The NBA world was shocked when Lakers legendary shooting guard Kobe Bryant announced his retirement to the world on November 29th.  After 20 years as a Laker star, the Philly-born basketball icon famously known as “Black Mamba” has had a hall of fame career from being a straight out of high-school sensation to a 5 time NBA champion. He has electrified audiences all around the country and the globe with his tenacious and dominating style on the court with smooth moves and intensive like offense. He’s been heavily famous for the Shaq-Kobe duo that won three consecutive NBA championship titles and for being considered one of the greatest players of the NBA today. When the Lakers hosted the Pacers, just hours after Kobe made the announcement, fans at the Staples Center in Los Angeles received an envelope containing a copy of a letter to his fans that was titled, “Dear Basketball”.    

 Here is an excerpt from Kobe’s letter:

“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.”

 Coming from Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, Kobe exploded into the high school basketball scene as he quickly became the first freshman to start in a varsity team. Kobe was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year in his junior year, attracting college recruiters from all over the country. In his senior year of high school, Kobe led his hometown Acres to a state championship (the first title in 53 years). After winning the state championship, he would directly make the decision to go to the NBA at the age of 17. From there, he was drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets but then traded later in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for center, Vlade Divac.

 Transitioning from high school to the NBA was hard for Kobe, as he started out from the bottom as a benchwarmer for the Lakers. Though he wasn’t starting right away, he took that time on the bench to learn his craft from Laker legends such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Eddie Jones. When it was time for the call up to the starting lineup, Kobe did not disappoint as he exploded into the NBA scene as one of the highest rising rookies of that time (between 1997-99). As the Rookie years past by, Kobe quickly became an all around NBA superstar when he joined forces with star teammate Shaq to create the most powerful and dominant basketball duo of the new millennium. From then on to now, Kobe excites the globe with his explosive like style and leadership to the Los Angeles Lakers.          

 After a hall of fame career, Kobe has cemented himself as one of the greatest to ever play on the court. His legacy, filled with dedication, love and passion, lives on forever. NBA fans all around will always have memories from the Black Mamba in his early years, his golden years, and even his ending years.