Kobe announces he will retire after this season

[PurplePride92]

[PurplePride92]

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[HammerTime]

 

KD - "His legs too skinny and knees too big." :lol:

[InItToWinIt]

My generation's MJ. Easily a top 3 player to ever walk the Earth. The game will miss Kobe (although it already does miss the old Kobe).

 

Here's the poem he wrote called "Dear Basketball." I almost had a tear run down my cheek, no shame.

 

Dear Basketball,

 

From the moment

I started rolling my dad’s tube socks

And shooting imaginary

Game-winning shots

In the Great Western Forum

I knew one thing was real:

 

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all —

From my mind & body

To my spirit & soul.

 

As a six-year-old boy

Deeply in love with you

I never saw the end of the tunnel.

I only saw myself

Running out of one.

And so I ran.

I ran up and down every court

After every loose ball for you.

You asked for my hustle

I gave you my heart

Because it came with so much more.

I played through the sweat and hurt

Not because challenge called me

But because YOU called me.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

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.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the rolled up socks

Garbage can in the corner

:05 seconds on the clock

Ball in my hands.

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1

Love you always,

Kobe

[InItToWinIt]

My generation's MJ. Easily a top 3 player to ever walk the Earth. The game will miss Kobe (although it already does miss the old Kobe).

 

Here's the poem he wrote called "Dear Basketball." I almost had a tear run down my cheek, no shame.

 

Dear Basketball,

 

From the moment

I started rolling my dad’s tube socks

And shooting imaginary

Game-winning shots

In the Great Western Forum

I knew one thing was real:

 

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all —

From my mind & body

To my spirit & soul.

 

As a six-year-old boy

Deeply in love with you

I never saw the end of the tunnel.

I only saw myself

Running out of one.

And so I ran.

I ran up and down every court

After every loose ball for you.

You asked for my hustle

I gave you my heart

Because it came with so much more.

I played through the sweat and hurt

Not because challenge called me

But because YOU called me.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

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.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the rolled up socks

Garbage can in the corner

:05 seconds on the clock

Ball in my hands.

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1

Love you always,

Kobe

[TheDeuce]

KD - "His legs too skinny and knees too big." :lol:

 

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

Team Lightskins :lol:

[Big Slick]

I predict the fans vote him to be a all star starter.

[centre]

Crazy set of accolades in his career. It's also crazy when you realize he won only one MVP.

 

 

[Clyde]

He wrote a damn poem?

 

Come on. Drama queen.

[Clyde]

Kobe Bean is an all-timer and in the discussion for Top 5.

 

However, his obsession with MJ was always a bit too much for me. His contract has killed the Lakers in the last couple of years and has set the organization back a few years.

[BaseballIsLife]

So will the Lakers retire 8 or 24?

[SnottieDrippen]

So will the Lakers retire 8 or 24?

 

I'd have to imagine it will be 24. 8 was his "sidekick" number. He wasn't really the mamba until 24.

[LIPTON BASH]

I'm a Kobe hater and I don't apologize. But he is top 10 and the second best shooting guard ever. But he is not top 5.

[UKMustangFan]

He wrote a damn poem?

 

Come on. Drama queen.

 

Just because he used a different medium than most? How is this any different than athletes that hold press conferences to announce their retirement?

[truthbtold]

Total narcist, playing like crap so he announces retirement early in the season to distract from how bad he's playing. Oh yeah, and by the way he gets attention the rest of the season...Brilliant move!!!