Kobe Bryant's NBA career in records as LA Lakers star announces his retirement
- Published
Kobe Bryant, who's widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history, says he's going to retire at the end of the NBA season.
In a poem called Dear Basketball, published on The Players' Tribune, external website, he said his body couldn't take it any more.
"My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye," wrote the 37-year-old.
"And that's OK. I'm ready to let you go. I want you to know now. So we both can savour every moment we have left together. The good and the bad. We have given each other all that we have."
Here is Kobe Bryant's tweet, Dear Basketball., external
See David Beckham's Instagram tribute to Kobe Bryant. , external
If you're not that familiar with his work, or even if you love him, here's his record-breaking career in numbers...
He's won FIVE NBA championship rings
Kobe, now 37, won the first of his NBA titles four years after joining LA Lakers (via a trade with Charlotte Hornets) straight out of high school in Philadelphia.
Kobe Bryant waits to come on for his debut in 1996 against Minnesota Timberwolves
The 6' 6" star won titles alongside Shaquille O'Neal in 2000, 2001 and 2002 before teaming with Pau Gasol for two more in 2009 and 2010.
Only 13 players in NBA league history have played on more championship teams than Kobe Bryant.
They include the likes of Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and a long list of Boston Celtics players topped by Bill Russell on 11.
He's the THIRD-leading scorer in NBA history
Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks and LA Lakers - 38,387) and Karl Malone (Utah Jazz and LA Lakers - 36,928) have ever scored more points than Kobe Bryant - 32,683.
Michael Jordan's in fourth spot on 32,292.
He's the TOP SCORER in LA Lakers history
Although Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone scored more points than Kobe Bryant overall and both played for LA Lakers - they amassed some of theirs at other clubs.
Jerry West is in second spot on the LA Lakers all-time list with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in third spot.
Kobe Bryant has spent the longest time with one team in NBA history
The star overtook John Stockton's record with Utah Jazz (1984-2003) when he started for the Lakers this season.
Kobe Bryant appears on the bench with Lamar Odom in 2008 after Odom fouled out against the Chicago Bulls
He has 17 All-Star selections
Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) has more All-Star selections than Kobe Bryant, so he won't break this particular record.
Kobe Bryant wins Most Valuable Player in the 2011 All-Star game - a prize he's won four times
Youngest player to reach 30,000 points
At 34 years and 104 days of age in 2012, Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in NBA league history to reach 30,000 career points.
Kobe Bryant reached 30,001 career points with a jump shot one minute and 16 seconds before half-time against New Orleans Hornets
He overtook Wilt Chamberlain, who was 35 years and 179 days old when he achieved the same feat.
Kobe scored the second most points in a single game
The basketball star managed to score a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
Only Wilt Chamberlain scored more, in his 100-point game in 1962 for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks.
Will Chamberlain died in 1999 and still the only ever player to score 100 points in one NBA game
He is the NBA's highest-paid player this season with a $25m salary
Lakers owner Jim Buss gave Kobe Bryant the huge sum (£16.6m) after he promised never to play for another franchise, despite his recent injury problems.
Kobe Bryant's retirement, though, will help the team embrace future prospects like Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson.
Oh... he's also won two Olympic gold medals
He was part of the winning USA teams of 2008, when they beat Spain 118-107 in Beijing, and 2012 in London, when they again beat Spain 107-100.
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