'll retire after
20 years with Lakers
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff 12.02.15
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Kobe Bryant once promised that he would play basketball only for the Los Angeles Lakers. On Sunday, he kept his vow. After 20 years with the team, he said he will retire at the end of the season.
"I had to just accept the fact that I don't want to do this anymore, and I'm OK with that," Bryant said.
Bryant announced his retirement in a poem titled "Dear Basketball." It was posted Sunday on The Players' Tribune website.
"My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye," wrote Bryant in the poem. "And that's OK. I'm ready to let you go. I want you to know now."
One Of The Best Players Ever
On Sunday night, the Lakers played against the Indiana Pacers. At the game, fans received a letter from Bryant in a black and gold envelope.
"What you've done for me is far greater than anything I've done for you," wrote Bryant in the letter. "I knew that each minute of each game I wore purple and gold." Those are the team colors.
Bryant is one of the best players in NBA league history. He has played in five NBA championship games and was named an NBA All-Star player 17 times. He also made the most baskets in the Lakers' history. Bryant earns $25 million and is the NBA's highest-paid player this season.
The Lakers were always Bryant's favorite team. In 1996, Bryant joined the Lakers straight from high school near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Paul George, an Indiana Pacers basketball player, said he watched Bryant play when he was growing up. Bryant was his hero.
Injuries Have Slowed Him Down
Bryant often has been hurt playing basketball. In the last three years, he had to end the season early because of injuries. In the last two years, he played only 41 games. So far this season, he has made just one out of every three of his shots and has been in pain every day. Before Sunday's game, many fans took pictures of Bryant warming up. Then he missed his first six shots.
"Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game," said Adam Silver. He is the head of the NBA.
Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak was not surprised that Bryant decided to retire. The team is not doing well and is no longer a challenge for him, Kupchak said. "I think the game will be easier for him now," Kupchak said. "I think he'll be able to enjoy the rest of the season."
Future Plans Are Not Clear
Bryant intends to keep going.
"There's nothing I would love more than to be able to play this entire season," he said. Bryant added that he would like to play on all the basketball league's courts one last time.
Bryant said he is at peace with his decision. He did not say much about his future plans, but did say that said he would be honored to be picked for the U.S. Olympic basketball team this summer.
Bryant said he used to think about basketball all the time. Now, he does not think about it as much anymore, which makes him feel that it is time to quit and do something else.
Longtime Lakers star Kobe Bryant says he'll retire at end of season
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff 12.02.15
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After a lifetime in basketball, Kobe Bryant announced Sunday that he will retire after this season. Bryant kept his vow that he would never play for another team and ends a 20-year career spent entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I had to just accept the fact that I don't want to do this anymore, and I'm OK with that," Bryant said.
Bryant made the long-expected announcement in a poem titled "Dear Basketball," posted Sunday on The Players' Tribune.
"My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye," wrote Bryant, who is the third-highest 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."
An NBA All-Star 17 Times
At the Lakers game against the Indiana Pacers Sunday, fans received a letter from Bryant in a black and gold envelope.
"What you've done for me is far greater than anything I've done for you," wrote Bryant in the letter. "I knew that each minute of each game I wore purple and gold," the team colors.
Bryant's announcement fit his dramatic career. He has played in five NBA championships and was named an NBA All-Star a total of 17 times. No other NBA player has has spent longer on a single team than Bryant.
In 1996, Bryant joined his favorite team straight from high school in suburban Philadelphia. He made the highest score in Lakers history and inspired a generation of fans and players. Only 13 players in NBA history have played on more championship teams than Bryant.
"Kobe was my Jordan," said Paul George, an Indiana Pacers player, who was referring to basketball superstar Michael Jordan. "Watching him win championships when I was growing up, that's who I idolized. That was the standard."
"Very Solid In My Decision"
Bryant's last three seasons ended early because of injuries, and in the last two years, he played only 41 games. In the first 16 games of this season, he made just one of every three of his shots, and he has dealt with pain and exhaustion every day.
Bryant said that he does not have a burning desire to continue playing basketball. "I feel very solid in my decision," he said.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that "Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game."
Before Sunday's game, as Bryant warmed up, more people than usual took cellphone pictures of him. Bryant then missed his first six shots. He made two important shots later in the game.
Neither Bryant nor the Lakers are doing well this season, but he intends to keep going.
"There's nothing I would love more than to be able to play this entire season," he said. Bryant added that he would like to play on all the basketball league's courts one last time.
He's The Highest-Paid Player
Bryant earns $25 million and is the NBA's highest-paid player this season.
Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said the team is not playing well enough to challenge Bryant. "So I'm not surprised that he would make the announcement now," Kupchak said. "I think the game will be easier for him now. I think he'll be able to enjoy the rest of the season."
In his first public comments since his decision, Bryant said his decision has given him peace of mind. He did not say much about his plans for the future, although he said it would be an "an honor" if he is picked for the U.S. Olympic team this summer.
"Honestly, when I'm sitting in meditation, my mind starts drifting, and it always drifted toward basketball, always." Bryant added that he does not think about basketball all the time now, which make him think that it is time to move on to other things.
Kobe Bryant reveals plans to retire,
looks toward life after Lakers
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff 12.02.15
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After a lifetime in basketball, Kobe Bryant fulfilled his longstanding promise that he would never play basketball for another team. On Sunday, he announced that he will retire after this season, ending a landmark 20-year NBA career spent entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was serenaded with cheers throughout the team's 107-103 loss to Indiana during Sunday's game.
"I had to just accept the fact that I don't want to do this anymore, and I'm OK with that," the smiling Bryant said after the game.
Bryant made the long-expected declaration in a poem titled "Dear Basketball," which was posted on The Players' Tribune website on Sunday.
"My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye," wrote Bryant, who is 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."
Pride In The Purple And Gold
When the Lakers played against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, fans did not expect much from the struggling team. Instead they received a letter from Bryant in a black envelope stamped with gold.
"What you've done for me is far greater than anything I've done for you," Bryant wrote. "I knew that each minute of each game I wore purple and gold," the team's colors.
Bryant's announcement fit a dramatic career that has included five championship rings and 17 All-Star selections. No other NBA player has played so long on a single team.
In 1996, Bryant went straight from high school in suburban Philadelphia to his favorite childhood team. He became the top scorer in Lakers history with creativity and resourceful athleticism that inspired a generation of fans and players.
Injuries Ended Last 3 Seasons
"Kobe was my (Michael) Jordan," said Paul George, who plays basketball for the Indiana Pacers. "Watching him win championships when I was growing up, that's who I idolized. That was the standard."
But Bryant's last three seasons have ended early due to injuries, and he played in only 41 games over the previous two years. He struggled in the first 16 games of this season, making just 32 percent of his shots—the worst of his career—and dealingwithpain and exhaustion every day.
"There's so much beauty in the pain of this thing," Bryant said. "It sounds really weird to say that, but I appreciate the really, really tough times as much as I appreciate the great times. It's important to go through that progression, because I think that's where you really learn about the self."
Coach Surprised By Star's Decision
Lakers coach Byron Scott, Bryant's teammate during the 1996-97 season, was surprised by Bryant's decision and thought he "had at least another year" in him.
Bryant disagreed, and he decided to make it public after talking with superstar player Michael Jordan and other basketball "muses."
"If I had a burning desire to continue to play, I would," Bryant said. "I feel very solid in my decision."
Even during his late-career struggles with the Lakers, Bryant's fans have remained devoted to the 6-foot-6 star.
"Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game."
Before Sunday's game, as Bryant warmed up, more people than usual took cellphone pictures of him. Then Bryant missed his first six shots in the game. Later, he made two important shots.
At $25 Million, His Pay Tops NBA
Although the Lakers are already likely to miss the playoffs for the third straight season, Bryant intends to keep going.
"There's nothing I would love more than to be able to play this entire season, to go through all of these tough times, to be able to suit up and play on the road in these buildings for the last time," Bryant said.
Bryant earns $25 million and is the NBA's highest-paid player this season.
"Clearly, we're not playing at the kind of level that a player of Kobe's age and experience finds challenging," said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, who didn't learn of Bryant's decision until Sunday afternoon. "So I'm not surprised that he would make the announcement now. I think the game will be easier for him now. I think he'll be able to enjoy the rest of the season."
In his first public comments since his decision, Bryant spoke about the peace of mind created by his decision. He did not say much about plans for the future, but provided hints such as describing himself as "a storyteller" and talked about his conversations with the fashion designer Giorgio Armani.
None of Bryant's plans appear to involve basketball, although he said it would be "an honor" to play for his third Olympic gold medal next summer if he is picked for the U.S. team.
"I don't want to get too Zen-like," Bryant said. "But honestly, when I'm sitting in meditation, my mind starts drifting, and it always drifted toward basketball, always." Bryant added that he doesn't think about basketball all the time now, "and to me, that was really the first indicator that this game is not something I can obsess over for much longer."