Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, retired at the age of 37. Bryant had a prolific 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, who he helped win five NBA championships. Drafted at the age of 17 to the NBA, Bryant blossomed into one of the league's biggest superstars, thrilling fans with a combination of athleticism, skill and a competitive edge that few other players could match.
Bryant began his career with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1996-97 season and instantly became a fan favorite. He made an immediate impact on the court, earning the NBA's 1997 All-Rookie First team honors. He was then selected to the All-Star team for the first time in his second season, where he began to show his impressive skill set.
In 1999-2000, the season of Bryant's third year, he had a breakout season, helping the Lakers to the NBA finals, where they won the franchise's first championship since 1988. Bryant was named the NBA Finals MVP, and would go on to win the award three more times throughout his career.
Bryant helped the Lakers win three straight titles from 2000 to 2002, and made the All-Star team in every season from 1999-2000 to the 2010-11 season. During that period, Bryant would win two more MVP awards, several scoring titles, and earn All-NBA 1st team honors 8 times.
In 2012-13, Bryant announced that this season would be his last in the NBA. On April 13, 2016, the last game of the 2015-16 season, the Lakers put on a show for their long-time star, and although the team lost the game, Bryant delivered a vintage performance, scoring sixty points. At 37 years old, this was his final game in the NBA.
Though he only played 12 games during the 2015-16 season, Bryant still holds several records, including third all-time in total points in NBA history, third all-time in field goals made, fourth all-time in steals, and sixth all-time in assists. Even today, his name is still among the most recognizable in the world of basketball, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of fans and players alike.
Kobe Bryant may be gone, but his legacy will remain in the NBA for years to come. His combination of skill, hard work and competitiveness made him one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers, and his retirement at the age of 37 only adds to the legend of Kobe.