With Kobe Bryant announcing he will retire at the end of the 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers season, many are wondering what he will do post-basketball.
In 2014, the five-time champion announced his new company, Kobe Inc. and has invested in the sports drink, BODYARMOR. Following the announcement this past week, Kobe also filed for trademarks that are linked to his final season which includes “HeroVillain.”
While Kobe is establishing his company, he was asked if he would go into coaching following the 108-104 win over the Washington Wizards, via Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times:
Will Kobe be a coach when he retires? "Coaching, me? That's about the funniest thing I've ever heard."
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) December 3, 2015
It is known superstars usually do not have the patience to be head coaches. While Larry Bird is a recent example of an all-time great who found success with the Indiana Pacers in the late 1990’s, the most successful ones are usually role players.
With Kobe retiring at the end of this season, the farewell tour is in full effect. During the team’s eight game road trip, he has received loud ovations from the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards.
After struggling this season, Kobe had a vintage performance against the Wizards as he made clutch shots in the final minutes to seal a win. With the next stop against the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow, the Lakers will look to build on their strong performance and try to turn their season around.