A lot has been made of when Kobe Bryant will retire. Some thought after his Achilles injury that may be the end for Kobe. Others are waiting for his current contract to run up, at which point Bryant has said several times he may hang up his shorts. But, according to Kobe, when it is time to retire he won’t be having a farewell tour via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLA.com
“I don’t know if I want a farewell tour because I want that competition,” said Bryant.
“I want the crowd being on top of you all the time. I wouldn’t want a farewell tour. No. I wouldn’t do that.”
Kobe is coming off his 17th season at age 34-years old. He was having the highest efficiency rating shooting 46 percent from the field. The Black Mamba also posted the second highest assists per games this 2012-13 season passing at a 6.0 assists per game average while averaging 27.3 points per game.
Kobe the heart and soul and leader of the Lakers suffered a devastating season ending injury against the Golden State Warriors on April 12th 2013. Kobe was about to make a move to the basket when his Achilles went out. Somehow he mustered enough energy to hit two free throws before leaving the court ending his season.
Kobe has called himself a “dinosaur” and is always referring to himself as the old man of the NBA.
Bryant has one year left remaining on his contract in which he is expected to make over $30 million dollars. After the 2014 season Kobe Bryant and everyone else on the current roster (except Steve Nash) contracts comes off the Lakers payroll and the Lakers will have room to spend on free agents such as Lebron James, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, etc.
Kobe has not disclosed his future with the Lakers organization past the 2014 season. The only thing that is for certain is that Kobe will return for the 2014 season from Achilles surgery. Most certainly number 24 will comeback with a vengeance wanting to prove critics wrong.
