A future Hall of Famer will soon leave the National Basketball Association (NBA) as Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant announced through a letter posted on The Players' Tribune that he will retire after the 2015–16 season.
Bryant's letter was written in poem form, with it containing the story of how he fell in love with basketball as a six-year-old; the way he played; and his love for the game.
The 37-year-old basketball star stated in the letter that he gave everything to basketball because that is what people do for something that makes them feel alive.
To close the letter, Bryant wrote, "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."
Bryant followed it up saying that he is ready to let go of basketball and will always be that kid that fell in love with the game.
In their game last Sunday against the Indiana Pacers at the Staples Center, fans who watched were given a copy of a farewell letter by Bryant in which he thanked them, the city of Los Angeles, and the Lakers organization.
Currently, Bryant is playing in his 20th season with the Lakers and in the NBA, and in all of his years as a professional, the player out of Lower Merion High School has achieved so much success in his career.
Bryant is a five-time NBA champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010), two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) (2009 and 2010), NBA MVP (2008), 17-time All-Star, four-time All-Star Game MVP, and two-time Olympic gold medalist, to name a few of his achievements.
He is also leading the Lakers franchise in scoring, games, and minutes played, among other categories.
Unfortunately, despite all the feats, the Lakers are struggling this season with a 2–13 record to open their campaign.
But Bryant said he is not considering retiring now, in the middle of the season, because there is beauty in the tough times the Lakers are currently going through.
