LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant announced yesterday that he will retire after this season, writing that "this season is all I have left to give."
His decision is not totally unexpected, given the fact that he has said many times in recent weeks that he has considered this season his last. After twenty years, two Olympic gold medals, five championship rings, 17 All-Star appearances, an 81-point game that ranks as the second-best in NBA history and more than 32,000 points, Bryant's career is officially winding down.
"With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game.
"I join Kobe's millions of fans around the world in congratulating him on an outstanding NBA career and thank him for so many thrilling memories."
Fans arriving at Staples Center last Sunday received a letter from Bryant in a black envelope embossed with gold.
"What you've done for me is far greater than anything I've done for you," Bryant wrote in the letter to fans. "I knew that each minute of each game I wore purple and gold. I honor it as I play today and for the rest of this season. My love for this city, this team and each of you will never fade. Thank you for this incredible journey."
He had an amazing career indeed. If you're an avid basketball fan or collector, for sure, you too are curious to find out if the Nike Kobe series will continue despite Mamba’s journey away from the game. Well, Vincenzo Monteroso from the Philippines, has sketched an awesome rendition of what a Nike Kobe Hybrid would look like if every applicable silhouette merged together.
His design features a high-top shoe that is very similar to the Nike Kobe X. His natural makeup incorporates notable features from the Kobe 1 to 10 shoes. To see more of his “Decades of Greatness” rendition, check out the stellar sketch below.
UPDATE: A friend Jon Esteban Macapagal has offered to make a composite figure of Vincenzo's sketch. The details are spot on! Check them out below:
