It has been more than three months since superstar Kobe Bryant walked off into the sunset following an incredible 60-point finale for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant, as expected, has stayed busy since officially retiring from the NBA. Kobe has begun working full-time at his company Kobe Inc. as the five-time NBA champion attempts to make the transition to another career path with his playing days now behind him.
Along with running his company, Bryant has made appearances here and there while remaining in the public eye. On Wednesday, Bryant made headlines once again with the 37-year-old writing a letter to his 17-year-old self on Players’ Tribune.
Bryant emphasizes investing in family and friends rather than simply “giving material things” to them. Kobe appears to be reflecting on poor decisions he may have made once he made it to the NBA at 17:
You will come to understand that you were taking care of them because it made YOU feel good, it made YOU happy to see them smiling and without a care in the world — and that was extremely selfish of you. While you were feeling satisfied with yourself, you were slowly eating away at their own dreams and ambitions. You were adding material things to their lives, but subtracting the most precious gifts of all: independence and growth.
The former Lakers superstar also mentions his parents in his article on Players’ Tribune:
The next time I write to you, I may touch on the challenges of mixing blood with business. The most important advice I can give to you is to make sure your parents remain PARENTS and not managers.
Bryant’s relationship with his mother and father got progressively worse over the years. Kobe hasn’t been on speaking terms with his parents, and neither one of them showed up for his last game in a Lakers uniform on April 13.
This article was an interesting peek into Kobe’s relationships with close friends and family. It seems though he would’ve handled it differently if he could turn back the clock.
At 17, it must’ve been incredibly difficult for the rookie to deal with all the added attention and boost in finances. Many of us likely have times in our lives in which we could go back to avoid mistakes with finances, family, and friends let alone all them at the same time.
